News analysts collect and report news. Some are broadcast analysts and may appear on television or radio, but there are far more reporters that write news stories for newspapers, websites, or other publications. Getting a job as a news analyst involves a great deal of competition, so it is best to plan early for those seeking a career in news broadcasting or print reporting.
As far as news-analyst education, students who eventually have a career in news analysis generally earn at least a bachelor’s degree. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, they tend to major in journalism or mass communications. Some schools may have a broadcast journalism program for those specifically seeking such a career. You may use the links below to find hundreds of schools with these journalism or mass-communications degree programs.
A lot of people have dreams of a network job at NBC or a cable outlet like Fox News or CNN. Getting this type of news analyst job is like winning the lottery, and many seem to be picked as much for marketability as for competence in actual reporting and news analysis.
It is best to keep a level head and not necessarily expect such a career if you want to become a news analyst. Although many of these analysts earn millions per year, that is not even remotely the norm for even broadcast news analysts. Even this group, which is comprised of about 5000 analysts, has an annual mean salary of about $72,000. That is certainly a nice sum but far lower than the top network, cable, and radio broadcast-news-analyst jobs.
The salary for all reporters and correspondents was much lower. In 2008, it was a median of $34,850, compared to a median of $51,260 for broadcast news analysts. However, there are some 60,000 of these jobs, so employment is more plentiful for these career positions.
When in college, try to get on the staff of college newspapers or participate in the college radio station. Some universities or even community colleges also produce television broadcasting at the local level. Any experience of this kind could be helpful in getting a news-analyst job.
The other thing you want to get is a good internship. Going to the more prestigious universities can improve your chances of getting a good news-analyst internship position. Use the links below to find degree programs in journalism and mass communications.
Resources:
United States Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics: News Analysts, Reporters, and Correspondents
Education-Portal Journalism Degree Programs Search
Universities.com: Degree Programs in Mass Communication and Media Studies