United States · Pay by job · Arts, Design, Sports and Media
Writer and Author salary and take-home pay
The typical US writer and author earns $76,910 a year, or $36.98 an hour (BLS, May 2025). In Texas, where the median for this job is $69,990, a single filer keeps about $58,068 a year after federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare.
BLS title: Writers and Authors (SOC 27-3043). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025.
How much does a writer and author earn?
| Percentile | Bar | A year | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $44,310 | $21.31 | |
| 25th | $58,230 | $28.00 | |
| Median | $76,910 | $36.98 | |
| 75th | $101,950 | $49.01 | |
| 90th | $139,870 | $67.25 |
The middle half of people in this job earn $58,230 to $101,950 a year, and about 47,940 people do it across the US (BLS, May 2025).
Take-home pay tool
Writer and Author · Texas · single · median
$58,067.97 a year after tax
$4,839.00 a month · $2,233.38 a paycheck (every two weeks)
| Pay before tax | $69,990.00 |
|---|---|
| Federal income tax | −$6,567.80 |
| Social Security and Medicare | −$5,354.24 |
| Texas tax and payroll contributions | none |
| Take-home pay | $58,067.97 |
Pay: the median for this job in Texas, $69,990 a year (BLS). One job, standard deduction, nothing taken before tax, the year’s tax spread over 26 paychecks.
What does a writer and author take home at each pay point?
A single filer on the national figures, paid every two weeks, with nothing taken before tax:
| Pay a year | Texas | California | New York | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $44,310 | $37,783 | $36,486 | $35,765 |
| 25th | $58,230 | $48,968 | $46,744 | $46,138 |
| Median | $76,910 | $62,936 | $59,118 | $59,017 |
| 75th | $101,950 | $80,552 | $74,134 | $75,134 |
| 90th | $139,870 | $106,867 | $96,430 | $98,846 |
Take-home after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and state tax for 2026. New York is outside New York City.
Where does a writer and author keep the most after tax?
Our 19 states, ranked by take-home pay on each state’s own median for this job (single filer). Only these 19 states have take-home figures so far.
| Rank | State | Median pay | Take-home |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $85,700 | $67,931 |
| 2 | California | $86,480 | $64,891 |
| 3 | Virginia | $85,000 | $64,554 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $81,590 | $62,688 |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | $77,410 | $60,857 |
| 6 | New Hampshire | $71,830 | $59,362 |
| 7 | Georgia | $74,710 | $58,409 |
| 8 | Texas | $69,990 | $58,068 |
| 9 | Florida | $68,080 | $56,724 |
| 10 | Ohio | $65,930 | $53,785 |
| 11 | Illinois | $68,220 | $53,591 |
| 12 | Nevada | $63,910 | $53,532 |
| 13 | North Carolina | $63,660 | $51,300 |
| 14 | Tennessee | $58,870 | $49,482 |
| 15 | South Dakota | $56,700 | $47,738 |
| 16 | Wyoming | $49,650 | $42,074 |
Not ranked, because BLS released no median there: Alaska, Michigan, New York.
How much does a writer and author earn in each state?
| State | Median pay | People in the job | Take-home (single) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $66,950 | 180 | not yet |
| Alaska | not released | not released | – |
| Arizona | $55,990 | 600 | not yet |
| Arkansas | $47,970 | 270 | not yet |
| California | $86,480 | 8,390 | $64,891 (#2) |
| Colorado | $76,830 | 1,300 | not yet |
| Connecticut | $98,460 | 480 | not yet |
| Delaware | not released | not released | not yet |
| District of Columbia | $129,300 | 1,050 | not yet |
| Florida | $68,080 | 3,010 | $56,724 (#9) |
| Georgia | $74,710 | 820 | $58,409 (#7) |
| Hawaii | not released | 60 | not yet |
| Idaho | $56,360 | 90 | not yet |
| Illinois | $68,220 | 2,640 | $53,591 (#11) |
| Indiana | $75,820 | 450 | not yet |
| Iowa | $61,010 | 290 | not yet |
| Kansas | $65,840 | 240 | not yet |
| Kentucky | $48,780 | 350 | not yet |
| Louisiana | $89,520 | 480 | not yet |
| Maine | not released | 200 | not yet |
| Maryland | $104,330 | 540 | not yet |
| Massachusetts | $85,260 | 1,350 | not yet |
| Michigan | not released | not released | – |
| Minnesota | $72,810 | 720 | not yet |
| Mississippi | $54,180 | 130 | not yet |
| Missouri | $58,140 | 600 | not yet |
| Montana | not released | 90 | not yet |
| Nebraska | $65,470 | 240 | not yet |
| Nevada | $63,910 | 190 | $53,532 (#12) |
| New Hampshire | $71,830 | 180 | $59,362 (#6) |
| New Jersey | $81,590 | 1,180 | $62,688 (#4) |
| New Mexico | not released | 90 | not yet |
| New York | not released | 7,480 | – |
| North Carolina | $63,660 | 1,810 | $51,300 (#13) |
| North Dakota | $50,860 | 80 | not yet |
| Ohio | $65,930 | 830 | $53,785 (#10) |
| Oklahoma | $58,770 | 220 | not yet |
| Oregon | $80,540 | 950 | not yet |
| Pennsylvania | $77,410 | 1,080 | $60,857 (#5) |
| Rhode Island | $70,190 | 110 | not yet |
| South Carolina | $51,920 | 520 | not yet |
| South Dakota | $56,700 | 60 | $47,738 (#15) |
| Tennessee | $58,870 | 1,260 | $49,482 (#14) |
| Texas | $69,990 | 2,320 | $58,068 (#8) |
| Utah | $64,530 | 410 | not yet |
| Vermont | $94,430 | 110 | not yet |
| Virginia | $85,000 | 1,530 | $64,554 (#3) |
| Washington | $85,700 | 770 | $67,931 (#1) |
| West Virginia | $64,410 | 110 | not yet |
| Wisconsin | $64,370 | 710 | not yet |
| Wyoming | $49,650 | not released | $42,074 (#16) |
Median yearly pay for this job in each state, from BLS. Take-home and its rank are for the 19 states with a take-home engine so far. Each linked state shows its highest-paying jobs after tax.
What is the job outlook for a writer and author?
BLS expects jobs as a writer and author to shrink 0.3% from 2025 to 2035, with about 11,900 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections 2025–35).
- Job growth, 2025 to 2035
- -0.3%
- Openings a year
- about 11,900
- Usual education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
What do similar jobs pay?
The 10 arts, design, sports and media jobs closest in pay to a writer and author:
- Fashion Designer median $80,960
- Editor median $77,920
- Film and Video Editor median $75,420
- Set and Exhibit Designer median $75,240
- Camera Operator median $74,990
- Public Relations Specialist median $74,750
- Music Director and Composer median $73,710
- Other Media Worker median $73,620
- Sound Engineering Technician median $73,130
- Court Reporter median $72,420
Every job in the group: Arts, Design, Sports and Media jobs. Not sure which job suits you? Try the free career test.
What else can I work out?
- Your paycheck on $76,910, with any pay schedule, 401(k) or HSA.
- Hourly to salary: $36.98 an hour as a yearly salary.
- Your 2026 tax refund on $76,910, with the new deductions for tips and overtime.
Where do these figures come from?
Pay is the BLS estimate for all employers in May 2025 (the latest), and the outlook is from BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Your own pay depends on your employer, area and experience. Take-home is our estimate for 2026: one job, the standard deduction, nothing taken before tax, from the same engine as our paycheck calculator.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics tables (BLS); Employment Projections tables (BLS). This site is independent and not part of the BLS.
Questions about writer and author pay
How much does a writer and author make an hour?
The median is $36.98 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The middle half earn $28.00 to $49.01, and the top 10% earn $67.25 or more.
Which state pays a writer and author the most?
Among the 50 states and DC, District of Columbia has the highest median for this job: $129,300 a year (BLS). After tax, of the 19 states we cover, Washington leaves the most: $67,931 a year for a single filer on its median of $85,700.
What is a writer and author’s take-home pay?
On the national median of $76,910, a single filer keeps about $62,936 a year in Texas (no state income tax), $59,118 in California and $59,017 in New York outside New York City, after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and state tax. Pick your state in the tool above.
What education do you need to be a writer and author?
BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the usual way in, with no work experience in a related job and long-term on-the-job training (more than a year).
Is the number of writer and author jobs growing?
BLS expects jobs as a writer and author to shrink 0.3% from 2025 to 2035, with about 11,900 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections 2025–35).