News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists

What News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists Do

Narrate or write news stories, reviews, or commentary for print, broadcast, or other communications media such as newspapers, magazines, radio, or television. May collect and analyze information through interview, investigation, or observation.

Career Outlook

National employment outlook, 2024–2034.

Related work experience

None

On-the-job training

None

Self-employed

15.6%

Source: BLS Employment Projections — 2024-2034.

Key Knowledge Areas

Subject-matter areas this occupation draws on most, per O*NET.

• English Languageimportance 4.8/5
• Communications and Mediaimportance 4.7/5
• Law and Governmentimportance 3.7/5
• Computers and Electronicsimportance 3.4/5
• Telecommunicationsimportance 3.4/5
• Customer and Personal Serviceimportance 3.2/5
• Geographyimportance 3.0/5
• Public Safety and Securityimportance 3.0/5

Work Environment

What the day-to-day work setting is like, per O*NET.

• Time Pressure4.9/5
• E-Mail4.8/5
• Contact With Others4.6/5
• Freedom to Make Decisions4.6/5
• Importance of Being Exact or Accurate4.5/5
• Telephone Conversations4.5/5

Related Careers

• Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys
• Editors
• Writers and Authors
• Producers and Directors
• Film and Video Editors
• Public Relations Specialists
• Proofreaders and Copy Markers
• Detectives and Criminal Investigators

Careers With Similar Skills

Occupations whose Transferable Skills profile most closely matches this one — a mathematical comparison, not observed data about people actually moving between these careers.

• Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists97% skill match
• Social and Human Service Assistants97% skill match
• Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping96% skill match
• Community Health Workers96% skill match
• Animal Control Workers96% skill match
• Compliance Officers96% skill match
• Court, Municipal, and License Clerks96% skill match
• Correspondence Clerks96% skill match

Transferable Skills

Cross-functional skills this occupation draws on most, per O*NET — the kind that carry over to other careers.

• Social Perceptivenessimportance 3.5/5
• Time Managementimportance 3.5/5
• Coordinationimportance 3.4/5
• Complex Problem Solvingimportance 3.3/5
• Judgment and Decision Makingimportance 3.3/5
• Persuasionimportance 3.1/5
• Service Orientationimportance 3.0/5
• Negotiationimportance 2.8/5

Software & Technologies

Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.

Work Style

Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.

• Integrity
• Intellectual Curiosity
• Adaptability
• Social Orientation
• Dependability
• Achievement Orientation
• Initiative

Career Interests

This occupation’s RIASEC interest profile, per O*NET — how strongly it fits each of the six Holland interest types.

• ArtisticHigh
• InvestigativeMedium
• EnterprisingMedium
• ConventionalMedium
• SocialLow
• RealisticLow

Where This Career Is Most Concentrated

Metro areas where news analysts, reporters, and journalists make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).

1. 1Waterbury-Shelton, CT3.78× national avg
2. 2Missoula, MT3.13× national avg
3. 3Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV3.02× national avg
4. 4Tyler, TX2.76× national avg
5. 5Billings, MT2.56× national avg

Possible Career Moves

A computed starting point, not observed job-change data — see the full list for why each one might fit.

• Compliance OfficersCareer Change
• Human Resources SpecialistsCareer Change
• Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment SpecialistsCareer Change
• Loan OfficersCareer Change

See the full career path from News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists →

Related Education Programs

Schools that offer related fields of study, based on the NCES CIP-SOC crosswalk — not a guarantee that graduates enter this specific career.