The average wage for a writer in the United States is around $3.82 per hour.
Avg Wage
Writers earn an average hourly wage of $3.82.
Salaries typically start from $2.12 per hour and go up to $6.88 per hour.
87% below national average Updated in 2023
Writer earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level writer earnings begin at:
$6.88 per hour
$14,317 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level writer earnings begin at:
$5.21 per hour
$10,833 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level writer earnings begin at:
$3.82 per hour
$7,946 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level writer earnings begin at:
$2.80 per hour
$5,829 per year
10th percentile
Starting level writer earnings begin at:
$2.12 per hour
$4,410 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Writer salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $80,790 |
| New York | $80,140 |
| Maryland | $79,730 |
| Washington | $79,140 |
| Massachusetts | $78,050 |
| Illinois | $76,920 |
| Rhode Island | $71,110 |
| Connecticut | $69,250 |
| Virginia | $64,770 |
| Alaska | $64,330 |
| Hawaii | $63,800 |
| Nevada | $63,530 |
| Colorado | $63,300 |
| Delaware | $62,840 |
| Minnesota | $62,840 |
| Oregon | $62,840 |
| New Mexico | $62,820 |
| Georgia | $62,680 |
| Maine | $62,560 |
| New Jersey | $61,930 |
| New Hampshire | $61,700 |
| Nebraska | $61,630 |
| Michigan | $61,060 |
| Texas | $60,790 |
| Wyoming | $60,460 |
| Pennsylvania | $60,360 |
| Louisiana | $59,890 |
| Florida | $59,820 |
| Missouri | $55,980 |
| Kansas | $55,050 |
| Alabama | $53,410 |
| Kentucky | $51,560 |
| Vermont | $50,790 |
| Wisconsin | $50,280 |
| Ohio | $50,040 |
| Utah | $50,040 |
| South Dakota | $49,800 |
| North Dakota | $49,600 |
| Montana | $49,410 |
| Tennessee | $49,380 |
| Mississippi | $49,070 |
| Arizona | $48,930 |
| Idaho | $48,890 |
| Indiana | $48,890 |
| North Carolina | $48,540 |
| Iowa | $48,500 |
| South Carolina | $47,040 |
| West Virginia | $41,720 |
| Oklahoma | $39,230 |
| Arkansas | $38,550 |
| Puerto Rico | $36,430 |
| California | $128,060 |
How do writer salaries compare to similar careers?
Writers earn 72% less than similar careers in the United States. On average, they make less than researchers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Researcher salary | $46K |
| Television writer salary | $36K |
| Editor salary | $32K |
| Proofreader salary | $28K |
| Sports writer salary | $19K |
| Writer salary | $8K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)