How much do newspaper columnists and magazine columnists get paid? Do you need to have a degree in that field?

Question

I have a strong desire to become a newspaper/magazine columinist. I also need to know the education requirements for these positions. Only people that have experienced in this field need to answer this question. Thanks.

Answer 1

Greetings from the field, since I've done a lot of this.

The easy answer about this: there is no easy answer. Replies are all over the map.

A degree in journalism of some sort is a valuable step toward that goal. However, some have done quite well without one -- overcoming the odds in the process.

The pay scale really varies. The top syndicated writers -- George Will, etc. -- certainly earn big, big money on their columns. They also pick up extra money for speaking engagements.

It's like a pyramid, though. Most of the people scrape by. You have to write a lot of stories on the lower levels to get the top magazines or newspapers to even look at your work. I used to be a weekly contributor to a magazine, and made about $200 a week at it. Other writers might pick up $75 for an article.

And commentators are much more rare than writers. You need to learn to write well about everything, before you can even think about expressing opinions in print. (Blogs, by the way, can be good practice.)

So study the good writers, the ones who make you think, and do plenty of writing. Good luck.

Answer 2

High Times or Rolling Stone

Answer 3

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