Journalism Salary in India

The average salary of a Journalist in India is approximately INR 4 lakh per annum. A career in Journalism is surely challenging work, but it has its perks and benefits in salary and growth.

The salary of a Journalist in India can range from INR 1.30 lakh to INR 10 lakh per annum. In the US, it can range from $23,000 to $98,000 per annum. A career as a Journalist is one of the most challenging jobs in India, yet it can fetch an employee the power to influence people and a handsome salary at the end of the month, making it worth the hard work.

Table of Contents

Salary of Journalists
Journalism Jobs
Journalism as a Career in India
What is Journalism?
Types of Journalism in India
Best Colleges for Journalism in India

Salary of Journalists

The average starting salary of Journalism in India is INR 15,000 to INR 30,000 per month. But as a candidate, progressing and staying over a long period in the industry gives rise to a hike in salary ranging over INR 50,000 per month. For example, a senior journalist from a good media house earns up to INR 60,000 to INR 1 lakh per month, which is quite a lot. It gets even higher due to popularity and experience. Arnab Goswami, the man who took Indian News Media to a global level, earns around 21 Crore yearly in Journalism.

But there are contradictions in this industry as well. Journalists hailing from small media companies can earn around INR 15,000 to INR 20,000 monthly. These companies are usually small or medium media houses functioning in Hindi or local languages. Their workload is very high as they have less manpower, and holidays are merely negligible. However, young people want to be called 'Journalists,' and so they end up taking these kinds of jobs.

The following point shows the different salaries of Journalists on different levels:

Entry Level: For fresher's right out of college, the entry-level salary ranges from INR 1.5 lakh per annum to INR 2.5 lakh per annum.
Early Career: A journalist with 1 to 4 years of experience can earn up to INR 3.5 lakh per annum.
Mid Career: In this mid-career with up to 9 years of experience, journalists earn an average of INR 5 lakh per annum.
Late Career: In their career with less than 20 years of experience, journalists can earn INR 4.8 lakh per annum.
Experienced: In the final stage of their careers, journalists can earn INR 25 lakh per annum.

Journalism Jobs

There are various job profiles present in this domain. They vary from jobs in print media as well as electronic media and, the newest of all, web media.

Here is a list of popular job profiles that a person pursuing journalism will find:

Communications Coordinator
Reporter
Copy Editor
Editorial Assistant
Digital Content Writer
Photojournalist
Broadcast Reporters
Proofreader
Cartoonist

Communications Coordinator

The coordinator's role involves coordinating a company's promotional materials and social media activity. It also includes building and maintaining relationships with media outlets, i.e., from writing press releases to organizing and overseeing a promotional event.

Salary of a Communications Coordinator: It ranges from INR 3 lakh to INR 9 lakh per annum.

Reporter

In this role, a journalist's primary responsibilities are to research and report on news stories. Conducting interviews, writing articles, fact-checking, and networking are the few aspects of this job that a reporter must take care of.

Salary of a Reporter: As low as INR 1.6 lakh to as high as INR 10 lakh per annum.

Copy Editor

The main responsibility of a Copy Editor is to ensure that the final copy does not contain any typos or grammatical errors. In this role, a journalist will be on the lookout for omissions and inconsistencies in the articles being published and ensure that the content being worked upon adheres to the particular style of the publication.

Salary of a Copy Editor: It ranges from INR 1.5 lakh to INR 6 lakh per annum.

Editorial Assistant

In this role, a candidate assists in all stages of the publishing process, from helping to get stories commissioned to ensuring that writers submit their work on time. It is a role that can vary greatly depending on whether one is working at a publishing house or a company newsletter. But either way, a candidate is expected to curate content that is relevant to that publication.

Salary for an Editorial Assistant: It can be between INR 1.2 lakh to INR 4.3 lakh per annum.

Digital Content Writer

As a Content writer, a candidate will be working with the Editorial and Creative higher authorities to bring marketing campaigns and strategies to life. A candidate is expected to contribute to SEO-friendly content to develop ideas for future marketing content.

Salary for a Digital Content Writer: It ranges from INR 2 lakh to INR 5 lakh per annum.

Photojournalist

Taking on this role makes a Journalist a visual reporter. Upon doing so, one must be swift in taking pictures representing a news story, and one must be willing to work in difficult conditions. The skills of writing appropriate captions and the technical aspects of Photography must be known by the candidate.

Salary for a Photojournalist: It can be between INR 2.5 lakh to INR 5.2 lakh per annum.

Broadcast Reporters

A broadcast reporter is a TV anchor at a news show. A Broadcast Reporter keeps conveying the news to the public and holds various debates and talk shows with celebrities and politicians alike. So one must have good communication and presentation skills.

Salary for a Broadcast Reporter: As low as INR 2 lakh per annum to as high as INR 3 lakh per month.

Proofreader

This role involves a journalist evaluating and comparing proofs with the edited copy. For this role, one needs to possess skills in grammar, spelling, and punctuation. One must also be good with sentence formation and be highly proficient in English.

Salary for a Proofreader: It can be between INR 2 lakh to INR 3 lakh per annum.

Cartoonist

A candidate must be artistic and humorous for this particular role. To get recognition as a cartoonist, one needs to be good at comments on public personalities and other happenings in a satirical manner. Also, one needs to think out of the box and picture things in their mind differently before presenting them to the masses.

Salary for a Cartoonist: It starts from INR 1.8 lakh and goes to INR 5 lakh per annum.

Note: The given salary figures mentioned here are taken from payscale.com.

Journalism as a Career in India

There have been numerous opportunities for journalists that have been generated all around the globe, not just in India. A journalist needs to be diplomatic, confident, and structured, for example, while interviewing the public and celebrities. They must have the skill of filtering relevant facts from irrelevant ones. Having the capability to accept criticism and eagerness to do a lot of rewriting is a crucial part of this profession.

It is a good career choice in India with no risk involved as the news business is evergreen and all around us. So, it will remain unchanged irrespective of the economy or market of the country. That's why it is a good idea to go ahead with pursuing journalism in India. A reputable name and the power to instill the masses are what a journalist earns besides the salary in this industry.

What is Journalism?

Journalism can be called the activity of gathering, assessing, creating, and presenting news and information to the public. While it occupies a much smaller space than the entertainment and advertising propaganda that dominates the media universe, it is also perceived as more valuable than most other lesser-known stuff.

Journalism is much more than just writing and generating news for the media. Its main purpose is to provide people with verified information that can be used to make better decisions. So journalists do not just find out the facts, but also the truth about the facts.

The ability to explore and understand the various opportunities of society irrespective of one's nationality, race, cultural background, religion, and gender is what it takes to be a successful journalist.

Types of Journalism in India

There are different types of Journalism in India today which cater to a large number of people in India. A student can choose from this array of choices to pursue a role in Journalism.

Here are the seven main types that Journalism can be classified into:

Print Journalism

Print journalism, which is based on the oldest form of media and is still thriving, provides a wealth of opportunities for a successful career in journalism. It is the process of investigating and reporting events to a large audience, usually in newspapers or magazines.

Investigative Journalism

Investigative journalism is a type of reporting in which reporters look into a specific issue of interest, such as significant crimes, government corruption, or corporate fraud. An investigative journalist could spend months or even years researching and writing an article.

Broadcast Journalism

Broadcast journalism is journalism in which news and journals are aired via electronic means rather than traditional means such as printed newspapers and posters. Pictures (both static and dynamic), visual text, and music are distributed through such mediums. It's compatible with radio, television, and the World Wide Web.

Political Journalism

Political Journalism is one of the more serious forms of journalism. International political news, national political news, and local political news are the three types of political journalism.

A political journalist must have in-depth knowledge of political events, political people, bodies, election campaigns, policies, their impact, and the aftermath.

Crime Journalism

A crime journalist works for media outlets such as newspapers, television, magazines, and other platforms, writing and researching criminal occurrences. Interviews are conducted, and the journalists also attend judicial sessions.

Sports Journalism

A sports journalist covers news on a sporting event, series, or athlete. This sort of journalism comes with additional benefits, such as attending live sporting events, travelling to new locations, and even meeting and interviewing athletes. To operate in this sector, one must have a thorough understanding of sports, be omnipresent, and have excellent communication skills.

Lifestyle Journalism

Lifestyle journalism covers topics such as leisure, music, cooking, gardening, entertainment, home decor, fashion, shopping, exercises, yoga, and good eating habits. This type of journalism informs readers about how to live a healthier and more fulfilling life.

Best Colleges for Journalism in India

When a candidate has decided to pursue Journalism as a career, the candidate requires a proper college. Whether to join a Business School or a normal college, a candidate has various options in India to pursue an education in Journalism.

So mentioned below are the top colleges that are currently doing well in India: