Career comparison
Journalist vs. Writer
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Writers earn more at the median ($76,910 vs. $62,200), while writers usually get to work faster (Years of practice of training). Journalists find, report and tell the stories that keep the public informed. Writers write books, scripts, ads and articles for readers and audiences.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Journalist | Writer | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $62,200 ($29.91/hr) | $76,910 ($36.98/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $36,240 – $144,140 | $44,310 – $139,870 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | -5.9% (a projected decline) | -0.3% (little or no change) |
| Openings per year | 3,400 | 11,900 |
| Typical entry education | Bachelor's degree | Bachelor's degree |
| Training time | 4 years | Years of practice |
| Key credential | Journalism degree | MFA in creative writing |
| Work setting | Journalists work in newsrooms, remotely and in the field, often on deadline.. | Writers work at home, in offices and on location.. |
What each job does
Journalist
- Find and pitch stories
- Interview sources
- Research records and data
- Verify facts
- Write and produce stories
Writer
- Research topics
- Write drafts
- Revise
- Pitch ideas
- Meet deadlines
How they’re similar
Both careers involve creative work and working independently. Both are part of the arts, media & design field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose journalist if…
- I’m curious about everything
- I love writing
- I can handle deadlines
Choose writer if…
- I love writing
- I’m self-disciplined
- I handle rejection
Still torn? Take the Journalist fit quiz and the Writer fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, journalist or writer?
Writers earn more at the median: $76,910 versus $62,200 for journalists, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Writers typically train faster (Years of practice) than journalists (4 years).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects writers to grow -0.3% from 2025–35, compared with -5.9% for journalists.