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Writers and Authors Salary by State (2025)

Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:

Compare Writers and Authors salaries across 43 states

$70,715
National Average (Median)
$129,300
Highest: District of Columbia
$47,970
Lowest: Arkansas

Writers and Authors Salary by State

Compare Writers and Authors salaries across all 50 states. Click any state for the full breakdown.

Click for full breakdown →
AK AL AR AZ CA CO FL GA HI IA ID IL IN KS KY LA ME MI MN MO MS MT NC ND NE NM NV NY OH OK OR PA SC SD TN TX UT VA WA WI WV WY VT NH MA RI CT NJ DE MD DC
$47,970
$129,300

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS 2025 Annual

AL $66,950 AZ $55,990 AR $47,970 CA $86,480 CO $76,830 CT $98,460 DC $129,300 FL $68,080 GA $74,710 ID $56,360 IL $68,220 IN $75,820 IA $61,010 KS $65,840 KY $48,780 LA $89,520 MD $104,330 MA $85,260 MN $72,810 MS $54,180 MO $58,140 NE $65,470 NV $63,910 NH $71,830 NJ $81,590 NC $63,660 ND $50,860 OH $65,930 OK $58,770 OR $80,540 PA $77,410 RI $70,190 SC $51,920 SD $56,700 TN $58,870 TX $69,990 UT $64,530 VT $94,430 VA $85,000 WA $85,700 WV $64,410 WI $64,370 WY $49,650

Top 5 Highest-Paying States

#1
District of Columbia
$129,300
#2
Maryland
$104,330
#3
Connecticut
$98,460
#4
Vermont
$94,430
#5
Louisiana
$89,520

Writers and Authors Salary in All 43 States

# State Median Salary Mean Salary Employment
1 District of Columbia $129,300 $128,890 1,050
2 Maryland $104,330 $109,650 540
3 Connecticut $98,460 $110,420 480
4 Vermont $94,430 $96,260 110
5 Louisiana $89,520 $82,560 480
6 California $86,480 $106,560 8,390
7 Washington $85,700 $90,740 770
8 Massachusetts $85,260 $94,580 1,350
9 Virginia $85,000 $88,260 1,530
10 New Jersey $81,590 $87,170 1,180
11 Oregon $80,540 $87,800 950
12 Pennsylvania $77,410 $90,060 1,080
13 Colorado $76,830 $81,030 1,300
14 Indiana $75,820 $85,430 450
15 Georgia $74,710 $83,270 820
16 Minnesota $72,810 $76,110 720
17 New Hampshire $71,830 $79,310 180
18 Rhode Island $70,190 $82,940 110
19 Texas $69,990 $81,210 2,320
20 Illinois $68,220 $77,240 2,640
21 Florida $68,080 $74,890 3,010
22 Alabama $66,950 $72,720 180
23 Ohio $65,930 $69,630 830
24 Kansas $65,840 $62,370 240
25 Nebraska $65,470 $69,010 240
26 Utah $64,530 $71,670 410
27 West Virginia $64,410 $67,860 110
28 Wisconsin $64,370 $67,210 710
29 Nevada $63,910 $63,980 190
30 North Carolina $63,660 $72,340 1,810
31 Iowa $61,010 $62,780 290
32 Tennessee $58,870 $66,180 1,260
33 Oklahoma $58,770 $66,250 220
34 Missouri $58,140 $66,070 600
35 South Dakota $56,700 $57,230 60
36 Idaho $56,360 $65,800 90
37 Arizona $55,990 $63,240 600
38 Mississippi $54,180 $56,330 130
39 South Carolina $51,920 $58,440 520
40 North Dakota $50,860 $57,180 80
41 Wyoming $49,650 $52,430 N/A
42 Kentucky $48,780 $55,440 350
43 Arkansas $47,970 $54,190 270

Writers and Authors Take-Home Pay After Taxes

Gross salary only tells half the story. State income taxes vary from 0% to 13.3%, dramatically affecting your take-home pay. See exactly what a Writers and Authors keeps after federal, state, and FICA taxes.

Take-Home in District of Columbia → Take-Home in Maryland → Take-Home in Connecticut →

Data Source & Methodology

Salary data is sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, 2025 estimates. After-tax figures use IRS federal brackets and state income tax rates for all 50 states.

Our Methodology · Data Sources · Source: BLS OEWS

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