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News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists Salary in Chicago, IL

In the 2025 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS dataset, News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists in Chicago, IL have a median annual salary of $70,350, with 660 recorded jobs in this area. Recorded earnings range from $37,060 at the 10th percentile to $213,350 at the 90th percentile.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · Data year: 2025 · Last updated: 2026-09-22

Salary overview

Median annual salary

$70,350

Data year: 2025

Hourly median

$33.82

Employment

660

Source

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS

Salary distribution

$37,060
10th
$48,070
25th
$70,350
Median
$103,550
75th
$213,350
90th

Local compared with national

Chicago, IL

$70,350

Median annual · 2025

United States

$62,200

Median annual · 2025

The Chicago, IL median is 13.1% above the national median in the available dataset (a difference of $8,150).

Top skills

  1. 1.Active ListeningImportance 4.5
  2. 2.Reading ComprehensionImportance 4.4
  3. 3.SpeakingImportance 4.3
  4. 4.Critical ThinkingImportance 4.1
  5. 5.WritingImportance 4.0
  6. 6.Active LearningImportance 3.8
  7. 7.Social PerceptivenessImportance 3.8
  8. 8.Time ManagementImportance 3.6
  9. 9.CoordinationImportance 3.4
  10. 10.Complex Problem SolvingImportance 3.4
  11. 11.MonitoringImportance 3.3
  12. 12.PersuasionImportance 3.3

Career information

Education and experience

Experience
Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
Job zone
4

Technology used

  • Adobe After Effects
  • Adobe InDesign
  • Adobe Photoshop
  • Adobe Premiere Pro
  • Apple Final Cut Pro
  • Audion Laboratories VoxPro
  • Avid Technology Pro Tools
  • Desktop Technologies NewsBoss
  • ESRI ArcView
  • Facebook
  • FileMaker Pro
  • Grass Valley EDIUS
  • Hypertext markup language HTML
  • IBM SPSS Statistics
  • LexisNexis

Common tasks

  • Report news stories for publication or broadcast, describing the background and details of events.
  • Gather information and develop perspectives about news subjects through research, interviews, observation, and experience.
  • Research a story's background information to provide complete and accurate information.
  • Arrange interviews with people who can provide information about a story.
  • Establish and maintain relationships with individuals who are credible sources of information.
  • Investigate breaking news developments, such as disasters, crimes, or human-interest stories.
  • Select material most pertinent to presentation, and organize this material into appropriate formats.
  • Report on specialized fields such as medicine, green technology, environmental issues, science, politics, sports, arts, consumer affairs, business, religion, crime, or education.
  • Review and evaluate notes taken about news events to isolate pertinent facts and details.
  • Receive assignments or evaluate leads or tips to develop story ideas.

Related careers

Occupations recorded as related in the dataset. A relationship does not imply a guaranteed transition.

News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists salary in other locations

Other occupations in Chicago, IL