Writers and authors salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $44,310 | $21.31 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $76,910 | $36.98 |
| Mean (average) | $86,090 | $41.39 |
| 90th percentile | $139,870 | $67.25 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Writers and authors pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 49 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $66,950 | $39,830 | $115,210 | 180 | 0.28 |
| Arizona | $55,990 | $42,300 | $90,990 | 600 | 0.6 |
| Arkansas | $47,970 | $30,560 | $79,350 | 270 | 0.68 |
| California | $86,480 | $56,730 | $193,080 | 8,390 | 1.49 |
| Colorado | $76,830 | $42,810 | $132,630 | 1,300 | 1.46 |
| Connecticut | $98,460 | $52,250 | $153,560 | 480 | 0.92 |
| District of Columbia | $129,300 | $74,990 | $172,480 | 1,050 | 4.85 |
| Florida | $68,080 | $41,650 | $102,540 | 3,010 | 0.98 |
| Georgia | $74,710 | $38,460 | $133,540 | 820 | 0.55 |
| Hawaii | Data unavailable | 60 | 0.3 | ||
| Idaho | $56,360 | $44,660 | $108,890 | 90 | 0.34 |
| Illinois | $68,220 | $41,830 | $134,400 | 2,640 | 1.4 |
| Indiana | $75,820 | $51,640 | $128,640 | 450 | 0.46 |
| Iowa | $61,010 | $48,260 | $88,560 | 290 | 0.6 |
| Kansas | $65,840 | $30,920 | $92,660 | 240 | 0.53 |
| Kentucky | $48,780 | $39,580 | $76,010 | 350 | 0.56 |
| Louisiana | $89,520 | $29,740 | $114,810 | 480 | 0.81 |
| Maine | Data unavailable | 200 | 0.99 | ||
| Maryland | $104,330 | $59,560 | $165,050 | 540 | 0.63 |
| Massachusetts | $85,260 | $58,910 | $138,950 | 1,350 | 1.2 |
| Minnesota | $72,810 | $50,700 | $103,890 | 720 | 0.79 |
| Mississippi | $54,180 | $25,820 | $85,550 | 130 | 0.37 |
| Missouri | $58,140 | $42,000 | $98,930 | 600 | 0.67 |
| Montana | Data unavailable | 90 | 0.56 | ||
| Nebraska | $65,470 | $44,230 | $93,600 | 240 | 0.75 |
| Nevada | $63,910 | $40,560 | $83,130 | 190 | 0.39 |
| New Hampshire | $71,830 | $43,200 | $132,870 | 180 | 0.85 |
| New Jersey | $81,590 | $49,770 | $128,820 | 1,180 | 0.9 |
| New Mexico | Data unavailable | 90 | 0.34 | ||
| New York | Data unavailable | 7,480 | 2.51 | ||
| North Carolina | $63,660 | $42,180 | $117,820 | 1,810 | 1.19 |
| North Dakota | $50,860 | $35,000 | $83,920 | 80 | 0.63 |
| Ohio | $65,930 | $40,190 | $101,710 | 830 | 0.49 |
| Oklahoma | $58,770 | $38,230 | $98,230 | 220 | 0.42 |
| Oregon | $80,540 | $46,180 | $158,190 | 950 | 1.56 |
| Pennsylvania | $77,410 | $40,270 | $178,490 | 1,080 | 0.58 |
| Puerto Rico | $43,440 | $30,040 | $66,680 | 90 | 0.31 |
| Rhode Island | $70,190 | $42,060 | $130,000 | 110 | 0.74 |
| South Carolina | $51,920 | $38,210 | $91,140 | 520 | 0.74 |
| South Dakota | $56,700 | $45,760 | $68,890 | 60 | 0.44 |
| Tennessee | $58,870 | $38,720 | $100,910 | 1,260 | 1.25 |
| Texas | $69,990 | $49,070 | $125,240 | 2,320 | 0.54 |
| Utah | $64,530 | $36,260 | $101,460 | 410 | 0.76 |
| Vermont | $94,430 | $73,290 | $132,810 | 110 | 1.23 |
| Virginia | $85,000 | $44,190 | $131,040 | 1,530 | 1.21 |
| Washington | $85,700 | $50,600 | $129,480 | 770 | 0.71 |
| West Virginia | $64,410 | $24,340 | $103,380 | 110 | 0.52 |
| Wisconsin | $64,370 | $47,410 | $90,880 | 710 | 0.78 |
| Wyoming | $49,650 | $41,170 | $66,510 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for writers and authors
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 11,900. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 64.8%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for writers and authors
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Communication, General CIP 09.0100
- Speech Communication and Rhetoric CIP 09.0101
- Mass Communication/Media Studies CIP 09.0102
- Journalism CIP 09.0401
- Broadcast Journalism CIP 09.0402
- Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other CIP 09.9999
- Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences Communication CIP 19.0202
- Writing, General CIP 23.1301
- Creative Writing CIP 23.1302
- Professional, Technical, Business, and Scientific Writing CIP 23.1303
- Rhetoric and Composition CIP 23.1304
- Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies, Other CIP 23.1399
- General Literature CIP 23.1401
- Children's and Adolescent Literature CIP 23.1405
- Literature, Other CIP 23.1499
- Playwriting and Screenwriting CIP 50.0504
- Comedy Writing and Performance CIP 50.0511
- Business/Corporate Communications, General CIP 52.0501
- Business/Corporate Communications, Other CIP 52.0599
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Write fiction or nonfiction prose, such as short stories, novels, biographies, articles, descriptive or critical analyses, and essays.
- Revise written material to meet personal standards and to satisfy needs of clients, publishers, directors, or producers.
- Present drafts and ideas to clients.
- Edit or rewrite existing written material as necessary, and submit written material for approval by supervisor, editor, or publisher.
- Conduct research to obtain factual information and authentic detail, using sources such as newspaper accounts, diaries, and interviews.
- Vary language and tone of messages based on product and medium.
- Write articles, bulletins, sales letters, speeches, and other related informative, marketing and promotional material.
- Write advertising material for use by publication, broadcast, or internet media to promote the sale of goods and services.
Technology skills
- Adobe Creative Cloud software (in demand)
- Adobe Photoshop (in demand)
- Canva (in demand)
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (in demand)
- Microsoft Word (in demand)
- TikTok (in demand)
- Adobe Premiere Pro (in demand)
- Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Adobe After Effects (hot technology)
- Adobe Illustrator (hot technology)
- Adobe InDesign (hot technology)
- Asana (hot technology)
- Facebook (hot technology)
- Figma (hot technology)
Transferable skills for career changers: Time Management, Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Social Perceptiveness, Persuasion, Coordination.
Common job titles: Advertising Copywriter, Advertising Writer, Author, Content Marketing Writer, Copywriter, Freelance Copywriter, Freelance Writer, Search Engine Optimization Copywriter (SEO Copywriter), Web Content Writer, Writer.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do writers and authors make?
The national median annual wage for writers and authors was $76,910 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $44,310 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $139,870. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do writers and authors need?
BLS lists bachelor's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and long-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is writers and authors a growing career?
BLS projects employment of writers and authors to change -0.3% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 11,900 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay writers and authors the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were District of Columbia ($129,300), Maryland ($104,330), Connecticut ($98,460). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.