Journalism Jobs in Canada with Salaries(And Whether You Can Make a Living)

Let’s talk honestly about journalism jobs and what journalists earn in Canada in 2024–2025, because the numbers you’ll find online can be misleading. Some sources make it sound like you’ll be comfortable, others paint a bleak picture, and the truth is somewhere in between—and highly dependent on what kind of journalism you do and where you’re willing to live.

Here’s the real breakdown, including the parts of the industry nobody talks about until you’re already knee-deep in it.

The Numbers: What Journalists Actually Earn

Let’s start with the averages for journalism jobs, but keep in mind that “average” hides a lot of variation.

The Baseline Reality

According to PayScale, journalists in Canada earn a median of about CAD $46,418 per year. The range stretches from roughly CAD $37,000 on the low end to CAD $91,000 on the high end, depending on experience, employer, and role.

Other sources put the typical midpoint around CAD $52,500 per year. That’s probably closer to what you’d earn if you land a full-time staff position at a mid-sized outlet after a couple of years of experience.

Then there are the more optimistic projections that claim early-career journalists could earn about CAD $69,600 per year, rising to CAD $95,600 with two to five years of experience, and potentially CAD $139,100 to $193,400 for those with significant seniority and specialized roles. Let me be clear: those upper numbers represent the absolute top tier—senior editors at major national outlets, high-profile investigative reporters, well-known columnists, prime-time anchors. Those jobs exist, but they’re rare and incredibly competitive.

Entry-level reality is harsher. If you’re starting in journalism—editorial assistant, junior reporter, content coordinator—expect offers in the CAD $30,000 to $40,000 per year range. Some smaller publications or digital start-ups pay even less, especially if they’re offering “experience” instead of competitive wages.

What Different Outlets Pay

Not all journalism jobs pay the same, and employer matters enormously.

Journalists at CBC/Radio-Canada, Canada’s public broadcaster, reportedly earn around CAD $79,193 per year on average. That’s well above the national norm, and it reflects the fact that CBC is unionized, stable, and has decent salary structures. But getting hired there is tough—they receive hundreds of applications for every opening.

Large private media companies—think CTV, Global News, Toronto Star, Globe and Mail—also tend to pay reasonably well for staff positions. You might see CAD $55,000 to $75,000 for mid-career reporters or producers at these outlets.

Smaller regional newspapers, local radio stations, and digital-only start-ups? Pay is lower, often significantly so. A reporter at a small-town newspaper might make CAD $35,000 to $45,000, and that’s if it’s a full-time salaried position. Many smaller outlets rely heavily on freelancers or part-time contributors to keep costs down.

The Freelance Reality (Which Nobody Warns You About)

A huge portion of working journalists in Canada are freelance or contract-based, especially early in their careers. Freelancing can mean freedom and flexibility, but it also means inconsistent income, no benefits, and constant hustle.

Freelance rates vary wildly. A small local publication might pay $50 to $150 for a short article. A national magazine might pay $500 to $2,000 for a longer feature, but those assignments are competitive, and editors can take weeks or months to respond to pitches.

If you’re freelancing full-time and hustling hard, you might cobble together CAD $30,000 to $50,000 per year. But that’s gross income—before you account for taxes (which you’re responsible for calculating and paying yourself), equipment costs, software subscriptions, internet, phone, travel to interviews, and the fact that you’re not getting paid vacation, sick days, or health benefits.

Some freelancers do better, especially if they specialize in high-demand areas like business reporting, tech journalism, or investigative work for well-funded outlets. But for every freelancer making CAD $70,000+, there are a dozen struggling to hit $40,000.

What These Salaries Actually Mean for Your Life

Let’s get practical, because CAD $46,000 per year sounds different depending on where you live.

Living on a Journalist’s Salary in Toronto

Toronto is Canada’s media capital. Most major outlets have offices there, so it’s where a lot of journalists want to be. But it’s also expensive.

If you’re earning $50,000 per year (which is decent for journalism), here’s what your finances might look like:

Gross monthly income: ~$4,167
After taxes and deductions: ~$3,200 to $3,400 per month

Monthly expenses in Toronto:

Rent (one-bedroom apartment, not downtown): $1,800 to $2,300
Groceries: $350 to $450
Transit pass: $156
Phone and internet: $100 to $120
Utilities (if not included): $80 to $120
Miscellaneous (coffee, going out, emergencies): $300

What’s left: Maybe $400 to $800 per month if you’re careful. You’re not saving aggressively, you’re probably not building an emergency fund, and one unexpected expense (dental work, laptop dies, family emergency) can wreck your budget.

And this assumes you have a full-time salaried position. If you’re freelancing or on contract, your income fluctuates month to month, which makes budgeting even harder.

Living on a Journalist’s Salary in a Smaller City

Now let’s look at the same salary in Winnipeg, Halifax, or Regina—cities with active media scenes but lower costs of living.

Same $50,000 per year:

Take-home: ~$3,200 to $3,400 per month

Monthly expenses in Winnipeg:

Rent (one-bedroom): $1,100 to $1,400
Groceries: $300 to $350
Transit or car payment + insurance: $200 to $400
Phone and internet: $100
Utilities: $100 to $150
Miscellaneous: $300

What’s left: Around $800 to $1,200 per month. That’s substantially more breathing room. You can save, handle unexpected costs, maybe even travel occasionally. The quality of life is better on the same salary.

The catch? Smaller cities have fewer journalism jobs available. There might be one or two daily newspapers, a handful of radio stations, maybe a TV station. If you don’t land one of those jobs or you get laid off, your options are limited. In Toronto, there are dozens of outlets and constant turnover—it’s easier to find your next gig.

The Different Types of Journalism Jobs (And What They Actually Pay)

“Journalist” is a broad term. What you do day-to-day and what you earn varies dramatically by role.

Reporter / Field Journalist

This is what most people picture when they think “journalist”—someone gathering news, interviewing sources, writing stories. You might cover local government, crime, education, health, sports, or general assignment (whatever needs covering that day).

Pay for reporters at traditional outlets ranges from CAD $40,000 to $65,000 depending on experience and the size of the outlet. At major newspapers or broadcasters, senior reporters with specialized beats can earn $70,000 to $85,000+.

The work is often unpredictable. You might work evenings or weekends covering breaking news. You’re constantly on deadline. It can be exhilarating but also exhausting.

Editor / Copy Editor

Editors review and revise content, manage workflows, assign stories, and ensure accuracy and quality. Copy editors specifically focus on grammar, style, fact-checking, and polishing articles before publication.

Editing roles tend to pay slightly better than entry-level reporting—CAD $45,000 to $70,000 for mid-level editors, and $75,000 to $95,000+ for senior editors or managing editors at major outlets.

The downside? There are fewer editor positions than reporter positions, and you typically need several years of journalism experience before you’re considered for editing roles.

Digital / Multimedia Journalist or Producer

This is where journalism is headed. Digital journalists create content specifically for online platforms—articles, videos, podcasts, social media posts, and interactive graphics. Multimedia producers might handle video editing, audio production, or managing digital content across platforms.

Pay varies widely. At digital-first start-ups or smaller outlets, you might earn CAD $38,000 to $55,000. At established media companies with robust digital operations (like CBC’s digital team or major newspapers’ online divisions), pay can reach $60,000 to $80,000 for experienced digital journalists.

The upside is that there’s a growing demand for these skills. The downside is the work often involves doing multiple jobs—writing, shooting video, editing, managing social media—for the same salary a traditional reporter would earn for just writing.

Broadcast Journalist / TV or Radio Reporter / Anchor

Working in broadcast journalism—whether radio or television—often pays better than print, especially if you’re on-air talent.

Entry-level radio reporters or producers might start around CAD $35,000 to $50,000, but experienced on-air personalities or anchors at major stations can earn $70,000 to $120,000+. High-profile anchors at national networks make even more, but those positions are extremely rare.

Broadcast journalism requires different skills—comfort on camera or mic, voice training, often a polished appearance for TV. It’s a specific niche, and not everyone is suited for it.

Columnist / Opinion Writer / Critic

Writing opinion pieces, columns, or reviews (arts, culture, politics, sports) can be prestigious, but unless you’re at a major outlet, it often doesn’t pay well.

Many columnists are actually freelancers who get paid per piece—maybe $200 to $800 per column depending on the publication. Some major outlets employ full-time columnists who earn salaries similar to senior reporters—$60,000 to $90,000+—, but those jobs are incredibly competitive.

Critics (film, music, food, arts) face similar dynamics. It’s often freelance or part-time work unless you’re at a top-tier publication.

Freelance Journalist / Contributor

Freelancing deserves its own category because it’s so common in journalism today.

Freelancers pitch stories to editors, write on contract, and cobble together income from multiple outlets. Some freelancers focus on one area (investigative work, feature writing, specific beats), while others take whatever assignments they can get.

Income is wildly inconsistent. One month, you might land three well-paying assignments and gross $5,000. The next month, editors aren’t responding to pitches, and you make $800. Over a year, successful freelancers might average CAD $35,000 to $55,000, but it requires constant hustle, thick skin (you’ll get rejected a lot), and financial discipline to manage irregular income.

The reality most freelancers won’t admit publicly: many rely on a partner’s income, family support, or a second job to make ends meet, especially in the first few years.

What Actually Affects Your Earning Potential

Salaries in journalism jobs are not random. Several factors directly impact what you’ll make.

Experience and Track Record

Entry-level journalists—fresh out of journalism school or just starting—earn the least. As you build a portfolio of published work, develop expertise in a beat, and prove you can deliver quality journalism consistently, your earning potential increases.

The jump from entry-level to mid-career (around three to five years in) can add $10,000 to $20,000 to your salary if you’re good and you’re strategic about where you work.

Senior journalists with 10+ years of experience and strong reputations can command $75,000 to $100,000+, but you need to actively manage your career—move to better-paying outlets, negotiate raises, take on more responsibility.

Type of Employer

Major national outlets and broadcasters (CBC, Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, CTV) pay better than small regional papers or digital start-ups. But they’re also harder to get hired at and the competition is fierce.

Unionized newsrooms tend to have better pay scales, clearer salary structures, and actual benefits. Non-union outlets—especially smaller ones—often pay less and have fewer protections.

Specialization and Skills

General assignment reporters are somewhat replaceable. Journalists with specialized knowledge or skills are not.

If you develop expertise in a high-demand area—investigative journalism, data journalism, business and economics reporting, tech journalism, multimedia production—you become more valuable. Outlets will pay more to retain you or poach you from competitors.

Bilingualism is also valuable in Canada. If you can report in both English and French, you have access to more opportunities and can often command higher pay.

Location and Cost of Living

Salaries in Toronto, Vancouver, and Ottawa (where most national media is based) tend to be higher than in smaller cities or rural areas. But as we discussed earlier, higher salaries don’t always mean better quality of life when rent and expenses are also higher.

Consider the salary-to-cost-of-living ratio, not just the raw number. $55,000 in Winnipeg might give you a better lifestyle than $65,000 in Toronto.

Medium: Print vs. Broadcast vs. Digital

Traditionally, broadcast journalism paid better than print. That’s still somewhat true—TV and radio anchors and producers often earn more than newspaper reporters at equivalent experience levels.

Digital journalism is the wild card. At some outlets, digital roles pay as well as traditional ones. At others, they’re seen as less prestigious or critical, and pay reflects that. It’s inconsistent across the industry.

The Realities Nobody Tells You Before You Start Journalism Jobs

The Industry Is Shrinking (And That Affects Pay)

Canadian journalism has been hit hard over the last 15 years. Newspapers have closed or drastically cut staff. Local newsrooms have disappeared. Advertising revenue has plummeted.

What this means for you: fewer full-time positions, more reliance on freelancers and contract workers, downward pressure on salaries because there are more journalists than jobs.

Layoffs are common. Even established journalists with years of experience get let go when outlets restructure or shut down. Job security in journalism is not what it used to be.

Benefits Are Inconsistent

At major outlets with union contracts, you’ll likely get health and dental insurance, paid vacation, sick days, maybe a pension or RRSP contributions.

At smaller outlets or as a freelancer? You’re on your own. No health coverage, no paid time off, no retirement contributions. You need to budget for these things yourself, which effectively reduces your take-home pay compared to jobs in other industries that provide benefits.

The Work Can Be Precarious

Many journalism jobs, especially early-career positions, are contract-based—six-month contracts, one-year contracts, renewable “if funding allows.” You might be doing good work and still lose your job because the outlet’s budget gets cut or they restructure.

This makes long-term planning difficult. It’s hard to get approved for a mortgage or even rent a nice apartment when your employment contract expires in six months.

Unpaid Work Is Common

Journalists often do unpaid work without realizing it. Pitching stories to editors (which can take hours of research and writing before you even get a yes), maintaining a social media presence to promote your work, and attending industry events to network—none of that is paid, but it’s essential to building a career.

Freelancers especially end up working far more hours than they get paid for when you account for pitching, research, interviews, revisions, and chasing down payments from slow-paying outlets.

Common Misconceptions About Journalism Jobs and Salary

“You’ll Make Good Money If You’re Good at It”

Not necessarily. Talent and hard work matter, but so do market conditions, who you know, and luck. Some of the best journalists make modest salaries because they work at small outlets covering important but under-resourced beats. Some mediocre journalists earn more because they’re in the right place with the right connections.

“National Outlets Always Pay Better”

Usually, but not always. Some well-funded local or regional outlets pay competitively, especially if they’re in markets with high demand for quality journalism. And some national outlets—especially digital-only ones operating on tight budgets—pay surprisingly little.

“Journalism School Guarantees a Job”

Nope. A journalism degree helps—it teaches skills, provides internships, builds your portfolio—but it doesn’t guarantee employment. The industry is competitive and shrinking. Many journalism graduates never work in journalism, or they leave after a few years for better-paying careers in communications, PR, or content marketing.

“You Can Make Six Figures Eventually”

Possible, but rare. Most journalists never reach six-figure salaries. Those who do are usually senior editors, high-profile columnists, well-known broadcast anchors, or they’ve transitioned into management or executive roles.

If financial success is your primary goal, journalism is probably not the right career path.

How to Maximize Your Earnings in Journalism Jobs

If you’re committed to journalism despite the financial challenges, here’s how to position yourself for better pay.

Specialize in High-Demand Areas

Don’t be a generalist if you can help it. Develop expertise in areas where there’s demand and not enough qualified journalists:

Investigative journalism: Hard, time-consuming work, but respected and often better-funded
Data journalism: Learn to analyze datasets, create visualizations—outlets value these skills
Business and economics reporting: Always in demand, pays better than general assignment
Tech journalism: Growing field, especially in cities like Toronto, Vancouver, Waterloo
Multimedia skills: Video production, podcasting, interactive graphics—these make you more versatile and valuable

Build a Portfolio That Stands Out

Your clips (published work) are your resume. Focus on quality over quantity. A few well-researched, impactful pieces are worth more than dozens of forgettable articles.

Win awards if you can—journalism awards carry weight and can lead to job offers or freelance opportunities. Enter student competitions, apply for fellowships, and pursue investigative projects that showcase your abilities.

Network Relentlessly

Journalism is a relationship-driven industry. Editors hire people they know or who come recommended by people they trust.

Attend industry events. Join professional associations (Canadian Association of Journalists, local press clubs). Connect with working journalists on social media and engage thoughtfully with their work. Reach out to journalists whose work you admire—many are surprisingly willing to chat or offer advice.

When you’re looking for work, a personal connection or referral is worth ten cold applications.

Be Willing to Move

If you’re determined to maximize earnings in journalism jobs, you might need to move to where the jobs are. That usually means Toronto for print and digital, or major cities for broadcast.

But also consider the inverse: moving to a smaller market where you can get experience quickly, build your skills, and live affordably might be smarter early in your career than struggling in Toronto.

Negotiate (Yes, Even in Journalism)

Many journalists accept the first offer without negotiating because they’re grateful for the job or worried about seeming difficult. Don’t do that.

Research typical salaries for similar roles. If you have competing offers or unique skills, mention that. Ask for $3,000 to $5,000 more than the initial offer. Worst case, they say no and you accept the original offer. Best case, you just gave yourself a raise.

Even a $3,000 bump adds up over years—that’s tens of thousands of dollars over a career.

Consider Journalism-Adjacent Careers

If you like the work but the pay isn’t sustainable, there are related fields that pay better and use similar skills:

Communications and PR: Organizations need people who can write well and understand media. Pay is often $50,000 to $80,000+ for mid-level roles.
Content marketing: Companies pay content creators to produce articles, videos, and social media. Salaries range from $45,000 to $75,000+.
Corporate communications: Writing for companies, nonprofits, or government. More stable, better benefits, pay around $55,000 to $85,000.
Editing and publishing: Book editors, magazine editors, content strategists—these roles often pay $50,000 to $75,000 with better work-life balance than newsrooms.

Many journalists move into these fields after a few years and dramatically improve their financial situation while still using their journalism training.

What This Means If You’re International or Planning to Move to Canada

If you’re coming from outside Canada—say, from the UK—and you’re considering journalism jobs here, you need to understand a few additional realities.

Canadian Journalism Experience Is Almost Mandatory

Even if you have years of journalism experience in another country, Canadian outlets heavily prioritize Canadian experience. They want to know you understand Canadian politics, legal frameworks, journalistic standards, and cultural context.

This means you’ll likely need to start over somewhat when you arrive. You might have to take internships, freelance for small outlets, or accept junior positions even if you were senior in your home country. It’s frustrating, but it’s reality.

Credential Recognition Can Be an Issue

If you have a journalism degree from outside Canada, it might not be recognized the same way a degree from a Canadian journalism school would be. Some employers won’t care (especially if your portfolio is strong), but others will favor candidates from Ryerson, Carleton, UBC, or other Canadian programs.

Competition Is Intense for International Applicants

Most journalism jobs in Canada are filled by Canadians or permanent residents. Unless you already have a work permit or you’re coming as an international student with off-campus work authorization, it’s nearly impossible to get hired as a journalist from abroad.

Outlets aren’t going to sponsor work permits for entry-level journalism positions—the salaries are too low, and the candidates are too plentiful. You need to be in Canada legally through another pathway (student visa, spousal sponsorship, skilled worker program) before journalism becomes a realistic option.

Freelancing Internationally Is Possible (But Complicated)

Some journalists freelance for Canadian outlets while living abroad. You pitch stories, conduct interviews remotely, and file articles. Payment is usually lower than what Canadian-based journalists get, and tax and legal complications depend on your country of residence.

This can work as a way to build Canadian clips while you’re still overseas, but it’s not a reliable full-time income unless you’re extremely good at it.

Are Journalism Jobs Worth It Financially?

Let’s be brutally honest about journalism jobs: if your primary concern is making good money, journalism is not the career for you.

You’ll likely earn CAD $35,000 to $55,000 for most of your career unless you reach senior levels or specialize in high-demand areas. Job security is questionable, benefits are inconsistent, and the industry is shrinking.

But if you’re passionate about storytelling, holding power accountable, informing the public, and you can accept the financial trade-offs, journalism can be deeply fulfilling work. You’ll have experiences and access that most people never get. Also, you tell stories that matter. You’ll make an impact.

Just go into journalism jobs with your eyes open. Know what you’re signing up for financially. Have a backup plan. Develop skills that transfer to other careers in case journalism doesn’t work out or you need to pivot for financial reasons.

And if you do pursue it, be strategic: specialize, network, build a standout portfolio, and don’t be afraid to negotiate or move for better opportunities.