Writers and Authors Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for writers and authors in the U.S. is $76,910 ($36.98 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $76,910
- Mean annual wage
- $86,090
- Median hourly wage
- $36.98
- Employment
- 47,940
47,940 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $44,310 | $21.31 |
| 25th percentile | $58,230 | $28.00 |
| Median (50th) | $76,910 | $36.98 |
| 75th percentile | $101,950 | $49.01 |
| 90th percentile | $139,870 | $67.25 |
Highest-paying states for writers and authors
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $129,300 | 1,050 |
| Maryland | $104,330 | 540 |
| Connecticut | $98,460 | 480 |
| Vermont | $94,430 | 110 |
| Louisiana | $89,520 | 480 |
| California | $86,480 | 8,390 |
| Washington | $85,700 | 770 |
| Massachusetts | $85,260 | 1,350 |
| Virginia | $85,000 | 1,530 |
| New Jersey | $81,590 | 1,180 |
Lowest-paying states
- Arkansas: $47,970 median annual wage
- Kentucky: $48,780 median annual wage
- Wyoming: $49,650 median annual wage
- North Dakota: $50,860 median annual wage
- South Carolina: $51,920 median annual wage
About this occupation
Originate and prepare written material, such as scripts, stories, advertisements, and other material.
Typical tasks
- Develop advertising campaigns for a wide range of clients, working with an advertising agency's creative director and art director to determine the best way to present advertising information.
- Invent names for products and write the slogans that appear on packaging, brochures and other promotional material.
- Write articles, bulletins, sales letters, speeches, and other related informative, marketing and promotional material.
- Conduct research and interviews to determine which of a product's selling features should be promoted.
- Vary language and tone of messages based on product and medium.
- Present drafts and ideas to clients.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: Bachelor's degree
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 1.2% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 3.7% |
| Some college, no degree | 8.4% |
| Associate's degree | 3.5% |
| Bachelor's degree | 49.8% |
| Master's degree | 26.6% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 6.8% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Related occupations
- Public Relations Specialists$74,750
- Coaches and Scouts$47,320
- Graphic Designers$62,960
- Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers$39,390
- Producers and Directors$90,360
- Editors$77,920
- Interior Designers$67,190
- Audio and Video Technicians$58,100
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.