Writer/Authors Salary 2025: $71,823 Median Pay (BLS OEWS)
- Official U.S. BLS OEWS data (May 2025)
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- Not self-reported estimates
$71,823 per year is the national median annual wage for writer/authors (BLS OEWS, May 2025 reference period). That works out to about $35/hour, with a 10th–90th percentile range of $62,680 to $176,980. The Bureau of Labor Statistics classifies this role under SOC code 27-3043.
Key Facts (BLS OEWS, May 2025)
- Median annual wage
- $71,823
- Median hourly wage
- $35/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $84,817
- Total US employment
- 20,850
- Top-paying metro
- San Jose, CA, CA ($118,810)
- BLS SOC code
- 27-3043
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 release.
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The national median wage for writer/authors (BLS SOC 27-3043) is $71,823 per year — about $35/hour — across 20,850 workers in 63 U.S. metros in the BLS OEWS May 2025 release. The mean wage of $84,817 sits above the median, which means a minority of high earners pulls the average up — the median is the more honest benchmark for a typical offer.
Experience drives the range as much as anything: the 10th percentile earns $49,797 while the 90th earns $129,140 — a 2.6× gap from entry-level to the top of the field. Most writer/authors land in the $61,021–$103,498 band (25th–75th percentile), which is the right anchor when you size up an offer.
Location matters too. San Jose, CA, CA posts the highest median at $118,810, versus $47,210 in Little Rock, AR, AR — a 152% gap. But adjusted for cost of living, Hartford, CT delivers the strongest real purchasing power ($86,288 in national-average dollars), which can flip the nominal ranking for anyone weighing a move.
BLS OEWS reports base wage for this Creative role; bonuses, commissions, and equity are excluded, so total compensation for many writer/authors runs meaningfully above the figures shown — particularly at the senior end of the distribution.
Writer/Authors Salary by Experience Level (2025)
BLS OEWS doesn’t publish wages by years of experience, but its national percentile bands map cleanly to career stages. Here’s what writer/authors earn from entry-level to the top of the field.
| Career stage | Typical experience | BLS percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level | 0–2 years | 10th | $49,797 |
| Junior / early-career | 2–5 years | 25th | $61,021 |
| Mid-career | 5–10 years | 50th (median) | $77,857 |
| Senior | 10–15 years | 75th | $103,498 |
| Top earners | 15+ years | 90th | $129,140 |
Experience bands are SalaryTruth’s interpretation of BLS OEWS percentiles, not a separate BLS series. Actual pay varies by employer, specialization, and region.
Salary Range (BLS Percentiles)
Writer/Authors salaries range from $47,210 to $118,810 median across cities, depending on location, experience, and industry.
Writer/Authors Salary by City (BLS OEWS)
| City | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | COL-Adjusted | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $62,680 | $85,132 | $118,810 | $147,895 | $176,980 | $60,679 | 400 |
| Washington, DC | $69,090 | $84,838 | $108,460 | $139,935 | $171,410 | $70,982 | 2,060 |
| Bridgeport, CT | $46,720 | $69,256 | $103,060 | $131,530 | $160,000 | $74,953 | 150 |
| Seattle, WA | $60,540 | $75,816 | $98,730 | $117,725 | $136,720 | $66,084 | 520 |
| Hartford, CT | $51,680 | $69,872 | $97,160 | $121,400 | $145,640 | $86,288 | 140 |
| Portland, OR | $52,620 | $66,596 | $87,560 | $123,515 | $159,470 | $67,302 | 600 |
| Baltimore, MD | $56,680 | $68,816 | $87,020 | $125,325 | $163,630 | $76,200 | 240 |
| Boston, MA | $59,150 | $69,594 | $85,260 | $112,105 | $138,950 | $56,055 | 1,130 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $52,080 | $64,900 | $84,130 | $133,145 | $182,160 | $71,056 | 560 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $48,180 | $62,416 | $83,770 | $105,325 | $126,880 | $80,163 | 130 |
| Sacramento, CA | $41,540 | $58,000 | $82,690 | $117,680 | $152,670 | $66,311 | 240 |
| San Diego, CA | $44,460 | $59,712 | $82,590 | $123,210 | $163,830 | $51,554 | 350 |
| Atlanta, GA | $53,790 | $65,070 | $81,990 | $107,715 | $133,440 | $82,651 | 490 |
| New Orleans, LA | $29,740 | $49,452 | $79,020 | $101,030 | $123,040 | $82,398 | 120 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino, CA | $38,940 | $54,960 | $78,990 | $107,740 | $136,490 | $64,534 | 190 |
| Albany, NY | $48,010 | $60,026 | $78,050 | $104,930 | $131,810 | $77,507 | 90 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $60,740 | $67,344 | $77,250 | $119,640 | $162,030 | $46,536 | 0 |
| Fresno, CA | $41,860 | $55,940 | $77,060 | $93,710 | $110,360 | $73,043 | 70 |
| Columbus, OH | $54,470 | $63,278 | $76,490 | $90,495 | $104,500 | $82,159 | 240 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $56,370 | $64,410 | $76,470 | $90,495 | $104,520 | $72,006 | 570 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $36,260 | $52,312 | $76,390 | $94,220 | $112,050 | $75,335 | 210 |
| Houston, TX | $48,670 | $59,650 | $76,120 | $96,105 | $116,090 | $78,881 | 400 |
| Chicago, IL | $43,440 | $56,440 | $75,940 | $105,325 | $134,710 | $70,774 | 2,120 |
| Detroit, MI | $48,870 | $59,626 | $75,760 | $98,545 | $121,330 | $79,664 | 510 |
| Austin, TX | $50,640 | $60,536 | $75,380 | $118,380 | $161,380 | $73,184 | 420 |
| Richmond, VA | $44,190 | $56,234 | $74,300 | $85,875 | $97,450 | $72,772 | 230 |
| San Antonio, TX | $47,890 | $58,346 | $74,030 | $90,040 | $106,050 | $80,907 | 130 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $45,380 | $56,668 | $73,600 | $98,320 | $123,040 | $73,161 | 40 |
| Tampa, FL | $43,840 | $55,328 | $72,560 | $86,285 | $100,010 | $72,851 | 400 |
| Providence, RI | $50,200 | $58,368 | $70,620 | $95,640 | $120,660 | $59,146 | 120 |
| Denver, CO | $42,060 | $52,876 | $69,100 | $100,860 | $132,620 | $61,259 | 860 |
| Raleigh, NC | $50,890 | $58,174 | $69,100 | $98,920 | $128,740 | $69,238 | 360 |
| Orlando, FL | $39,350 | $51,162 | $68,880 | $88,940 | $109,000 | $66,809 | 390 |
| Madison, WI | $49,570 | $57,246 | $68,760 | $83,545 | $98,330 | $66,243 | 150 |
| Rochester, NY | $43,040 | $53,264 | $68,600 | $108,445 | $148,290 | $73,843 | 110 |
| Omaha, NE | $48,200 | $55,876 | $67,390 | $81,360 | $95,330 | $73,410 | 120 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $40,560 | $51,248 | $67,280 | $76,440 | $85,600 | $61,725 | 150 |
| Kansas City, MO | $44,990 | $53,886 | $67,230 | $84,650 | $102,070 | $70,472 | 220 |
| Miami, FL | $45,910 | $54,134 | $66,470 | $80,950 | $95,430 | $53,997 | 1,270 |
| Buffalo, NY | $47,830 | $54,950 | $65,630 | $88,620 | $111,610 | $70,951 | 90 |
| Dallas, TX | $49,920 | $55,760 | $64,520 | $93,360 | $122,200 | $61,979 | 850 |
| Birmingham, AL | $41,710 | $50,810 | $64,460 | $84,230 | $104,000 | $71,305 | 70 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $40,920 | $50,192 | $64,100 | $94,275 | $124,450 | $74,104 | 0 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $49,650 | $55,354 | $63,910 | $73,185 | $82,460 | $65,616 | 270 |
| Tulsa, OK | $38,540 | $48,636 | $63,780 | $78,765 | $93,750 | $73,479 | 50 |
| Charlotte, NC | $43,960 | $51,864 | $63,720 | $96,595 | $129,470 | $65,895 | 420 |
| Nashville, TN | $44,230 | $51,846 | $63,270 | $80,915 | $98,560 | $63,081 | 520 |
| Greensboro, NC | $45,090 | $52,362 | $63,270 | $95,420 | $127,570 | $69,299 | 100 |
| Knoxville, TN | $44,410 | $51,878 | $63,080 | $102,280 | $141,480 | $69,856 | 180 |
| Des Moines, IA | $52,080 | $56,452 | $63,010 | $79,225 | $95,440 | $67,535 | 90 |
| Cincinnati, OH | $22,480 | $38,464 | $62,440 | $78,315 | $94,190 | $68,465 | 170 |
| Spokane, WA | $44,500 | $51,524 | $62,060 | $74,480 | $86,900 | $63,717 | 60 |
| Boise, ID | $46,960 | $52,836 | $61,650 | $85,580 | $109,510 | $60,382 | 40 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $45,200 | $50,668 | $58,870 | $74,925 | $90,980 | $58,461 | 420 |
| Memphis, TN | $42,220 | $48,724 | $58,480 | $76,520 | $94,560 | $69,619 | 170 |
| St. Louis, MO | $45,380 | $50,184 | $57,390 | $78,870 | $100,350 | $63,767 | 300 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $40,740 | $47,148 | $56,760 | $74,930 | $93,100 | $59,685 | 0 |
| Albuquerque, NM | $47,380 | $49,824 | $53,490 | $73,295 | $93,100 | $56,904 | 60 |
| Louisville, KY | $39,930 | $44,966 | $52,520 | $63,385 | $74,250 | $58,226 | 130 |
| Lexington, KY | $37,950 | $43,238 | $51,170 | $62,470 | $73,770 | $56,046 | 50 |
| Greenville, SC | $42,490 | $45,486 | $49,980 | $72,760 | $95,540 | $55,472 | 130 |
| Tucson, AZ | $37,800 | $41,876 | $47,990 | $60,185 | $72,380 | $50,304 | 80 |
| Little Rock, AR | $29,180 | $36,392 | $47,210 | $63,480 | $79,750 | $53,526 | 100 |
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Writer/Author & H-1B Prevailing Wage
Sponsoring or filing an H-1B, PERM, or E-3 case? See the DOL prevailing-wage levels (1–4) for Writer/Author, including the 2026 proposed increase.
Writer/Author prevailing wage in San Jose, CA →Frequently Asked Questions
The national median salary for Writer/Author is $71,823 as of 2025 (BLS OEWS). The national mean (average) is $84,817. Salaries range from $47,210 to $118,810 median depending on city and cost of living.
Entry-level writer/authors (10th percentile) earn about $49,797 per year nationally. Pay rises with experience to a median of $71,823, $103,498 at the 75th percentile, and $129,140 for the top 10% of earners.
The median writer/author earns about $35/hour, based on the $71,823 annual median over a standard 2,080-hour work year (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
San Jose, CA, CA posts the highest median for Writer/Author at $118,810, well above the national median of $71,823. Cost of living matters, though — see the COL-adjusted column in the city table above, which can reorder the rankings.
There are approximately 20,850 Writer/Author positions in the US across 63 metropolitan areas tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey.
The 90th percentile writer/author earns $129,140 — about 2.6× the $49,797 entry-level wage. A spread that wide signals real income growth potential with experience, specialization, and location.
No. BLS OEWS reports base wages only — bonuses, commissions, overtime, and equity are excluded. For roles where variable pay is common, total compensation runs above the figures shown here.
Salary data from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. COL adjustments use BEA Regional Price Parities.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 release.