News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists Salary
In Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA, news analysts, reporters, and journalists earn $80,000 at the median, or about $38.46 an hour. The range runs from $42K at the entry level to $122K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.67), so that salary is closer to $74,998 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,255/month, about 43.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $80K get you in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom’s Regional Price Parity (106.67). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About news analysts, reporters, and journalists
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What this looks like in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom sits well above the national pay line for news analysts, reporters, and journalists, local pay runs about 29% higher than the U.S. median of $62K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,255/month, which is 44.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 7% above the national average (BEA RPP 106.67), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for news analysts, reporters, and journalists in metros near Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $64K | $57K |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $76K | $69K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $67K | $63K |
| Bakersfield-Delano | $62K | $61K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
Entry-level news analysts, reporters, and journalists (10th percentile) start around $42K. Mid-career wages sit at $80K. Top earners bring in $122K or more, a $81K spread from bottom to top.
News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $105K | +69% | 1,720 |
| New York | $101K | +62% | 5,750 |
| Georgia | $82K | +32% | 1,520 |
| Nevada | $79K | +26% | 370 |
| Rhode Island | $75K | +20% | 150 |
| Maryland | $64K | +2% | 580 |
| Michigan | $63K | +1% | 960 |
| Tennessee | $62K | +0% | 600 |
| Virginia | $62K | -0% | 1,110 |
| Utah | $62K | -1% | 240 |
| Connecticut | $62K | -1% | 470 |
| Colorado | $61K | -2% | 590 |
| Illinois | $61K | -3% | 1,060 |
| New Jersey | $60K | -4% | 500 |
| Florida | $59K | -6% | 2,490 |
| North Carolina | $59K | -6% | 930 |
| Wisconsin | $58K | -8% | 740 |
| Hawaii | $57K | -9% | 120 |
| Delaware | $56K | -11% | 70 |
| Washington | $55K | -12% | 880 |
| New Mexico | $55K | -12% | 170 |
| Idaho | $51K | -18% | 220 |
| Louisiana | $51K | -18% | 410 |
| Maine | $50K | -19% | 250 |
| Oregon | $49K | -21% | 410 |
| Texas | $48K | -22% | 2,670 |
| New Hampshire | $48K | -22% | 90 |
| Oklahoma | $48K | -22% | 400 |
| Montana | $48K | -23% | 290 |
| South Carolina | $48K | -23% | 480 |
| Ohio | $48K | -23% | 1,340 |
| Indiana | $48K | -23% | 530 |
| Kentucky | $48K | -24% | 370 |
| Vermont | $47K | -24% | 90 |
| Missouri | $47K | -25% | 480 |
| Minnesota | $46K | -25% | 510 |
| Kansas | $46K | -26% | 400 |
| Mississippi | $45K | -27% | 310 |
| Alaska | $44K | -30% | 90 |
| Iowa | $44K | -30% | 590 |
| South Dakota | $44K | -30% | 190 |
| Alabama | $43K | -30% | 530 |
| North Dakota | $43K | -30% | 160 |
| Arizona | $43K | -31% | 450 |
| Nebraska | $40K | -35% | 350 |
| Arkansas | $37K | -40% | 260 |
| Wyoming | $36K | -42% | 80 |
| West Virginia | $35K | -43% | 190 |
Showing 1–10 of 48 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track news analysts, reporters, and journalists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a news analysts, reporters, and journalist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $80K, rent takes 44.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,255/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,500/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for news analysts, reporters, and journalists in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new news analysts, reporters, and journalists typically earn — is $42K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,494/month. At HUD’s $2,255/month FMR, rent would take 90% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is news analysts, reporters, and journalist a high-paying job in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom?
Local pay is 29% above the national median — $80K here vs. $62K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 7% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom compare to the national average for news analysts, reporters, and journalists?
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom pays $80K median vs. the U.S. average of $62K — that’s +29%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.67), the purchasing-power equivalent is $75K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do news analysts, reporters, and journalists make in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA?
The median is $80,000 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $41,570, and experienced news analysts, reporters, and journalists can clear $122,160. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $80K enough to live in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,091/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,255/month, which eats 44.3% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a news analysts, reporters, and journalists salary go in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom?
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom has a Regional Price Parity of 106.67 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median news analysts, reporters, and journalists salary is worth about $74,998 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do news analysts, reporters, and journalists get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.
