Careers in Journalism

Req 5 — Journalism Careers

Identify three career opportunities that would use skills and knowledge in journalism. Pick one and research the training, education, certification requirements, experience, and expenses associated with entering the field. Research the prospects for employment, starting salary, advancement opportunities and career goals associated with this career. Discuss what you learned with your counselor and whether you might be interested in this career.

Journalism skills reach far beyond one job title. People who gather facts, verify claims, interview sources, tell stories clearly, and communicate to the public work in many different settings.

Three Career Paths to Consider

Reporter or Correspondent

Reporters gather information, interview sources, attend events, and produce stories for newspapers, websites, stations, or magazines. Some cover a general beat, while others specialize in politics, sports, business, science, or investigations.

Photojournalist or Video Journalist

These journalists tell stories with images, video, and sound. They often work in fast-moving conditions and need both technical skills and strong news judgment.

Editor or Producer

Editors and producers shape coverage behind the scenes. They assign stories, improve drafts or scripts, check quality, and help decide what audiences most need to know.

Other related roles include fact-checker, audience engagement editor, data journalist, documentary producer, public media host, and communications specialist.

Diagram showing journalism skills branching into reporter, photojournalist, and editor or producer career paths

How to Research One Career Well

Pick one career and build a clear profile of it. Try to answer each part of the requirement with evidence from reliable sources:

Training and education: Is a college degree common? What subjects help most? Are internships important?
Certification requirements: Many journalism jobs do not require a license, but technical or specialized fields may value certain training.
Experience: What entry-level work helps you get started?
Expenses: Think about college, equipment, software, transportation, or unpaid internship time.
Employment outlook: Is the field growing, shrinking, or changing shape?
Starting salary and advancement: What does a beginner earn, and what higher roles can come later?

Questions for Your Career Research

Use these to organize your notes before meeting your counselor

What does a typical day look like?
Which skills matter most?
What is challenging about the job?
What is exciting or meaningful about it?
Would I enjoy the pace, pressure, and type of work?

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Media and Communication Occupations Career profiles, outlook data, pay ranges, and job information for reporting, editing, announcing, and related communication work. Poynter — Journalism Careers Training, industry insight, and resources from a leading journalism education organization.

Career Pathways Week Three—Journalism — Cawley Career Education Center

By the end of this requirement, you should be able to tell your counselor not only what a journalism-related job involves, but also whether it matches your own interests and strengths.