The average salary for a television writer in Washington is around $85,700 per year.
Avg Salary
Television writers earn an average yearly salary of $85,700.
Wages typically start from $50,600 and go up to $129,480.
13% above national average Updated in 2025
Television writer earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level television writer earnings begin at:
$62.25 per hour
$129,480 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level television writer earnings begin at:
$52.40 per hour
$109,000 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level television writer earnings begin at:
$41.20 per hour
$85,700 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level television writer earnings begin at:
$31.41 per hour
$65,330 per year
10th percentile
Starting level television writer earnings begin at:
$24.33 per hour
$50,600 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Television writer salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Connecticut | $98,460 |
| Vermont | $94,430 |
| Louisiana | $89,520 |
| California | $86,480 |
| Washington | $85,700 |
| Massachusetts | $85,260 |
| Virginia | $85,000 |
| New Jersey | $81,590 |
| Oregon | $80,540 |
| New York | $80,140 |
| Pennsylvania | $77,410 |
| Colorado | $76,830 |
| Indiana | $75,820 |
| Georgia | $74,710 |
| Minnesota | $72,810 |
| New Hampshire | $71,830 |
| Rhode Island | $70,190 |
| Texas | $69,990 |
| Illinois | $68,220 |
| Florida | $68,080 |
| Alabama | $66,950 |
| Ohio | $65,930 |
| Kansas | $65,840 |
| Nebraska | $65,470 |
| Utah | $64,530 |
| West Virginia | $64,410 |
| Wisconsin | $64,370 |
| Alaska | $64,330 |
| Nevada | $63,910 |
| Hawaii | $63,800 |
| North Carolina | $63,660 |
| Delaware | $62,840 |
| New Mexico | $62,820 |
| Maine | $62,560 |
| Michigan | $61,060 |
| Iowa | $61,010 |
| Tennessee | $58,870 |
| Oklahoma | $58,770 |
| Missouri | $58,140 |
| South Dakota | $56,700 |
| Idaho | $56,360 |
| Arizona | $55,990 |
| Mississippi | $54,180 |
| South Carolina | $51,920 |
| North Dakota | $50,860 |
| Wyoming | $49,650 |
| Montana | $49,410 |
| Kentucky | $48,780 |
| Arkansas | $47,970 |
| Puerto Rico | $36,430 |
| District of Columbia | $129,300 |
| Maryland | $104,330 |
How do television writer salaries compare to similar careers?
Television writers earn about the same as related careers in Washington. On average, they make less than technical writers but more than film and video editors.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Technical writer salary | $104K |
| Film producer salary | $82K |
| Casting director salary | $82K |
| Film director salary | $82K |
| Filmmaker salary | $82K |
| Television writer salary | $86K |
| Writer salary | $86K |
| Copywriter salary | $86K |
| Editor salary | $78K |
| Film and video editor salary | $67K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)