Probably been asked before but...

[PSU123]

Hey, a HS student here that's thinking about going into sports journalist. Obviously the question has been asked, "how's the pay?"

I know the first few years is crap and you struggle. But I never see any info what it's like after the few first years and you start to get more expierence.

So what is the pay like after you start to get more and more expierence? Or a better question, what is the pay like after 10 years or so?

Also, can working at a college newspaper and let's say getting an internship help where you get hired and how much you make?

Thanks!

 

[sportschick]

Don't do it, kid. Just don't.

I've been in about 10 years, am at a mid-metro type paper (about 100K) and I still haven't cracked 40K.

 

[Cadet]

And before you think "wow, $40,000! I've never made that kind of money in my life! Sounds good to me!" ask your parents how far that goes. Especially with a spouse and kids.

 

[NoOneYouKnow]

Kid, don't listen to the nonsense.

People in the newspaper industry right now are having a tough time. The economics of it just aren't working. There are many reasons for this -- poor management decisions, lack of advertising dollars, loss of readership to the Internet, etc.

But sports journalism is still a good thing. The media is just changing (i.e. the Internet movement, which newspapers are woefully behind on, or at least can't make money at yet).

As for your question about salary, you'll get a ton of different answers. It could depend on where you live, size of paper or Web site, your skills, the economy, etc.

For me, I started nearly 15 years ago and made $26,000/year at a 40,000 circulation newspaper. From there, I moved to a 150,000 circulation paper for a few years and then made it to a major metro. My last annual pay there was $75,000. Now I've joined a Web site and will make six figures this year.

So, what I can say is this (and it's what I've always told newbies wanting in): Go to a good school, bust your tail -- meaning soak in everything, writing, editing, design -- and come out of college a well-rounded, multitalented journalist. From there, let those talents direct your career. It worked for me, at least.

Best of luck with following journalism as a career.

 

[budcrew08]

Hey, a HS student here that's thinking about going into sports journalist. Obviously the question has been asked, "how's the pay?"

I know the first few years is crap and you struggle. But I never see any info what it's like after the few first years and you start to get more expierence.

So what is the pay like after you start to get more and more expierence? Or a better question, what is the pay like after 10 years or so?

Also, can working at a college newspaper and let's say getting an internship help where you get hired and how much you make?

Thanks!

First, learn how to spell experience.
Then, follow exactly what NoOneYouKnow said.

 

[Cadet]

NoOne, I appreciate your optimism, but sometimes it's not that easy.

You can go to the good school. You can work your ass off. You can develop a horde of skills and become fluent in sixteen types of software and even end up teaching one of your college classes because your professor doesn't know Photoshop.

None of these things guarantee a nice payday. It does not guarantee a steady climb up the corporate ladder. It does not guarantee that opportunities will exist. You must have all those things PLUS a heaping helping of luck and timing.

I think a young person needs to seriously evaluate his or her priorities and what a chosen career can offer before making a career choice.

If your priorities in life are to never work weekends, drive nice cars and have Christmas with your family, this is not the career for you. If a priority is to have a spouse who stays home to raise children, again, this might not be for you. If a priority is to stay close to your hometown ... you catch my drift.

When you are young, it is easy to say "Sure, I'll work Christmas! I'll do it because I love sports and I love to write and those are the sacrifices!" But think of what you'll be saying after nine consecutive Christmases away from your family because your paper's town (a very expensive plane ticket away from your hometown) hosts a giant high school holiday basketball tournament that begins at 8 a.m. on Dec. 26.

And there are days like that when not even a $75K paycheck will be worth the personal cost of the job.

 

[mediaguy]

Don't go into journalism expecting to make six figures, at least not until 20 years from now, where six figures is the new $50k. This shouldn't be an industry you go into with high salary expectations. Wasn't before, certainly isn't now.

Lots of other compelling reasons to enter the industry -- I have them written down somewhere -- but money really isn't one of them.

 

[Babs]

I would not recommend this profession to a high school student I cared about.

 

[mustangj17]

As someone who graduated from college a year ago, I wish someone would have told me not to go into this profession. And even though its the only thing I've wanted to do with my life, that doesn't matter, when you are broke and don't have many job options.

 

[Jay Sherman]

The good: if you're a journalist, you (typically) are a good writer. Therefore you're valuable to other companies out of the journalism industry if you decide it isn't for you. I figured since sports is my passion and writing comes easily to me, this would be a cakewalk of a career. However, since I had to stay at home by myself for the 4th of July because I have to cover a high school baseball game tonight, I'm a little frustrated that I didn't choose a M-F 9-5 cubicle job.

If I don't get on a major college beat within the next five years, I'll probably consider doing something else. Marketing, maybe.

 

[WriteThinking]

Hey, a HS student here that's thinking about going into sports journalist. Obviously the question has been asked, "how's the pay?"

I know the first few years is crap and you struggle. But I never see any info what it's like after the few first years and you start to get more expierence.

So what is the pay like after you start to get more and more expierence? Or a better question, what is the pay like after 10 years or so?

Also, can working at a college newspaper and let's say getting an internship help where you get hired and how much you make?

Thanks!

In general, the pay in journalism is not that good. There are exceptions, depending on the size/status of the area and paper, and how far up the food chain you are in terms of job title/status while there.

But, for all those at major metros who make what seems like plenty of money, be aware that there are some people in those same places who may not make nearly so much. In fact, they may make surprisingly little, and not much more than those at any other smaller or lesser paper.

This can happen if you get "slotted," as we call it, into what, officially, is a lower classification than somebody else (even though you do much of the same work), and then you may be stuck on a certain "track" without realizing it because, you know, you're not supposed to ask/talk to other colleagues about their positions/titles/salaries, etc.

Doesn't happen all the time, but just want to show that getting to a major metro doesn't necessarily mean you've made it, financially, or will always be making great money.

What Cadet and sportschick said? Listen to them, and balance it with what NOYK said.

It's quite possible to work hard -- to even become known for your work ethic and versatility and your willingness to go anywhere/do anything (see Scott Carter on the Tampa thread) -- and to be a great reporter with vision, news judgment and an enterprising, aggressive nature that combines nicely with good writing talent and a desire to continually grow and always give your best -- and still, unfortunately, not get to where you'd really like to be, either financially, or career-wise.

Try this on for a little perspective: My sister, who has no degree and works in a small-town hair salon -- no celebrity clients there, as far as I know -- makes about 75 percent more a year in her job as a stylist than I ever have in close to 15 years in the business. I made $40,000 last year for the first time, and I've graduated college and have been at a major metro.

I wouldn't tell anyone not to go into journalism if they love it and that's what they want to do because I'm among those who believe that the format of dissemination is changing, not the need for that to happen. I'm also still somewhat hopeful that, eventually, we'll either get a new business model figured out, or else, get back to concentrating on basics, distributed electronically, of course, and will realize again that good, strong stories with lots of reporting depth -- you know, what we used to do -- is what we really need.

But I would tell anyone who asked about the field to go in with their eyes wide open, and with the realization that there are, and probably will be, many fewer journalists needed, or wanted by those hiring, to do such work in the future.

Therefore, they may, indeed, be in need of even more luck than ever if they are to achieve all of their goals, or reach the top echelon of the industry pay scale or food chain.

 

[Hank_Scorpio]

Hey, a HS student here that's thinking about going into sports journalist. Obviously the question has been asked, "how's the pay?"

I know the first few years is crap and you struggle. But I never see any info what it's like after the few first years and you start to get more expierence.

So what is the pay like after you start to get more and more expierence? Or a better question, what is the pay like after 10 years or so?

Also, can working at a college newspaper and let's say getting an internship help where you get hired and how much you make?

Thanks!

When you start asking about journalism and your very first question is about money/pay/salary, then this profession probably isn't for you.


And NOYK, for every story like yours, there are at least five that struggle financially.

 

[Panhandle PK]

PSU,

I'm about to be a college grad in the sports journalism field - hoping to get picked up by my 80k paper after my internship.

For me, the reason why I got into this field was never about the money. It is about getting up every morning and enjoying going to work. Sure, there are some days even at the "perfect job" where you still don't want to go. But for the most part, if I make 35-40k, and I ENJOY what I do - which is covering sports...then I can live with that. I know way to many people who make good money, and hate driving to work. Is that really worth it?

I'm only 23 so a spouse/kid isn't even crossing my mind...if I ever find "The One...." then hopefully she can have a job - and she can understand my passion for sports isn't about the..."Dollar Dollar Bill..."

 

[sportschick]

Passion for you job doesn't put food on the table, pay the babysitter or pay the mortgage (if you can even afford to get one). All things a woman might very well expect from her partner.

 

[Joe Williams]

Here's another sort of "slotting" that's different from what WriteThinking wrote about, but to me is a huge part of the eventual frustration in this business:

Lots of people get "slotted" into the same job, basically, for their entire careers. You might move to a different beat or even to a different department. But this is a business that is very flat, in terms of promotions. Maybe you grab a rung up as a columnist. Or maybe you grab one as an asst. department head, then department head. You're still talking a handful of jobs in any newsroom. Especially if you've moved up to a mid-major or bigger.

What it means is that for 80-90 percent of the people who come into this business, they can be doing essentially the same thing in their 40s and 50s that they were doing in their 20s. That seems pretty cool when you're starting out -- "I'm 25 and I'm covering a pro beat for a metro" -- but it's less cool 10 years later and not cool at all 20 years later. It isn't a comment on your talent, either, as much as it is the dwindling opportunities in this business and the stagnation that keeps lots of people in the same jobs longer.

So beyond the lack of extra money and "prestige" and influence that might come from moving up within an organization, there's the sameness of it all. You're doing the same thing, more or less, for 30 years, and that's supposed to be enough. And even if it is, some suit starts looking at you like you're a juicy T-bone, someone whose salary ought to go or who needs to get out of the way of some effin' stud that the new boss hired. Nice when you realize, too, that you're writing about the kids of the people you started out writing about -- and you probably spend more time around their kids than your own.

BTW, even if you were fortunate or talented enough to move up, at least half the time you have to change companies, which means changing cities, which means uprooting your family, leaving friends and so on. Lot of careers, you have a choice of multiple employers in a given market -- not so in this business.

 

[NoOneLikesUs]

As journalists we're expected to cover things that happen at any time, yet we are never properly compensated for the missed time with family, friends...etc.

For me, as stated above by others, I always feel inferior to others in my family when discussing pay. I know I didn't get into this business for those reasons, but damn it...I get angry when some general laborer or someone who is waiting tables is making more than me. I often find myself questioning my self worth because of this.

And like sportschick said it will have adverse effects on relationships. I've never been married, but I'd like be to some day and I'd like to take care of the one I love. I've already had several relationships implode because of this and it never gets any easier as time goes by.

 

[Cadet]

I'm only 23 so a spouse/kid isn't even crossing my mind...if I ever find "The One...." then hopefully she can have a job - and she can understand my passion for sports isn't about the..."Dollar Dollar Bill..."

PK, I don't want you to think I'm picking on you, since I respond to all your posts. I'm really not, and I like the fact that you've involved yourself here and are asking questions/contributing.

But to address the relationship question, some of you young'ins should think about the type of person you find yourself attracted to. Do you like the girls who always have to have perfect hair and nails and say their favorite store is Nordstroms? Or do you like the type whose favorite store is REI and the most makeup she wears is chapstick? Or religious girls who want to stay home and raise six kids? Or guys who live for their souped-up vehicles or like to take loooong fishing weekends?

I'm not saying you should change your preferences (because I don't think you can), or that you should "settle" for different traits that you're not attracted to. Hell, it's possible "the one" for you is someone who is the total opposite of what you think your "type" is.

I'm just saying you should be aware of how all the puzzle pieces may (or may not) fit together. For example, my boyfriend is a night owl who works weekends, so that eliminated the schedule fights that I've had in previous relationships with 9-to-5ers.

 

[forever_town]

Hey, a HS student here that's thinking about going into sports journalist. Obviously the question has been asked, "how's the pay?"

You might want to start by saying "who's thinking about going into sports journalism."

I know the first few years is crap and you struggle. But I never see any info what it's like after the few first years and you start to get more expierence.

The pay is pretty bad dismal except for the elite in the profession. With the way print media is going, I have to seriously question why anyone would want to get into it for a career.

Also, can working at a college newspaper and let's say getting an internship help where you get hired and how much you make?

Working at a college newspaper and getting an internship often help you more than four years of J-school would. You get practical experience at both, plus you get clips, which are vital to anyone looking to get a job as a reporter.

 

[agateguy]

Is this what you want to do, more than anything else?

If that's the case, then, as with any job, look at the positives and negatives, and determine if you're willing to live with whatever they are for the field you're trying to get into; too many people don't do that.

I didn't. I jumped right in because sportswriting is what I thought I wanted to do at age 18, although I had a sense in the back of my head that it wasn't for me. Fortunately, I was able to find a place for myself within the industry.

Knowing what I know now, if I could go back and talk to 18-year-old agate guy, I'd tell him to find something that pays better, has more long-term security, and that he would truly enjoy and excel at.

Best wishes to you; I hope you get what you desire, and be able to live a good life while doing it.

 

[rebelpaul]

I'm 21, just entered the industry and I'm already planning my exit strategy.

I believed in the idea that waking up every morning to a job I loved would compensate for the misfortunes. Well, I love waking up every morning to my job but I hate how small the town in (coming from Las Vegas, it's a huge difference). I hate the idea that with how much I'm making, a family is going to be out of the question for quite a while.

When I was the sports editor at my college paper, I was told by the city's lead columnists, "You're crazy if you want to get into the newspaper industry."

Aside from that comment, he told me that another factor is luck. You have to get lucky. The cards need to fall right for you. I graduated college saw a job opening that I thought I'd like, and got the job. The biggest thing that attracted me was getting to cover a Division I-A basketball school (albeit, a crappy one), but you get the point.

If you want to get in, I'd tell you have back up options. I'm going to do this for as long as I can, and if the passion I have for this industry dies, I'm going back to school for radiology. Heard they make decent money.