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News anchors make a comfortable living. But how much do they really make? We did some research to find out the answer.
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News Anchor Salaries by Position
A news anchor’s salary can vary based on their experience, the market they are in, and the size of the station they work for. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the median annual salary for news anchors was $61,490 in May 2019. The top 10% of earners made more than $183,320, while the bottom 10% earned less than $14,140.
National News Anchors
National news anchors make an average salary of $60,000 as of 2013, according to the website How Much Do They Get Paid? This equates to about $29 per hour. The lowest-paid 10 percent earn less than $35,000 annually, while the top-paid 10 percent earn more than $85,000 annually.
The average salary for a local news anchor is $33,200 as of 2013, according to the website Journalism Degrees. This equates to about $16 per hour. Salaries can range from a low of $18,000 to a high of $95,000 annually.
Local News Anchors
Local news anchors deliver the news on local television stations. They typically work in small or medium-sized markets and earn an average salary of $38,647 per year, according to May 2011 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. News anchors in the 10th percentile earn $20,760 or less annually, while those in the 25th percentile earn $28,370 per year or less. Those in the 75th percentile make $49,880 or more per year, while news anchors in the 90th percentile make $62,490 or more annually.
Network News Anchors
The salaries of network news anchors range from $10,000 to $15,000 per month, with the median salary being $12,500. The top-paid news anchors at networks like CNN and Fox News earn salaries of $25,000 to $30,000 per month.
News Anchor Salaries by Market Size
How much news anchors get paid depends on the size of the market in which they work. For example, news anchors in New York City and Los Angeles tend to make more money than those in smaller markets. In addition, the size of the news station also affects salaries.
Large Market News Anchors
Salaries for news anchors in large markets vary depending on experience and the size of the market. Here is a list of average salaries for news anchors in some of the largest markets in the United States:
-New York: $85,000-$95,000
-Los Angeles: $77,000-$83,000
-Chicago: $54,000-$70,000
-Philadelphia: $50,000-$75,000
-Dallas: $52,000-$60,000
Medium Market News Anchors
In a medium market, TV news anchors earn an average of $51,000 a year, according to BLS data from May 2019. The salary range for these news professionals ranges from $33,000 to $76,000 a year. News anchors in medium markets typically have some experience under their belts and may have worked their way up from smaller markets.
Small Market News Anchors
Small market news anchors make an average of $35,000 a year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The top 10 percent of news anchors in small markets earn an average of $56,000 a year, while the bottom 10 percent make an average of $24,000 a year.
News Anchor Salaries by Experience
News anchors make a pretty good salary. fresh out of college with no experience, a news anchor can make $30,000 per year. With a few years of experience, a news anchor can make $50,000 per year. After a few years of experience, a news anchor can make $100,000 per year. The most experienced news anchors can make over $200,000 per year.
Entry-Level News Anchors
Entry-level news anchors typically earn between $18,000 and $35,000 annually, with the median salary for all news anchors coming in at $30,000. Salaries at larger news stations or networks may start closer to $40,000 or more per year, while salaries at smaller stations may start closer to $20,000.
Mid-Career News Anchors
Mid-career news anchors bring in an average of $52,000 per year. News anchors with five to nine years of experience earn an average of $37,000 annually, and those with 10 to 19 years of experience earn an annual salary of $44,000 on average. Experienced news anchors who have been in the field for more than 20 years earn an average yearly salary of $62,000.
Experienced News Anchors
The average salary for a news anchor is $83,300 per year, though this figure can vary widely depending on experience, employer, location, and other factors. The highest-paid news anchors are typically those with the most experience, working at major networks in major markets. Salaries for news anchors at smaller stations and networks tend to be lower, but can still be very competitive.
Some of the most experienced news anchors can earn salaries in excess of $1 million per year. This is especially true for those working at major networks in large markets. For example, an anchor at a network affiliate in New York City may earn significantly more than an anchor at a network affiliate in a smaller market.
News anchors who are just starting out can expect to earn salaries on the lower end of the spectrum. With experience and proven success, these anchors can expect to see their salaries increase over time.
News Anchor Salaries by Gender
A news anchor’s salary can be affected by their gender, with male news anchors often earning more than their female counterparts. In some cases, however, female news anchors earn more than their male counterparts. The following will provide an in-depth look at news anchor salaries by gender.
Male News Anchors
In general, male news anchors earn more than their female counterparts. However, there is a wide range of salaries among news anchors, and the salary differences between genders are not always significant.
The highest-paid news anchor is Sean Hannity, who earns $29 million per year. The second highest-paid news anchor is Bill O’Reilly, who earns $25 million per year. The third highest-paid news anchor is Anderson Cooper, who earns $12 million per year.
The lowest-paid news anchor is Shep Smith, who earns $7 million per year. The second lowest-paid news anchor is Bret Baier, who earns $6 million per year. The third lowest-paid news anchor is Martha MacCallum, who earns $5 million per year.
Female News Anchors
The median salary for a female news anchor is $58,000, according to a lawsuit filed by two former news anchors against their former employer, WHDH. The lawsuit alleges that the station violated the Equal Pay Act by paying the women less than their male counterparts.
The median salary for male news anchors is $75,000, according to the same lawsuit.
The median salary for all news anchors is $61,000, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
