Photograph by Matthew Worden

How much is Dana Milbank banking away?

Profits may be down, but don’t cry for the ink-stained wretches at the Washington Post: According to figures released by the newspaper guild in preparation for upcoming contract talks, 157 of the paper’s 490 salaried, full-time newsroom employees make more than $100,000. The bulk of the staffers—250—take in between $60,000 and $100,000.

The union did not attach names to salaries, so the Post newsroom was left guessing about the three of their brethren making more than $230,000, listed only as “reporter, bureau chief or columnist.”

Several big names who make good money took the recent buyout and work on contract: David Broder, Tom Shales, and Al Kamen are off the guild list.

Among the likely high-priced suspects—based on star wattage and how recently they have been wooed by another publication—are sportswriters Mike Wilbon, Tom Boswell, and Sally Jenkins; columnists Gene Robinson and Richard Cohen; essayist and video blogger Dana Milbank; fashion critic Robin Givhan; and Pulitzer winner Dana Priest.

None was talking, but the speculation does raise the question of who’s actually worth $230,000. Cartoonist Tom Toles?

We’ll leave that up to you. Which of the Post’s reporters are worth $230,000 a year?

E-mail editorial@washingtonian.com with your favorite Post bylines.

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This article first appeared in the August 2008 issue of The Washingtonian. For more articles like it, click here.