The New York Times covers politics, business, technology, science, health, sports, arts, style, movies, travel, books, education, jobs, real estate, and more. They accept opinion essays (800 to 1,200 words). They do not list the pay rates for the essays publicly, but according to a payment report, they pay an average of $1.00 per word. Details here.

Offrange publishes original research and stories on issues facing modern agriculture. They’re interested in how farmers are building profitable and resilient businesses, and how global and national economic trends are changing how we farm. They're interested in pitches for stories that address the practical, financial, and social impact of changes in the ag world. According to their guidelines, rates generally fall between $0.50 and $1.00 a word. To learn more, refer to this page.

Esquire is a men’s magazine that covers news, politics, style, food and drink, and entertainment. According to a payment report, they paid $2.00 per word for a 3500-word feature. According to an old post by their previous editor, rates start at $500 per piece. To contact them, refer to this page.

AARP The Magazine accepts submission from freelance writers on a variety of topics, including personal essays. They want “thoughtful, timely, new takes on matters of importance to people over 50.” According to a payment report, they paid $1.50 per word. To learn more, refer to their submission guidelines.

California Magazine is Cal Alumni Association’s editorially independent general-interest magazine that covers ideas and innovations from the University of California, Berkeley. They seek pitches from both new and established writers. They want writers to query them “with stories, not topics—ones that have a strong UC Berkeley connection but that would interest readers no matter where they went to school.” Broadly speaking, their stories generally fall into these categories: profiles/human interest; science and scholarship; history; arts; and news and events. They have previously indicated pay of up to $1.25 per word. For more information, refer to their submission guidelines.

Africa Science News Service is a website that covers science and technology with an African eye. According to their editor, Henry Neondo, they pay a flat rate of  €700 for 1200 word features. They also pay €50 for photo, or  €500 for a combo of five photos. According to an old payment report, they paid $1.00 per word. To contact them, refer to this page.

Ori Magazine is a twice-a-year travel magazine that publishes stories by talented local journalists. They would love to receive pitches from writers. According to an old tweet by their editor, features pay $0.50-$1.00/word and single page department pieces pay $200. If you want to contribute a story, refer to their contributor inquiries page.

The Blacklight is the New York Amsterdam News’ investigative unit. They are seeking experienced freelance journalists. They primarily work with freelance journalists based in the New York City area but are also open to working with those based outside the region. According to their pitch guide, they pay $250+ for fact checks (500 to 1,000 words, 1 to 2 interviews); $1.00 per word for medium length articles (800 to 1,500 words, 2 to 4 interviews); $2.00 per word or a flat commission fee for long form articles (1,500+ words, 4+ interviews); and $250 to $500+ for data visualizations.

Smithsonian Magazine ‘’places a Smithsonian lens on the world, looking at the topics and subject matters researched, studied and exhibited by the Smithsonian Institution—science, history, art, popular culture and innovation.’’ They accept proposals from established freelance writers. When sending in your pitch for a history article, you must supply links to previously published works. While no pay is listed on their website, according to a payment report, they paid $0.23 per word. According to a deleted tweet, their print rates are $2.00 per word. To learn more, refer to this page.

bioGraphic is an online magazine covering stories related to biodiversity and conservation. They’re looking for original, reported story ideas that examine the beauty and peculiarities of organisms and ecosystems; demonstrate the fragility or the resilience of nature in a changing environment; amongst other topics. They accept ideas for feature articles, photo essays, and news articles. According to their senior news editor on Bluesky, they pay $0.85 to $1.00 per word for news stories. If interested, send your pitches to submissions@bioGraphic.com. To learn more, refer to their submission guidelines.

Marie Claire is a fashion publication for women with “a point of view and a sense of humor.” They prefer story proposals instead of completed work. According to an old payment report, they paid $1.47 per word for a 1500-word profile or interview. To contact the editors, refer to this page.

Ambrook Research offers data-driven storytelling regarding modern agriculture. They’re presently focused on U.S.-based subject matter but will consider exceptions if a story has significant impacts or teachings that can be applied in the U.S. According to their guidelines, they generally pay between $0.50 and $1.00 per word. To learn more, refer to this page.

Texas Highways is the official travel magazine of Texas, published by the Travel Information Division of the Texas Department of Transportation. Articles should document Texas destinations for readers in the US and across the world, through descriptive and evocative language. According to their guidelines, their standard print rate is $1.20/word plus travel expenses. Digital rates vary based on the scope of reporting. To learn more, refer to this page.

The Boston Globe Magazine is published weekly inside the Sunday paper of The Boston Globe (a newspaper based in Boston, Massachusetts). According to their submissions page, they accept submissions for the following: op-eds; reported stories; book excerpts/adaptations; first-person essays; and Q&A features. According to an old payment report, they paid $1.00 per word. To learn more, refer to this page.

MLK50 Memphis is a nonprofit news website focused on poverty, power, and public policy. According to an old tweet, they pay up to $1.00 per word. To learn more, refer to their contact page.

Washingtonian is a general-interest magazine for the DC area. They cover politics, technology, art, entertainment, dining, shopping, health, parenting, and personalities. They publish profiles, true-crime yarns, pieces of narrative journalism, trend pieces, column-length arguments, comprehensive lists, and photo essays. According to an old payment report, they paid $1.00 per word for a 1020-word fob. To learn more, refer to their writers’ guidelines.

Texas Monthly is a magazine and website that covers Texas news, politics, culture, food, travel, history, music, crime, and more. They're looking for well-reported stories of varying lengths, as well as visual stories, essays, and thoughtful commentary. They value great storytelling, humor, vivid characters, distinctive voices, and fresh perspectives. According to their guidelines, they pay $1.00 per word for print article. Digital article rates are negotiated. To pitch them, refer to this page.

D Magazine is a resource for news, food, arts, health, business, weddings, and more in Dallas, Texas. An old payment report indicates that they paid $1.00 per word. To pitch them, refer to this page.

Sonoma Magazine is a bi-monthly publication that covers Sonoma County’s events, restaurants, hotels, bars, wineries, breweries, culture, style, and more. An old payment report indicates that they paid $1.00 per word. To contact them, refer to this page.

The Los Angeles Times covers news, politics, entertainment, sports, food, climate, environment, and more from Southern California and the world. They welcome opinion articles on any subject. Submissions must be exclusive to them, and most articles are 750 words. According to an old payment report, they paid $1.00 per word. To learn more, refer to this page.