Entry Level Pay

Teachers make more than reporters. And, they have summers off to make more money.

Just to add a little gas to the fire.

 

At one of the "no-moonlighting-at-all" places, I once got in a near-shouting-match with Mr. Publisher about it. "You think I like taking another job at sub-shit wages, working another 20 hours on top of the 60-65 you got me working here? I do it because I can't pay my bills on what I get paid here."

"Sounds like you need to learn to manage your money better," Mr. Publisher said. Then he hopped in his Corvette and headed out to the country club for lunch and a round of golf.

I quit four weeks later. Lined up another job, walked in, and sang the Johnny Paycheck song.

 

I've been rather fortunate. First job in the biz, a 15K daily in 2000, paid me $9.50 an hour in a four-person sports department. With no college degree. The annual raises weren't all that glamorous -- by the time I left six years later, I was making $13/hour.

Still no degree, I moved to a 30K paper late last year and got a substantial raise to be a designer. And it's super cheap to live here, which makes my current pay that much better.

I'm curious about the kind of offers I'll receive when I finish my degree next year. One thing I've learned is that designers usually make a little more cash than reporters, especially at papers 40K and under. At least from my experience.

 

In 1999, I started my first job at $24K a year in news at a small No. 2 paper in a top-30 metro market. All in all, it wasn't bad. The problem was that by the time I left in 2005, I still hadn't cracked $28K.
New gig is $31K. Haven't gotten a raise yet. I'm exempt, and at times, it seems like I'm making convict wages.
Still, the cost of living is significantly lower, so I can stretch a buck farther.
We just hired a guy (straight out of college) at $25K. I'd say that's about fair for this area...if you're in a bigger city, don't do it for less than $30K, especially if they skimp on mileage (and most newspapers do).

 

Considering I could probably make more as a Taco Bell assistant manager, I'd quit the paper.

 

$15K is $7.21 per hour. If that's what you spend thousands of dollars for four years or more of college tuition, you are stupid.

Many associate degree programs in the sciences now pay way more. A friend of my wife's, her son just graduated as a respiratory therapist, two years, and 13-week summer internship in between his two years of school. First job offer was for $31 an hour, or about $65,000 annual.

 

It's a balancing act, but when money becomes the primary reason for a job (can I interest you in an extended warranty on your 2007 Kia?), that's ultimately discouraging as well. Youngest Editude plans to use her college degree in another low-paying, high-competition field, but if she defines her success in other ways, that's fine.

 

I don't see how it's any of the publisher's goddamn business what you do in your time away from the paper. In fact, I don't even know if it's legal to prohibit someone from working a second job.

I'd like to look him in the eye and go "pay me more or I'll continue to work both jobs." And if he fires me, I can get him for unemployment insurance if the second job is part-time.

 

I applied for an internship at Newsday, where the pay is $15 an hour for 35 hours/week. Looking at that compared to some of the salaries on here, it's pretty ridiculous how little full-time reporters are getting.

 

How else do you think newspapers can continue to turn annual 20 percent profits so the suits can still get their holiday bonuses? Stick it to the little guy!!!

 

I made about 20K when I started ... you know the area.

 

I made 16,900 at my first job, a twice-weekly paper. Real nice publisher too. Every time he screw me, he would say, well that's the business.

Absolutely was the business when I changed jobs after six months.

Now, six years later, i'm making about 23K at a daily in a tiny market. I guess that's an improvement.