How much does a Writers and Authors make?

The median annual wage for Writers and Authors is $76,910 ($37 per hour). Pay ranges from about $44,310 at the 10th percentile to $139,870 at the 90th percentile.

What is the average salary for a Writers and Authors?

The average (mean) annual salary is $86,090, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.

Which state pays Writers and Authorss the most?

District of Columbia has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $129,300.

Is Writers and Authors a growing occupation?

BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 48K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.

What does a Writers and Authors do?

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.; Vary language and tone of messages based on product and medium.; Present drafts and ideas to clients..

Writers and Authors Salary

Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations · 48K employed in the U.S.

Median annual

$76,910

Median hourly

$37

Average annual

$86,090

Typical range

$44,310–$139,870

Pay distribution

10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.

10th$44,310

25th$58,230

Median$76,910

75th$101,950

90th$139,870

What this role pays

The median annual salary for Writers and Authors is $76,910 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $37 an hour at a full-time schedule.

Originate and prepare written material, such as scripts, stories, advertisements, and other material..

Most earn between $44,310 and $139,870 a year. There are roughly 48K people employed as writers and authors in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.

Salary calculator

Convert your pay and see where it lands for Writers and Authors.

Pay amountPay period

Hours / weekWeeks / year

Hourly: $36.98
Daily: $296
Weekly: $1,479
Bi-weekly: $2,958
Monthly: $6,409
Annual: $76,910

$76,910 a year is around the 50th percentile for Writers and Authorss. The median is $76,910.

Writers and Authors — U.S., May 2025
Percentile	Hourly	Annual
10th percentile	$21.30	$44,310
25th percentile	$28.00	$58,230
Median	$37.00	$76,910
75th percentile	$49.00	$101,950
90th percentile	$67.20	$139,870
Average (mean)	$41.40	$86,090
Employment	47,940 people

Key skills

Writing
Reading Comprehension
Active Listening
Speaking
Critical Thinking
Active Learning
Time Management
Social Perceptiveness
Coordination
Persuasion

Highest-paying states

Median annual wage by state.

1District of Columbia$129,300
2Maryland$104,330
3Connecticut$98,460
4Vermont$94,430
5Louisiana$89,520
6California$86,480
7Washington$85,700
8Massachusetts$85,260
9Virginia$85,000
10New Jersey$81,590
11Oregon$80,540
12Pennsylvania$77,410

Top-paying metro areas

Median annual wage by metro area.

1Waterbury-Shelton, CT$127,350
2San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$118,810
3Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV$108,460
4Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$107,700
5Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT$103,060
6Fort Collins-Loveland, CO$102,570
7Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$98,730
8Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT$97,160
9New Haven, CT$94,410
10Trenton-Princeton, NJ$90,060
11Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA$87,560
12Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD$87,020

Related job titles

Employers advertise Writers and Authors roles under these titles.

Related occupations

What a Writers and Authors does

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.
Vary language and tone of messages based on product and medium.
Present drafts and ideas to clients.
Discuss with the client the product, advertising themes and methods, and any changes that should be made in advertising copy.
Review advertising trends, consumer surveys, and other data regarding marketing of goods and services to determine the best way to promote products.
Write articles, bulletins, sales letters, speeches, and other related informative, marketing and promotional material.
Write fiction or nonfiction prose, such as short stories, novels, biographies, articles, descriptive or critical analyses, and essays.
Develop factors such as themes, plots, characterizations, psychological analyses, historical environments, action, and dialogue to create material.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Writers and Authors make?: The median annual wage for Writers and Authors is $76,910 ($37 per hour). Pay ranges from about $44,310 at the 10th percentile to $139,870 at the 90th percentile.
What is the average salary for a Writers and Authors?: The average (mean) annual salary is $86,090, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
Which state pays Writers and Authorss the most?: District of Columbia has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $129,300.
Is Writers and Authors a growing occupation?: BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 48K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
What does a Writers and Authors do?: 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.; Vary language and tone of messages based on product and medium.; Present drafts and ideas to clients..