15 Types of Journalism Jobs (With Salaries and Duties)

Updated 19 August 2023

The journalism field features press, media and freelancing jobs. People in it help gather information and event reports on issues such as economy, scientific advancements, social events and political news. Understanding the different careers in journalism can help you determine which jobs better fit your skills and interests. In this article, we discuss 15 types of journalism jobs and provide information about their primary duties and national average salaries.

Salary figures reflect data listed on Indeed Salaries at time of writing. Salaries may vary depending on the hiring organisation and a candidate's experience, academic background and location.

15 types of journalism jobs

Here's a list of 15 types of journalism jobs to consider:

1. Videographer

National average salary: $39,324 per year

Primary duties: A videographer plans films and edits videos for various journalism projects, including advertisements, movies and television shows. They sometimes select a location for filming, ensure that the equipment for shooting videos is functional, coordinate a creative team to help with the shoot and direct other camera operators to gain necessary footage. Videographers also add special effects and computer graphics to videos and work as part of the production team in the studio.

2. Photojournalist

National average salary: $42,274 per year

Primary duties: A photojournalist takes photographs, edits and displays them to document and report on various events and stories. They also use photos to interpret various messages. Photojournalists work as freelancers or seek employment at organisations, such as local newspapers, magazines and photo agencies. They also contribute to different media, including television, print and the Internet.

3. Copywriter

National average salary: $50,825 per year

Primary duties: A copywriter creates informational text for different forms of marketing, such as advertising. They generate content to increase brand awareness and persuade a target audience to take specific actions. Copywriters write sales copy for newspaper advertisements, billboards, brochures, white papers, websites, television or radio advertisements, social media posts and sales letters or emails. They interpret technical information and creative direction to create copy, then collaborate with marketing and public relations (PR) departments to produce marketing materials. They also meet with clients to better understand their target audience, improve their brand message and voice.

4. Social media manager

National average salary: $57,860 per year

Primary duties: A social media manager helps different organisations, including media organisations, to increase brand awareness on various social media platforms. They collaborate with marketing experts to create and implement social media marketing campaigns, interact with customers and partners through social networks, develop and improve strategies and research trends to inform colleagues and management of the changes. They also set key performance indicators (KPIs), such as the number of likes or shares for specific content, to evaluate the performance of marketing campaigns on social networking sites.

5. Digital strategist

National average salary: $58,547 per year

Primary duties: Digital strategists help media organisations integrate their digital assets to raise brand awareness, lead digital activation and evaluate digital-marketing strategies' effectiveness. They also collaborate with other marketing individuals, such as content creators, marketing, social media and PR managers, to develop and execute marketing campaigns on digital platforms. Digital strategists implement search engine optimisation (SEO) strategies, research digital tools and trends, engage with clients and set digital events. They also prepare and oversee the organisation's digital marketing budget.

6. Technical writer

National average salary: $61,656 per year

Primary duties: A technical writer creates manuals and guides for complex subjects, such as legal, engineering, medical or technology. They interpret the information into simple terms for those with little knowledge of these subjects. Journalists specialising in a specific field, such as economics and politics, can work as technical writers. They generate ideas for workflow solutions and content, collaborate with subject-matter experts to address special topics appropriately, analyse and update policies and procedures for form documentation and review or edit content from other team members.

7. Journalist

National average salary: $63,705 per year

Primary duties: A journalist researches, writes and presents information and news in stories and articles. They share information about actual events using a fair perspective. They interview experts, organise information to make the presentation interesting, abiding by privacy, contempt and defamation laws. Journalists collaborate with editors, photographers and designers to present stories. They also attend events, establish and maintain information contacts and stay current with journalism practices. There are different types of journalists, including environmental, political, financial, weather and sports journalists.

8. PR manager

National average salary: $66,789 per year

Primary duties: A PR manager helps an organisation maintain a positive image and relationship with its audience or clients. They prepare media kits, organise press conferences, pitch stories to media personnel, engage in dialogue with partners and audiences, hire and collaborate with copywriters and graphic designers and manage a PR budget. PR managers monitor news on different levels, including local, national and international, to determine the public's perception of the organisation. They also develop publicity strategies for major events, such as company expansion and charitable initiatives.

9. News producer

National average salary: $72,144 per year

Primary duties: A news producer selects and manages stories a media organisation uses in news production. They collaborate with reporters and news directors to produce the content on time and ensure consistency. They research topics using various resources, including online databases, interview of experts to gain knowledge in the fields, such as technology, education and healthcare. They also collaborate with station management to determine coverage plans and give programming recommendations. News producers also coordinate news specials, such as breaking news, and collaborate with design teams to ensure that production graphics and elements make the news presentation more attractive.

10. Data analyst

National average salary: $74,580 per year

Primary duties: A data analyst journalist collects and evaluates data to understand issues, determine trends and solve problems. They use numbers and data to find stories and guide their reporting. They utilise software programmes and technology to visualise data and craft a narrative. They develop, implement and maintain databases, assess the quality of data, source for missing data and organise information into a comprehensive format. They also collaborate with experts in different fields to gather data for submission to a news producer or management for approval.

11. Content manager

National average salary: $80,901 per year

Primary duties: A content manager helps develop a brand identity by creating and disseminating multimedia content on digital platforms, such as websites. They develop strategies, hire and manage a content team, grow an online community, track its growth and engage with members. They proofread and edit other creators' work, collaborate with the content team to develop an editorial calendar and ensure compliance with laws, such as data protection and copyright. They also stay current with content marketing developments and develop unique ideas to gain the audience's attention.

12. Product marketing manager

National average salary: $84,807 per year

Primary duties: A product marketing manager collaborates with production, sales and marketing departments to develop strategies for promoting products in visual, audio and text media. They conduct audience research to understand their requirements and review products to understand competitive advantages. Product marketing managers also collaborate with influencers, test and improve content marketing strategies and create interesting stories to gain the target audience's attention and encourage them to buy specific products.

13. Reporter

National average salary: $90,954 per year

Primary duties: A reporter researches and investigates an event or story to deliver details and facts to the public through a platform, such as television, radio or websites. They report local and global events, travel to various places to investigate stories, abiding by legal procedures when getting and reporting a story. Reporters specialise in different areas, including visual media, sports and assignment reports. They also represent the organisation in press briefings, conferences, interviews and events.

14. Communications manager

National average salary: $94,013 per year

Primary duties: A communications manager creates and implements external and internal communication strategies and policies. They collaborate with different teams within the organisation to determine the brand voice, create communication guides for other departments, including marketing, advertising and PR, and manage interdepartmental correspondence through letters and memos. They also draft speeches and press releases to communicate organisation news and train staff on communication practices.

15. News editor

National average salary: $144,109 per year

Primary duties: A news editor manages content for each news edition or presentation. They assign stories to team members, collaborate with photography and sub-editing departments and determine the priority of news articles. They also review journalists' news copies to ensure legal and ethical compliance.