News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists Salary
In Wilmington, NC, news analysts, reporters, and journalists earn $39,800 at the median, or about $19.14 an hour. The range runs from $34K at the entry level to $67K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.42), that's roughly $41,278 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,426/month, about 51.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $40K actually covers in Wilmington, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Wilmington’s Regional Price Parity (96.42). 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 Wilmington
Pay for news analysts, reporters, and journalists in Wilmington runs about 36% below the U.S. median of $62K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,426/month, which is 53.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 96.42) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for news analysts, reporters, and journalists.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for news analysts, reporters, and journalists in metros near Wilmington, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $61K | $63K |
| Raleigh-Cary | $60K | $61K |
| Greensboro-High Point | $47K | $51K |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $85K | $85K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Wilmington, NC
Entry-level news analysts, reporters, and journalists (10th percentile) start around $34K. Mid-career wages sit at $40K. Top earners bring in $67K or more, a $33K 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 annually. We'll email you when Wilmington numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a news analysts, reporters, and journalist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Wilmington?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $40K, rent takes 53.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,426/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/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 Wilmington?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new news analysts, reporters, and journalists typically earn — is $34K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,322/month. At HUD’s $1,426/month FMR, rent would take 61% 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 Wilmington?
Local pay runs 36% below the national median — $40K here vs. $62K nationally.
How does Wilmington compare to the national average for news analysts, reporters, and journalists?
Wilmington pays $40K median vs. the U.S. average of $62K — that’s -36%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.42), the purchasing-power equivalent is $41K — below the national median.
How much do news analysts, reporters, and journalists make in Wilmington, NC?
The median is $39,800 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,040, and experienced news analysts, reporters, and journalists can clear $66,860. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $40K enough to live in Wilmington?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,686/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,426/month, which eats 53.1% 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 Wilmington?
Wilmington has a Regional Price Parity of 96.42 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median news analysts, reporters, and journalists salary is worth about $41,278 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.