A journalist in Chile earns between CLP 1.1 million and CLP 1.6 million gross a month four years after graduating, depending on the university, according to the Employability and Income Search Tool of Mi Futuro. The highest incomes, in the CLP 1.5 to 1.6 million bracket, go to graduates of the Pontifical Catholic University, Adolfo Ibáñez University, the University of los Andes and Universidad del Desarrollo.
The most striking figure is not pay but employability: on average, 65.4% of journalists earn above the minimum wage in their first year after graduating, with huge differences between universities. This guide shows how much a journalist earns in Chile by university, how many find work and how the career compares with related ones.
How much a journalist earns in Chile by university
| University | Gross monthly income, 4th year | Employability, 1st year | Employability, 2nd year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pontifical Catholic University of Chile* | CLP 1.5 to 1.6 million | 86.3% | 88.9% |
| Adolfo Ibáñez University | CLP 1.5 to 1.6 million | 78.9% | 77.9% |
| University of los Andes | CLP 1.5 to 1.6 million | 72.8% | 81.8% |
| Universidad del Desarrollo | CLP 1.5 to 1.6 million | 75.7% | 86.0% |
| Catholic University of the North | CLP 1.4 to 1.5 million | 73.1% | 75.0% |
| U. of Chile, Diego Portales, Finis Terrae and Santo Tomás | CLP 1.3 to 1.4 million | 76.6%, 74.4%, 61.4% and 69.1% | 85.2%, 86.5%, 80.0% and 78.0% |
| Pontifical Catholic U. of Valparaíso, U. of La Serena and U. of Santiago | CLP 1.2 to 1.3 million | 69.2%, 55.6% and 72.5% | 82.4%, 64.3% and 75.0% |
| Andrés Bello, Catholic U. of the Most Holy Conception and U. of Concepción | CLP 1.1 to 1.2 million | 51.4%, 64.6% and 70.2% | 69.4%, 81.7% and 68.3% |
| 9 other universities | n/a | 33.7% to 72.5% | 50.0% to 84.8% |
Source: Mi Futuro, Journalism program (24 programs, 15 with income data), retrieved November 4, 2026. *At the Catholic University, the program is listed as "Journalism - Audiovisual Direction - Advertising". The universities without income data are Alberto Hurtado, Austral, Central, UNIACC, La Frontera, Las Américas, Playa Ancha, Viña del Mar and Mayor. According to the search tool's methodology, income is the average gross monthly income of 2018, 2019 and 2020 graduates in their fourth year after graduating, calculated with data from Chile's tax agency (SII) and expressed in September 2025 pesos. Employability is the share of graduates earning at least the minimum wage in their first or second year. Programs with few cases appear as "no information" (n/a).
The average floor of the brackets with data is CLP 1.30 million. The gap between the best- and worst-paid university is CLP 400,000 a month.
Employability of journalists in Chile
| Indicator (Journalism) | Range across universities | Simple average |
|---|---|---|
| Employability, 1st year | 33.7% (Viña del Mar) to 86.3% (Catholic) | 65.4% |
| Employability, 2nd year | 50.0% to 88.9% | 76.0% |
| Actual length of the program | 9.7 to 13.4 semesters | 11.6 semesters |
| First-year retention | 72.7% to 97.3% | 87.1% |
Source: Mi Futuro, simple averages calculated by Vivarae News. One in three journalists does not exceed the minimum wage in the first year, although the figure improves in the second. Mi Futuro's employability measures income declared to the SII, so it does not distinguish between jobs in the media, in corporate communications or in the public sector.
Journalists compared with other communication careers
| Program | Average bracket floor, 4th-year income | Average 1st-year employability | Programs with income data |
|---|---|---|---|
| Journalism | CLP 1.30 million | 65.4% | 15 of 24 |
| Advertising | CLP 1.23 million | 69.3% | 7 of 13 |
| Psychology | CLP 1.16 million | 62.0% | 39 of 44 |
| Audiovisual and/or Multimedia Communication | CLP 1.10 million | 47.0% | 4 of 8 |
| Public Relations | CLP 1.07 million | 57.5% | 3 of 5 |
Source: Mi Futuro, retrieved November 4, 2026; simple averages calculated by Vivarae News. Journalism tops related careers in income, although Advertising is slightly ahead in first-year employability. To compare with other professions, see how much a psychologist earns, how much a business engineer earns and how much a lawyer earns in Chile.
What drives a journalist's salary in Chile
- Where they work: Mi Futuro does not separate media, agencies, companies and government. In practice, many graduates work in corporate or institutional communications.
- Employment contract or invoices: many journalists work as freelancers (honorarios). The SII records that income, but the worker pays their own contributions.
- University: the top bracket (CLP 1.5 to 1.6 million) and the bottom one (CLP 1.1 to 1.2 million) are CLP 400,000 apart.
- Experience: the figure is for the fourth year after graduating; editors, press officers and communications managers earn more, but no official source measures it by position.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a journalist earn in Chile per month?
Between CLP 1.1 and 1.6 million gross four years after graduating, depending on the university, according to Mi Futuro. The average bracket floor is CLP 1.30 million.
Which university has the best-paid journalists?
The Catholic University, Adolfo Ibáñez, the University of los Andes and Universidad del Desarrollo, in the CLP 1.5 to 1.6 million bracket, according to Mi Futuro.
How many journalists find work?
On average, 65.4% earn above the minimum wage in the first year and 76.0% in the second, with large differences between universities.
How much does a newly graduated journalist earn?
There is no official first-year income figure. The public reference is Mi Futuro's fourth-year income.
