27 Series · SOC 27-3043
Writers and Authors Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $76,910
- Median / year
- +6.4%
- 2024→2025
- $139,870
- Top 10% earn
- +3.6%
- Growth '24–'34
- 47,940
- Estimated US jobs
Writers and Authors earn a median of $76,910 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $76,910, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $44,310 (10th percentile) to $139,870 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 47,940 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is District of Columbia ($129,300).
The pay verdict
Writers and Authors earn a median of $76,910, putting them above the typical US occupation and higher than 69% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media, it ranks #8 of 36 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 3.6% by 2034.
- $76,910
- Median annual wage
- Top 31%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #8 of 36
- in Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
- 3.2×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: District of Columbia at $129,300. Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
Observed pay change
What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025
- The published national median for Writers and Authors moved from $63,200 in May 2019 to $76,910 in May 2025 (+21.7%).
- Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
- Writers and Authors sits -2.8 pp near that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.
Writers and Authors (SOC 27-3043) has a national median of $76,910 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $44,310 to $139,870, and the published mean is $86,090. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 47,940 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 44 state or territory areas and 137 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $72,270 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $76,910 in May 2025, a rise of $4,640 (+6.4%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +3.6% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as about as fast as average relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 13,400 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns Bachelor's degree as typical education needed for entry, and BLS classifies its typical on-the-job preparation as long-term on-the-job training. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. District of Columbia pays the highest state median at $129,300, which is +68% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Waterbury-Shelton, CT at $127,350. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.
Median Salary
$76,910
per year
Median Hourly
$36.98/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$86,090
average
Employment
47,940
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Writers and Authors pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$76,910 Top 31% higher than 69% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
| Band | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|
| $0–$20,000 | 0 US occupations | 0% |
| $20,000–$40,000 | 98 US occupations | 12% |
| $40,000–$60,000 | 298 US occupations | 36% |
| $60,000–$80,000 (this entry) | 209 US occupations | 25% |
| $80,000–$100,000 | 82 US occupations | 10% |
| $100,000–$120,000 | 58 US occupations | 7% |
| $120,000–$140,000 | 32 US occupations | 4% |
| $140,000–$160,000 | 14 US occupations | 2% |
| $160,000–$180,000 | 9 US occupations | 1% |
| $180,000 and above | 25 US occupations | 3% |
$76,910 · 69th percentile of 825 US occupations
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 27-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Writers and Authors; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Read the chart as text
- Public Relations Spe…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.8%, Median annual wage $74750
- Coaches and Scouts: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.4%, Median annual wage $47320
- Graphic Designers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.1%, Median annual wage $62960
- Merchandise Displaye…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.2%, Median annual wage $39390
- Producers and Direct…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.9%, Median annual wage $90360
- Editors: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.6%, Median annual wage $77920
- Interior Designers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.2%, Median annual wage $67190
- Audio and Video Tech…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.3%, Median annual wage $58100
- Art Directors: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.2%, Median annual wage $114850
- Interpreters and Tra…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.7%, Median annual wage $60170
- Photographers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.8%, Median annual wage $44660
- Writers and Authors: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.6%, Median annual wage $76910
- Technical Writers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.9%, Median annual wage $90390
- Floral Designers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -5.9%, Median annual wage $37360
- News Analysts, Repor…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -3.9%, Median annual wage $62200
- Commercial and Indus…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.2%, Median annual wage $83910
- Film and Video Editors: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4%, Median annual wage $75420
- Camera Operators, Te…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.2%, Median annual wage $74990
- Fashion Designers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2%, Median annual wage $80960
- Broadcast Announcers…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -5.5%, Median annual wage $47340
- Broadcast Technicians: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -2.8%, Median annual wage $59570
- Special Effects Arti…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.6%, Median annual wage $102030
- Media and Communicat…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.7%, Median annual wage $73620
- Umpires, Referees, a…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.7%, Median annual wage $40710
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+3.6%
About as fast as average
Annual Openings
13,400
per year (projected)
Employment Change
+4,900
135,400 (2024) → 140,300 (2034)
Typical Education
Bachelor's degree
On-the-Job Training
Long-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations context
Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade
Fatality Rate
0.6/100K
Injury Rate
0.5/100
Danger Index
2.3/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Writers and Authors roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key 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.
- ▸ 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.
- ▸ Conduct research and interviews to determine which of a product's selling features should be promoted.
- ▸ Invent names for products and write the slogans that appear on packaging, brochures and other promotional material.
- ▸ Collaborate with other writers on specific projects.
- ▸ Conduct research to obtain factual information and authentic detail, using sources such as newspaper accounts, diaries, and interviews.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
Writers and Authors pay history, 2015–2025
Published national median across 11 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.
Read the chart as text
| Period | National median |
|---|---|
| 2015 | $60,250 |
| 2016 | $61,240 |
| 2017 | $61,820 |
| 2018 | $62,170 |
| 2019 | $63,200 |
| 2020 | $67,120 |
| 2021 | $69,510 |
| 2022 | $73,150 |
| 2023 | $73,690 |
| 2024 | $72,270 |
| 2025 | $76,910 |
2015 median
$60,250
2025 median
$76,910
2019–2025 change (same SOC)
+$13,710 (+21.7%)
Avg/year (same SOC)
+3.3%
| Release | Median | Change | Estimated jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2015 | $60,250 | First banked release | 43,380 |
| May 2016 | $61,240 | +1.6% | 44,690 |
| May 2017 | $61,820 | +0.9% | 45,300 |
| May 2018 | $62,170 | +0.6% | 45,210 |
| May 2019 | $63,200 | Classification break | 45,860 |
| May 2020 | $67,120 | +6.2% | 44,240 |
| May 2021 | $69,510 | +3.6% | 49,410 |
| May 2022 | $73,150 | +5.2% | 54,010 |
| May 2023 | $73,690 | +0.7% | 49,450 |
| May 2024 | $72,270 | -1.9% | 47,800 |
| May 2025 | $76,910 | +6.4% | 47,940 |
Across the 11 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $60,250 in May 2015 to $76,910 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +3.3% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 45,860 in May 2019 to 47,940 in May 2025.
Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in. This span also crosses a classification change: releases before May 2019 use the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification and later releases use the 2018 SOC, so figures either side of that boundary are not strictly like-for-like. Headline change rates on this page use only the same-classification subset.
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 44 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $129,300 | +68% above national |
| 2 | Maryland | $104,330 | +36% above national |
| 3 | Connecticut | $98,460 | +28% above national |
| 4 | Vermont | $94,430 | +23% above national |
| 5 | Louisiana | $89,520 | +16% above national |
| 6 | California | $86,480 | +12% above national |
| 7 | Washington | $85,700 | +11% above national |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $85,260 | +11% above national |
| 9 | Virginia | $85,000 | +11% above national |
| 10 | New Jersey | $81,590 | +6% above national |
| 11 | Oregon | $80,540 | +5% above national |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | $77,410 | +1% above national |
| 13 | Colorado | $76,830 | same as national |
| 14 | Indiana | $75,820 | 1% below national |
| 15 | Georgia | $74,710 | 3% below national |
| 16 | Minnesota | $72,810 | 5% below national |
| 17 | New Hampshire | $71,830 | 7% below national |
| 18 | Rhode Island | $70,190 | 9% below national |
| 19 | Texas | $69,990 | 9% below national |
| 20 | Illinois | $68,220 | 11% below national |
| 21 | Florida | $68,080 | 11% below national |
| 22 | Alabama | $66,950 | 13% below national |
| 23 | Ohio | $65,930 | 14% below national |
| 24 | Kansas | $65,840 | 14% below national |
| 25 | Nebraska | $65,470 | 15% below national |
| 26 | Utah | $64,530 | 16% below national |
| 27 | West Virginia | $64,410 | 16% below national |
| 28 | Wisconsin | $64,370 | 16% below national |
| 29 | Nevada | $63,910 | 17% below national |
| 30 | North Carolina | $63,660 | 17% below national |
| 31 | Iowa | $61,010 | 21% below national |
| 32 | Tennessee | $58,870 | 23% below national |
| 33 | Oklahoma | $58,770 | 24% below national |
| 34 | Missouri | $58,140 | 24% below national |
| 35 | South Dakota | $56,700 | 26% below national |
| 36 | Idaho | $56,360 | 27% below national |
| 37 | Arizona | $55,990 | 27% below national |
| 38 | Mississippi | $54,180 | 30% below national |
| 39 | South Carolina | $51,920 | 32% below national |
| 40 | North Dakota | $50,860 | 34% below national |
| 41 | Wyoming | $49,650 | 35% below national |
| 42 | Kentucky | $48,780 | 37% below national |
| 43 | Arkansas | $47,970 | 38% below national |
| 44 | Puerto Rico | $43,440 | 44% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 122 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $127,350 | +66% above national |
| 2 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $118,810 | +54% above national |
| 3 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $108,460 | +41% above national |
| 4 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $107,700 | +40% above national |
| 5 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $103,060 | +34% above national |
| 6 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $102,570 | +33% above national |
| 7 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $98,730 | +28% above national |
| 8 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $97,160 | +26% above national |
| 9 | New Haven, CT | $94,410 | +23% above national |
| 10 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $90,060 | +17% above national |
| 11 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $87,560 | +14% above national |
| 12 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $87,020 | +13% above national |
| 13 | San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $86,340 | +12% above national |
| 14 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $85,260 | +11% above national |
| 15 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $85,020 | +11% above national |
| 16 | Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | $84,940 | +10% above national |
| 17 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $84,130 | +9% above national |
| 18 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $84,130 | +9% above national |
| 19 | Colorado Springs, CO | $83,770 | +9% above national |
| 20 | Boulder, CO | $83,540 | +9% above national |
| 21 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $82,920 | +8% above national |
| 22 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $82,690 | +8% above national |
| 23 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $82,590 | +7% above national |
| 24 | Greeley, CO | $82,060 | +7% above national |
| 25 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $81,990 | +7% above national |
| 26 | Worcester, MA | $80,490 | +5% above national |
| 27 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $79,020 | +3% above national |
| 28 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $78,990 | +3% above national |
| 29 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $78,050 | +1% above national |
| 30 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $78,000 | +1% above national |
| 31 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $77,740 | +1% above national |
| 32 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $77,250 | same as national |
| 33 | Fresno, CA | $77,060 | same as national |
| 34 | Charlottesville, VA | $76,990 | same as national |
| 35 | Montgomery, AL | $76,710 | same as national |
| 36 | Columbus, OH | $76,490 | 1% below national |
| 37 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $76,470 | 1% below national |
| 38 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $76,390 | 1% below national |
| 39 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $76,120 | 1% below national |
| 40 | Baton Rouge, LA | $76,000 | 1% below national |
| 41 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $75,940 | 1% below national |
| 42 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $75,760 | 1% below national |
| 43 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $75,380 | 2% below national |
| 44 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $74,820 | 3% below national |
| 45 | Richmond, VA | $74,300 | 3% below national |
| 46 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $74,030 | 4% below national |
| 47 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $73,600 | 4% below national |
| 48 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $73,460 | 4% below national |
| 49 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $73,440 | 5% below national |
| 50 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $72,560 | 6% below national |
| 51 | Tallahassee, FL | $72,400 | 6% below national |
| 52 | Charleston, WV | $72,340 | 6% below national |
| 53 | Syracuse, NY | $71,520 | 7% below national |
| 54 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $70,620 | 8% below national |
| 55 | Asheville, NC | $70,280 | 9% below national |
| 56 | Glens Falls, NY | $69,320 | 10% below national |
| 57 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $69,100 | 10% below national |
| 58 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $69,100 | 10% below national |
| 59 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $68,880 | 10% below national |
| 60 | Madison, WI | $68,760 | 11% below national |
| 61 | Rochester, NY | $68,600 | 11% below national |
| 62 | Savannah, GA | $68,030 | 12% below national |
| 63 | Omaha, NE-IA | $67,390 | 12% below national |
| 64 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $67,280 | 13% below national |
| 65 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $67,230 | 13% below national |
| 66 | Medford, OR | $66,690 | 13% below national |
| 67 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $66,470 | 14% below national |
| 68 | Lancaster, PA | $65,660 | 15% below national |
| 69 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $65,630 | 15% below national |
| 70 | Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | $65,290 | 15% below national |
| 71 | Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $64,900 | 16% below national |
| 72 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $64,690 | 16% below national |
| 73 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $64,520 | 16% below national |
| 74 | Birmingham, AL | $64,460 | 16% below national |
| 75 | Oklahoma City, OK | $64,100 | 17% below national |
| 76 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $64,010 | 17% below national |
| 77 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $63,910 | 17% below national |
| 78 | Tulsa, OK | $63,780 | 17% below national |
| 79 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $63,720 | 17% below national |
| 80 | Fort Wayne, IN | $63,640 | 17% below national |
| 81 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $63,270 | 18% below national |
| 82 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $63,270 | 18% below national |
| 83 | Toledo, OH | $63,090 | 18% below national |
| 84 | Knoxville, TN | $63,080 | 18% below national |
| 85 | Columbia, MO | $63,030 | 18% below national |
| 86 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $63,010 | 18% below national |
| 87 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $62,440 | 19% below national |
| 88 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $62,110 | 19% below national |
| 89 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $62,060 | 19% below national |
| 90 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $62,060 | 19% below national |
| 91 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $61,980 | 19% below national |
| 92 | Boise City, ID | $61,650 | 20% below national |
| 93 | Green Bay, WI | $61,500 | 20% below national |
| 94 | Winston-Salem, NC | $61,460 | 20% below national |
| 95 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $61,400 | 20% below national |
| 96 | Cleveland, OH | $60,880 | 21% below national |
| 97 | Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $60,700 | 21% below national |
| 98 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $60,640 | 21% below national |
| 99 | Lincoln, NE | $60,200 | 22% below national |
| 100 | Akron, OH | $59,900 | 22% below national |
| 101 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $58,870 | 23% below national |
| 102 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $58,480 | 24% below national |
| 103 | Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $57,600 | 25% below national |
| 104 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $57,390 | 25% below national |
| 105 | Jacksonville, FL | $56,760 | 26% below national |
| 106 | Bend, OR | $55,930 | 27% below national |
| 107 | Albuquerque, NM | $53,490 | 30% below national |
| 108 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $52,520 | 32% below national |
| 109 | Topeka, KS | $51,610 | 33% below national |
| 110 | Springfield, MO | $51,260 | 33% below national |
| 111 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $51,170 | 33% below national |
| 112 | Fargo, ND-MN | $50,860 | 34% below national |
| 113 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $50,720 | 34% below national |
| 114 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $49,980 | 35% below national |
| 115 | Iowa City, IA | $49,000 | 36% below national |
| 116 | Tucson, AZ | $47,990 | 38% below national |
| 117 | Wilmington, NC | $47,940 | 38% below national |
| 118 | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $47,300 | 38% below national |
| 119 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $47,210 | 39% below national |
| 120 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $44,300 | 42% below national |
| 121 | Columbia, SC | $41,600 | 46% below national |
| 122 | Ann Arbor, MI | $37,330 | 51% below national |
Same SOC major group
Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 27 (Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.
Actors
SOC 27-2011
Art Directors
SOC 27-1011
Artists and Related Workers, All Other
SOC 27-1019
Athletes and Sports Competitors
SOC 27-2021
Audio and Video Technicians
SOC 27-4011
Showing 5 of 40 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.
Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale
Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($76,910 here) and reported employment (47,940 jobs here).
Similar median pay
Nearest other detailed occupations by BLS OEWS national median annual wage.
Similar employment scale
Nearest headcount peers (floor 1,000 national jobs), distinct from the pay column.
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Writers and Authors make? ▼
Where does Writers and Authors pay rank nationally? ▼
What state pays Writers and Authors the most? ▼
What education do Writers and Authors need? ▼
Does BLS publish a safety rate for Writers and Authors? ▼
Is Writers and Authors a good career? ▼
How does Writers and Authors pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Writers and Authors? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Writers and Authors pay figures in a real decision
- The 75th-percentile wage is about $101,950/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: District of Columbia leads at $129,300/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.