SOC 27-3043 · Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations
Writers and Authors wages by metro
National median annual wage
$76,910
- 10th percentile
- $44,310
- 25th percentile
- $58,230
- Median
- $76,910
- 75th percentile
- $101,950
- 90th percentile
- $139,870
- Mean
- $86,090
Annual wage from the May 2025 OEWS estimates.
National employment in May 2025: 47,940.
That median is 50.9% higher than the all-occupations national median of $50,980.
The metro and state figures below are the same May 2025 release. A blank wage means BLS did not publish it. See when a wage is not published.
Highest published medians
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | 50 | $57,120 | $127,350 | $676,390 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 400 | $62,680 | $118,810 | $176,980 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 2,060 | $69,090 | $108,460 | $171,410 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | 50 | $43,430 | $107,700 | $178,460 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | 150 | $46,720 | $103,060 | $160,000 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | Not available | $34,540 | $102,570 | $150,540 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 520 | $60,540 | $98,730 | $136,720 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | 140 | $51,680 | $97,160 | $145,640 |
| New Haven, CT | 60 | $61,400 | $94,410 | $136,030 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | 110 | $46,360 | $90,060 | $106,190 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 600 | $52,620 | $87,560 | $159,470 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 240 | $56,680 | $87,020 | $163,630 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | 30 | $51,310 | $86,340 | $127,810 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 1,130 | $59,150 | $85,260 | $138,950 |
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT | 40 | $61,560 | $85,020 | $136,510 |
| Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | 40 | $54,650 | $84,940 | $110,840 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | 130 | $47,980 | $84,130 | $117,890 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 560 | $52,080 | $84,130 | $182,160 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | 130 | $48,180 | $83,770 | $126,880 |
| Boulder, CO | 130 | $47,830 | $83,540 | $142,060 |
Where employment is largest
States and territories
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 1,050 | $74,990 | $129,300 | $172,480 |
| Maryland | 540 | $59,560 | $104,330 | $165,050 |
| Connecticut | 480 | $52,250 | $98,460 | $153,560 |
| Vermont | 110 | $73,290 | $94,430 | $132,810 |
| Louisiana | 480 | $29,740 | $89,520 | $114,810 |
| California | 8,390 | $56,730 | $86,480 | $193,080 |
| Washington | 770 | $50,600 | $85,700 | $129,480 |
| Massachusetts | 1,350 | $58,910 | $85,260 | $138,950 |
| Virginia | 1,530 | $44,190 | $85,000 | $131,040 |
| New Jersey | 1,180 | $49,770 | $81,590 | $128,820 |
| Oregon | 950 | $46,180 | $80,540 | $158,190 |
| Pennsylvania | 1,080 | $40,270 | $77,410 | $178,490 |
| Colorado | 1,300 | $42,810 | $76,830 | $132,630 |
| Indiana | 450 | $51,640 | $75,820 | $128,640 |
| Georgia | 820 | $38,460 | $74,710 | $133,540 |
| Minnesota | 720 | $50,700 | $72,810 | $103,890 |
| New Hampshire | 180 | $43,200 | $71,830 | $132,870 |
| Rhode Island | 110 | $42,060 | $70,190 | $130,000 |
| Texas | 2,320 | $49,070 | $69,990 | $125,240 |
| Illinois | 2,640 | $41,830 | $68,220 | $134,400 |
| Florida | 3,010 | $41,650 | $68,080 | $102,540 |
| Alabama | 180 | $39,830 | $66,950 | $115,210 |
| Ohio | 830 | $40,190 | $65,930 | $101,710 |
| Kansas | 240 | $30,920 | $65,840 | $92,660 |
| Nebraska | 240 | $44,230 | $65,470 | $93,600 |
| Utah | 410 | $36,260 | $64,530 | $101,460 |
| West Virginia | 110 | $24,340 | $64,410 | $103,380 |
| Wisconsin | 710 | $47,410 | $64,370 | $90,880 |
| Nevada | 190 | $40,560 | $63,910 | $83,130 |
| North Carolina | 1,810 | $42,180 | $63,660 | $117,820 |
| Iowa | 290 | $48,260 | $61,010 | $88,560 |
| Tennessee | 1,260 | $38,720 | $58,870 | $100,910 |
| Oklahoma | 220 | $38,230 | $58,770 | $98,230 |
| Missouri | 600 | $42,000 | $58,140 | $98,930 |
| South Dakota | 60 | $45,760 | $56,700 | $68,890 |
| Idaho | 90 | $44,660 | $56,360 | $108,890 |
| Arizona | 600 | $42,300 | $55,990 | $90,990 |
| Mississippi | 130 | $25,820 | $54,180 | $85,550 |
| South Carolina | 520 | $38,210 | $51,920 | $91,140 |
| North Dakota | 80 | $35,000 | $50,860 | $83,920 |
| Wyoming | Not available | $41,170 | $49,650 | $66,510 |
| Kentucky | 350 | $39,580 | $48,780 | $76,010 |
| Arkansas | 270 | $30,560 | $47,970 | $79,350 |
| Puerto Rico | 90 | $30,040 | $43,440 | $66,680 |
| Hawaii | 60 | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| Maine | 200 | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| Montana | 90 | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| New Mexico | 90 | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| New York | 7,480 | Not available | Not available | Not available |
Other arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations
- Public Relations Specialists
- Coaches and Scouts
- Graphic Designers
- Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers
- Producers and Directors
- Editors
- Interior Designers
- Audio and Video Technicians
Questions this page answers
What is the national median wage for Writers and Authors?
In the May 2025 OEWS estimates, the national median annual wage for Writers and Authors is $76,910. Employment is 47,940.
How does Writers and Authors pay compare with all occupations?
The national median for Writers and Authors is 50.9% higher than the all-occupations median of $50,980.
Which metro has the highest published median for Writers and Authors?
Among metros with a published annual median in the May 2025 tables, Waterbury-Shelton, CT is highest on this page's list at $127,350.