Journalist Salary in India: Updated 2025 Pay Scale Guide

The average annual journalist salary ranges from ₹3,00,000 to ₹8,00,000, depending on experience, media house, and specialization. Top-tier journalists, editors, and anchors at national outlets can earn well over ₹12,00,000 annually. With the rise of digital media, independent journalism, SEO, and multilingual content platforms, the demand for skilled storytellers and news professionals is increasing.

In this article, we explore what drives the journalist salary in India, how roles differ across print, TV, and digital media, and trends to help you earn more in this field.

Key Trends in Journalist Salary in India in 2025

The journalist salary in India in 2025 depends on your experience level, job role, location, and the media organization you work with. Entry-level positions in print or digital journalism typically offer salaries ranging from ₹3 to ₹5 LPA. As you gain experience and take on roles like editor, senior correspondent, or anchor, your salary can rise to ₹10–₹15 LPA or more.

Journalists based in metropolitan areas typically earn higher salaries due to the presence of national news channels, digital-first platforms, and multilingual media houses. Pay also increases in sectors like political reporting, financial journalism, and investigative reporting.

Specializing in digital storytelling, multimedia, or data journalism can increase your demand, especially with skills in SEO, content marketing strategy, video production, or podcasting.

Looking to grow your journalism career and understand what drives salary growth? These curated programs will help you build future-ready skills with real-world training and expert mentorship:

• DBA in Digital Leadership from Golden Gate University¹, San Francisco
• Advanced Certificate in Digital Marketing and Communication
• Post Graduate Diploma in Management - PGDM Course(BIMTECH)

Let’s break down journalist salary ranges by role, specialization, and media type to give you a clear roadmap for career success.

1. Journalist Salary in India According to Roles

The journalist salary in India varies significantly depending on your role, experience, and the media format you work in. As you grow in your career, your responsibilities shift from writing and reporting to editorial decision-making and managing newsrooms.
As a trainee or entry-level journalist, you’ll likely be involved in basic news gathering, field reporting, or assisting editors. With experience, you'll take on more responsibility from investigative journalism and anchoring to editing and managing teams.

The table below breaks down average salary ranges for journalism roles in India so you know what to expect as you move forward in your media career:

Source: AmbitionBox, Glassdoor, Apeejay

Looking to break into digital analytics or sharpen your skills? upGrad’s Fundamentals of Development Journalism free course is the perfect starting point. Learn to work with Google Analytics, interpret real-time data, and gain actionable insights to drive business performance. 

Also Read: Digital Marketing Tutorials: A Complete Guide

Now, let’s examine how your experience level directly affects the journalist salary in India.

2. Journalist Salary in India According to Experience

The journalist salary in India can vary significantly depending on your level of experience, the type of media organization you work for, and your specific reporting skills. As you grow in journalism, skills like digital reporting, investigative work, and multimedia storytelling can boost your earning potential.

To help you understand what to expect at each stage, here’s a quick breakdown of average salaries by experience level:

Source: Glassdoor, AmbitionBox, 6figr

Also Read: How to Master Project Reports: A Complete Guide

Next, let’s explore how the journalist salary in India shifts across industries since your domain can significantly impact your compensation.

3. Journalist Salary in India According to Industry

Your salary as a journalist in India can vary significantly based on the industry you work in. Industries such as digital news platforms, television media, and corporate PR departments offer more competitive compensation. This is due to higher advertising revenue as they are paid media, real-time content needs, and audience engagement metrics. 

If you're skilled in multimedia content creation, investigative reporting, or digital strategy, you're in high demand.

Here’s how the journalist salary in India stacks up across different industries:

Source: AmbitionBox, Glassdoor

Also read: What is SEO in Digital Marketing: Importance, Types & Benefits

Next, let’s see how journalist salaries differ across the top companies in India.

4. Journalist Salary in India According to Companies

Established national outlets and digital-first media platforms tend to offer higher packages due to their extensive reach, substantial ad revenue, and high demand for experienced journalists.

On the other hand, regional newspapers, local TV channels, and smaller digital publications may offer more modest pay but give you greater editorial freedom. This allows for faster promotions and diverse reporting opportunities.

Below is a table showing the average journalist salaries in India across top media companies:

Source: AmbitionBox, Glassdoor

Also Read: What is SEO Content Writing? A Beginner’s Guide to Writing for Search Engines

Now that you know what top companies pay, let’s break down how global journalist salaries compare and where India stands on the map.

5. Journalist Salary in India: Global Comparison

When you compare the journalist salary in India with other countries, you'll notice a significant gap. Journalists in nations like the US, UK, and Germany tend to earn significantly more. This is due to advanced media infrastructure, a higher cost of living, broader international coverage, and stronger demand for specialized reporting.

Here’s a quick global comparison of average annual journalist salaries:

Source: Indeed, Payscale, Glassdoor

Let’s look at practical ways to grow your journalist salary in India.

What Drives Journalist Salary in India: Key Techniques to Boost Your Pay in 2025

Senior journalists working with national media houses or global digital publications can earn between ₹10 and ₹20 LPA. In contrast, anchors, editors, and digital content leads may earn even higher salaries, depending on location and audience reach.

Here’s how you can increase your salary and fast-track your journalism career in 2025.

1. Master Digital & Multimedia Journalism

Today’s top-paying journalism roles demand digital fluency. If you can report, write, shoot, and edit, you’re already more valuable than a traditional print-only journalist.

Actionable Step: Learn how to create video news content, podcast interviews, and interactive articles. Use tools like Canva, Adobe Premiere Pro, Audacity, and social scheduling platforms to enhance your market value.

2. Build a Strong Reporting Portfolio

Your work speaks for you, especially if it demonstrates reach and impact. Editors and recruiters often look for specific metrics, such as story virality, reader engagement, or published work on credible platforms.

Example: If one of your articles generated 100k+ views or led to a policy change, that’s a powerful portfolio point.

Actionable Step: Maintain a digital portfolio with links to your published work. Include analytics (views, shares), media mentions, and any real-world outcomes driven by your stories.

3. Specialize in a High-Demand Beat

Specialization helps you command a higher journalist salary in India. Topics like politics, finance, technology, health, and investigative journalism are highly valued. You’ll stand out more if you build a strong network and develop subject-matter expertise.

Actionable Step: Pick a niche you enjoy and build credibility through regular reporting, expert interviews, and research-based content. Pitch to outlets that value in-depth coverage.

4. Upskill with Data and Mobile Journalism

Data-driven stories and mobile-first content dominate today’s media. Journalists who can visualize data or shoot and edit directly from a smartphone are preferred in digital newsrooms.

What to Focus On: Learn data scraping, visualization tools like Flourish or Datawrapper, and mobile journalism basics, shooting, editing, and publishing from your phone.

Actionable Step: Take a data journalism crash course and follow digital-native news outlets for inspiration. Try publishing one data story a month.

Also Read: Data Visualisation: The What, The Why, and The How!

5. Boost Your Visibility & Network

Networking opens doors to better roles, higher-paying assignments, and exclusive stories. An active presence on platforms like LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter), and journalist communities can lead to new gigs and referrals.

Actionable Step: Share your published work online, interact with other journalists, and attend media webinars or in-person press events. The more you engage, the more visible your byline becomes.

6. Consider Freelancing or International Publications

Freelancers with a solid pitch, niche expertise, or global perspective can earn much more than salaried staff. Publications like BBC, Al Jazeera, or Vice India pay premium rates for high-impact stories.

Example: Freelance journalists who cover underreported regions or break exclusive investigative stories often earn ₹ 5,000–₹ 25,000 per article.

Actionable Step: Build a compelling pitch portfolio. Reach out to editors directly, subscribe to journalist job boards, and explore platforms like Contently or Muck Rack.

7. Stay Current with Industry Shifts

Journalism is changing fast. To maintain your edge and a competitive salary, you need to stay up-to-date with new tools, platforms, and trends in reader behavior.

Actionable Step: Subscribe to media newsletters, follow press freedom watchdogs, and continually experiment with new formats, such as explainers, reels, or AI-assisted news writing.

If you're looking to turn your journalism skills into better career opportunities and higher pay, let’s see how upGrad can help you get there.

Accelerate Your Journalism Career with upGrad

Top media companies and digital platforms in India are offering competitive salaries to skilled journalists. The journalist salary in India ranges from ₹3L to ₹12L+ annually, depending on your experience, role, and specialization. Focusing on areas like digital reporting, multimedia storytelling, and investigative journalism can lead to faster career growth and better compensation.

To bridge skill gaps and advance in your career, upGrad’s programs provide practical, industry-relevant training. From learning content strategy to hands-on experience in news production and digital publishing, our courses are designed to help you succeed in modern newsrooms.

Here are some additional courses to help you start growing your journalism skill set:

• Basics of Search Engine Optimization
• Advanced Certificate in Performance Marketing
• Professional Certificate Program in Digital Marketing and AI with PwC Academy

Still unsure how to grow your journalist salary in India? Get personalized career counseling to identify the best opportunities for you. Visit upGrad’s offline centers for expert mentorship, hands-on workshops, and networking sessions to connect you with industry leaders!