Writers and Authors Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for writers and authors is $76,910, or $36.98 per hour. About 47,940 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $129,300 in District of Columbia to $47,970 in Arkansas.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 43 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $129,300 | $62.16 | 1,050 | 4.85 |
| 2 | Maryland | $104,330 | $50.16 | 540 | 0.63 |
| 3 | Connecticut | $98,460 | $47.34 | 480 | 0.92 |
| 4 | Vermont | $94,430 | $45.40 | 110 | 1.23 |
| 5 | Louisiana | $89,520 | $43.04 | 480 | 0.81 |
| 6 | California | $86,480 | $41.58 | 8,390 | 1.49 |
| 7 | Washington | $85,700 | $41.20 | 770 | 0.71 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $85,260 | $40.99 | 1,350 | 1.20 |
| 9 | Virginia | $85,000 | $40.87 | 1,530 | 1.21 |
| 10 | New Jersey | $81,590 | $39.23 | 1,180 | 0.90 |
| 11 | Oregon | $80,540 | $38.72 | 950 | 1.56 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | $77,410 | $37.22 | 1,080 | 0.58 |
| 13 | Colorado | $76,830 | $36.94 | 1,300 | 1.46 |
| 14 | Indiana | $75,820 | $36.45 | 450 | 0.46 |
| 15 | Georgia | $74,710 | $35.92 | 820 | 0.55 |
| 16 | Minnesota | $72,810 | $35.01 | 720 | 0.79 |
| 17 | New Hampshire | $71,830 | $34.53 | 180 | 0.85 |
| 18 | Rhode Island | $70,190 | $33.75 | 110 | 0.74 |
| 19 | Texas | $69,990 | $33.65 | 2,320 | 0.54 |
| 20 | Illinois | $68,220 | $32.80 | 2,640 | 1.40 |
| 21 | Florida | $68,080 | $32.73 | 3,010 | 0.98 |
| 22 | Alabama | $66,950 | $32.19 | 180 | 0.28 |
| 23 | Ohio | $65,930 | $31.70 | 830 | 0.49 |
| 24 | Kansas | $65,840 | $31.65 | 240 | 0.53 |
| 25 | Nebraska | $65,470 | $31.47 | 240 | 0.75 |
| 26 | Utah | $64,530 | $31.02 | 410 | 0.76 |
| 27 | West Virginia | $64,410 | $30.97 | 110 | 0.52 |
| 28 | Wisconsin | $64,370 | $30.95 | 710 | 0.78 |
| 29 | Nevada | $63,910 | $30.73 | 190 | 0.39 |
| 30 | North Carolina | $63,660 | $30.60 | 1,810 | 1.19 |
| 31 | Iowa | $61,010 | $29.33 | 290 | 0.60 |
| 32 | Tennessee | $58,870 | $28.30 | 1,260 | 1.25 |
| 33 | Oklahoma | $58,770 | $28.26 | 220 | 0.42 |
| 34 | Missouri | $58,140 | $27.95 | 600 | 0.67 |
| 35 | South Dakota | $56,700 | $27.26 | 60 | 0.44 |
| 36 | Idaho | $56,360 | $27.10 | 90 | 0.34 |
| 37 | Arizona | $55,990 | $26.92 | 600 | 0.60 |
| 38 | Mississippi | $54,180 | $26.05 | 130 | 0.37 |
| 39 | South Carolina | $51,920 | $24.96 | 520 | 0.74 |
| 40 | North Dakota | $50,860 | $24.45 | 80 | 0.63 |
| 41 | Wyoming | $49,650 | $23.87 | — | — |
| 42 | Kentucky | $48,780 | $23.45 | 350 | 0.56 |
| 43 | Arkansas | $47,970 | $23.06 | 270 | 0.68 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do writers and authors make?
The median annual wage for writers and authors in the United States is $76,910, or $36.98 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $44,310, and the top 10% earn $139,870.
How many writers and authors are employed in the U.S.?
About 47,940 people work as writers and authors nationwide.
Which state pays writers and authors the most?
District of Columbia pays the most at a median of $129,300, followed by Maryland ($104,330) and Connecticut ($98,460).
Which state pays writers and authors the least?
Arkansas has the lowest median at $47,970.
Where are writers and authors jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is District of Columbia at 4.85×.