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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2022

27-3043 Writers and Authors

Originate and prepare written material, such as scripts, stories, advertisements, and other material. Excludes “News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists” (27-3023), “Public Relations Specialists” (27-3031), and “Technical Writers” (27-3042).


National estimates for Writers and Authors
Industry profile for Writers and Authors
Geographic profile for Writers and Authors

National estimates for Writers and Authors:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Writers and Authors:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
54,010 5.0 % $ 44.02 $ 91,560 2.9 %

Percentile wage estimates for Writers and Authors:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 19.04 $ 24.51 $ 35.17 $ 50.48 $ 77.53
Annual Wage (2) $ 39,610 $ 50,980 $ 73,150 $ 105,000 $ 161,260


Industry profile for Writers and Authors:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Writers and Authors are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Writers and Authors, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Writers and Authors:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services 8,180 1.70 $ 39.49 $ 82,140
Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers 5,400 1.76 $ 33.75 $ 70,190
Motion Picture and Video Industries 4,510 1.08 $ 65.72 $ 136,690
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services 4,500 0.26 $ 40.02 $ 83,250
Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers 2,740 1.18 (8) (8)

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Writers and Authors:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers 5,400 1.76 $ 33.75 $ 70,190
Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services 8,180 1.70 $ 39.49 $ 82,140
Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers 2,740 1.18 (8) (8)
Motion Picture and Video Industries 4,510 1.08 $ 65.72 $ 136,690
Grantmaking and Giving Services 530 0.36 $ 37.96 $ 78,950

Top paying industries for Writers and Authors:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Motion Picture and Video Industries 4,510 1.08 $ 65.72 $ 136,690
Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities 290 0.03 $ 59.21 $ 123,150
Nondepository Credit Intermediation 50 0.01 $ 55.50 $ 115,440
Other Schools and Instruction 130 0.03 $ 55.28 $ 114,990
Educational Support Services 290 0.13 $ 53.24 $ 110,740


Geographic profile for Writers and Authors:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Writers and Authors are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Writers and Authors, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of writers and authors by state, May 2022


States with the highest employment level in Writers and Authors:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 12,000 0.68 1.86 $ 62.18 $ 129,340
New York 6,950 0.76 2.09 $ 53.52 $ 111,320
Illinois 2,800 0.48 1.30 $ 36.09 $ 75,060
Florida 2,500 0.27 0.74 $ 30.28 $ 62,970
Texas 2,460 0.19 0.52 $ 38.04 $ 79,130


Map of location quotient of writers and authors by state, May 2022


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Writers and Authors:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 1,440 2.09 5.73 $ 49.07 $ 102,060
New York 6,950 0.76 2.09 $ 53.52 $ 111,320
California 12,000 0.68 1.86 $ 62.18 $ 129,340
Utah 940 0.58 1.59 $ 33.71 $ 70,110
Connecticut 880 0.54 1.48 $ 41.98 $ 87,320


Map of annual mean wages of writers and authors by state, May 2022


Top paying states for Writers and Authors:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 12,000 0.68 1.86 $ 62.18 $ 129,340
New York 6,950 0.76 2.09 $ 53.52 $ 111,320
District of Columbia 1,440 2.09 5.73 $ 49.07 $ 102,060
Georgia 1,390 0.30 0.82 $ 44.51 $ 92,570
Oregon 970 0.51 1.41 $ 42.58 $ 88,570



Map of employment of writers and authors by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Writers and Authors:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 7,130 0.78 2.13 $ 52.62 $ 109,460
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 2,700 1.13 3.09 (8) (8)
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 2,690 0.89 2.43 $ 47.11 $ 98,000
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 2,400 0.54 1.49 $ 36.83 $ 76,600
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 1,000 0.37 1.01 $ 45.67 $ 94,990
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 940 0.50 1.37 $ 33.49 $ 69,670
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 940 0.25 0.68 $ 49.41 $ 102,760
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 870 0.43 1.17 $ 43.33 $ 90,120
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 870 0.33 0.91 $ 31.78 $ 66,100
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 850 0.32 0.86 $ 46.39 $ 96,490


Map of location quotient of writers and authors by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Writers and Authors:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Boulder, CO 270 1.38 3.79 $ 44.77 $ 93,130
Provo-Orem, UT 350 1.23 3.37 $ 23.67 $ 49,240
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 2,700 1.13 3.09 (8) (8)
Santa Fe, NM 60 1.07 2.93 (8) (8)
Raleigh, NC 650 0.96 2.64 $ 34.61 $ 71,980
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 2,690 0.89 2.43 $ 47.11 $ 98,000
Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT 330 0.85 2.33 $ 46.36 $ 96,430
Charlottesville, VA 90 0.84 2.30 $ 30.79 $ 64,040
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 7,130 0.78 2.13 $ 52.62 $ 109,460
Danbury, CT 50 0.65 1.79 $ 32.54 $ 67,690


Map of annual mean wages of writers and authors by area, May 2022


Top paying metropolitan areas for Writers and Authors:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA (8) (8) (8) $ 63.18 $ 131,400
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 330 0.29 0.80 $ 61.59 $ 128,100
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA 60 0.29 0.80 $ 56.38 $ 117,270
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 7,130 0.78 2.13 $ 52.62 $ 109,460
Ithaca, NY 30 0.65 1.78 $ 50.18 $ 104,370
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 940 0.25 0.68 $ 49.41 $ 102,760
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 2,690 0.89 2.43 $ 47.11 $ 98,000
Portland-South Portland, ME 40 0.22 0.60 $ 46.98 $ 97,710
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 590 0.40 1.09 $ 46.63 $ 96,980
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 850 0.32 0.86 $ 46.39 $ 96,490

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Writers and Authors:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
West Central-Southwest New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 60 0.59 1.61 (8) (8)
Central New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 50 0.56 1.53 (8) (8)
Southern Vermont nonmetropolitan area 40 0.45 1.22 $ 40.34 $ 83,920
North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area 40 0.41 1.12 $ 30.50 $ 63,440
East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area 40 0.31 0.84 $ 23.50 $ 48,870

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Writers and Authors:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Connecticut nonmetropolitan area 30 0.99 2.70 $ 49.04 $ 102,000
West Central-Southwest New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 60 0.59 1.61 (8) (8)
Central New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 50 0.56 1.53 (8) (8)
Southern Vermont nonmetropolitan area 40 0.45 1.22 $ 40.34 $ 83,920
North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area 40 0.41 1.12 $ 30.50 $ 63,440

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Writers and Authors:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Connecticut nonmetropolitan area 30 0.99 2.70 $ 49.04 $ 102,000
Southern Vermont nonmetropolitan area 40 0.45 1.22 $ 40.34 $ 83,920
Southeast Coastal North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 40 0.17 0.46 $ 40.23 $ 83,670
North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area 40 0.41 1.12 $ 30.50 $ 63,440
Mountain North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 40 0.31 0.85 $ 28.14 $ 58,530


About May 2022 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2022 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 25, 2023