Starting pay

[zman82]

never dug the raman taste, but do remember my first bob paying me in the $7.50 - $8.50 an hour rate ... and that was in the late 90s. i looked at myself in the mirror and though, 'holy ****! what have i got myself into?
then again, i'm still in the biz so go figure.

 

[crimsonace]

My first job (in '97).

$15,000 a year, on the nose (or about $7.20 an hour).

Six months in, I was so valuable, they gave me a $10/week raise.

Twelve months in, I was working at another newspaper (where I made a fat $20K and thought I had it made ).

 

[henryhenry]

anybody know what starting pay is at kc star and omaha weird-herald?

 

[micropolitan guy]

33K to start might be the only reason to ever move to Yakima, Wash.

 

[Oz]

Remember, those figures are minimums. Most papers pay people significantly more than that (myself included) or they risk losing them to other papers.

I can't speak for your paper, but I get the sense that my paper really doesn't give a damn if anyone leaves. Just an excuse to find someone cheaper, or swallow the job.

Yep. That's been my experience to date.

And henryhecht, as for the KC Star, somebody there once told me how it worked with young writers. They have preps positions that, as of five years ago, were awarded to people as three-year contracts at $24,000 annually. Do well, get promoted like Ivan Carter. Or you simply rack up clips for three years on the cheap there and move elsewhere.

Not sure if that's still how it works there, but that's how it was then.

 

[WSKY]

My first job (in '97).

$15,000 a year, on the nose (or about $7.20 an hour).

Six months in, I was so valuable, they gave me a $10/week raise.

Twelve months in, I was working at another newspaper (where I made a fat $20K and thought I had it made ).

So where ya at now — in terms of pay?

 

[pmartin25]

for this business, if your not the cream of the crop (which I am not) anything above $30,000 is pretty good if you ask me

 

[Oz]

for this business, if your not the cream of the crop (which I am not) anything above $30,000 is pretty good if you ask me

Agreed. This non-drinker damn near had a beer the moment I crossed that $30,000 barrier years ago.

 

[PalmettoStatesport]

i have yet to cross the 22,500 barrier and have been doing it for nine years, the last three as a sports editor. i keep asking myself why every single day

 

[hpdrifter]

guessing those making over 50K should feel lucky, right?

 

[Taylee]

First job paid $6.75 an hour, which was less than I was making in college when I was working for a roofing company. Even then the lower wage and an air-conditioned building seemed much better than 100-degree days on two-story houses.

 

[sportswriter not a junky]

guessing those making over 50K should feel lucky, right?

With all due respect, 50K is the lower end of salaries here, which works fine for me at 24, but hardly something to feel "lucky" about.

 

[IGotQuestions]

That link is outdated. Some of those papers are defunct or have folded, like the King County Journal in WA

 

[chazp]

I started at a non-union shop, and with my starting pay, I was lucky to get change back out of my quarter!

 

[pmartin25]

guessing those making over 50K should feel lucky, right?

With all due respect, 50K is the lower end of salaries here, which works fine for me at 24, but hardly something to feel "lucky" about.

good for you making that much in this biz and yes, you should feel lucky making that much at 24

 

[zman82]

guessing those making over 50K should feel lucky, right?

no ****. if i make it to 50 i hope to be at the 50K mark.
With all due respect, 50K is the lower end of salaries here, which works fine for me at 24, but hardly something to feel "lucky" about.

good for you making that much in this biz and yes, you should feel lucky making that much at 24