Writers and Authors salary
Writers and Authors earn a median of $76,910 a year ($36.98/hr) in the U.S. – from $43,440 in Puerto Rico to $129,300 in District of Columbia. Enter your pay below to see how you compare.
Median pay, United States$36.98/hr · $76,910 a year
Pay range
90% earn more$44,310$21.31/hr
75% earn more$58,230$28.00/hr
half earn more, half less$76,910$36.98/hr
25% earn more$101,950$49.01/hr
top 10% earn more$139,870$67.25/hr
pulled up by top earners$86,090$41.39/hr
How does my pay compare?
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Pay by state
States ranked by median annual wage for writers and authors. Tap a state for its minimum wage.
1,050 jobs · $62.16/hr$129,300
540 jobs · $50.16/hr$104,330
480 jobs · $47.34/hr$98,460
110 jobs · $45.40/hr$94,430
480 jobs · $43.04/hr$89,520
8,390 jobs · $41.58/hr$86,480
770 jobs · $41.20/hr$85,700
1,350 jobs · $40.99/hr$85,260
1,530 jobs · $40.87/hr$85,000
1,180 jobs · $39.23/hr$81,590
950 jobs · $38.72/hr$80,540
1,080 jobs · $37.22/hr$77,410
1,300 jobs · $36.94/hr$76,830
450 jobs · $36.45/hr$75,820
820 jobs · $35.92/hr$74,710
720 jobs · $35.01/hr$72,810
180 jobs · $34.53/hr$71,830
110 jobs · $33.75/hr$70,190
2,320 jobs · $33.65/hr$69,990
2,640 jobs · $32.80/hr$68,220
3,010 jobs · $32.73/hr$68,080
180 jobs · $32.19/hr$66,950
830 jobs · $31.70/hr$65,930
240 jobs · $31.65/hr$65,840
240 jobs · $31.47/hr$65,470
410 jobs · $31.02/hr$64,530
110 jobs · $30.97/hr$64,410
710 jobs · $30.95/hr$64,370
190 jobs · $30.73/hr$63,910
1,810 jobs · $30.60/hr$63,660
290 jobs · $29.33/hr$61,010
1,260 jobs · $28.30/hr$58,870
220 jobs · $28.26/hr$58,770
600 jobs · $27.95/hr$58,140
60 jobs · $27.26/hr$56,700
90 jobs · $27.10/hr$56,360
600 jobs · $26.92/hr$55,990
130 jobs · $26.05/hr$54,180
520 jobs · $24.96/hr$51,920
80 jobs · $24.45/hr$50,860
jobs n/a · $23.87/hr$49,650
350 jobs · $23.45/hr$48,780
270 jobs · $23.06/hr$47,970
90 jobs · $20.89/hr$43,440
No wage estimate published for: Hawaii, Maine, Montana, New Mexico, New York.
Related jobs
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), SOC code 27-3043. Wages exclude the self-employed. All jobs · Minimum wage by state
Questions & answers
How much do writers and authors make?
The median wage for writers and authors in the U.S. was $36.98 an hour or $76,910 a year in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $58,230 and $101,950 a year.
Which state pays writers and authors the most?
District of Columbia has the highest median wage for writers and authors: $129,300 a year. The lowest published median is in Puerto Rico at $43,440. Living costs also differ a lot between states.
How many writers and authors are there?
BLS estimates 47,940 writers and authors were employed in the U.S. in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
What is the difference between median and average pay?
The median is the middle wage: half of workers earn more and half earn less. The average (mean) adds everyone up and divides, so a few very high earners pull it up. The median is usually the better guide to typical pay.
What does the 10th or 90th percentile mean?
The 10th percentile is the wage that only 10% of workers earn less than – often entry-level pay. The 90th percentile is the wage that only 10% earn more than – usually the most experienced or highest-paid workers.