Author demographics and statistics in the US
Author demographics research summary. Zippia estimates author demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our author estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about authors after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 7,591 authors currently employed in the United States.
- 50.5% of all authors are women, while 49.5% are men.
- The average author age is 42 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of authors is White (75.6%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (7.6%), Black or African American (5.9%) and Unknown (5.6%).
- Authors are most in-demand in Los Angeles, CA.
- The technology industry is the highest-paying for authors.
- Beverly, MA pays an annual average wage of $114,747, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women authors earned 96% of what men earned.
- 16% of all authors are LGBT.
- Massachusetts is the best state for authors to live.
- Authors are 65% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Author demographics by:
Author gender statistics
50.5% of authors are women and 49.5% of authors are men.
- Female, 50.5%
- Male, 49.5%
Author gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 50.5% |
| Male | 49.5% |
Author gender pay gap
Women earn 96¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$77,216
Female income
$74,111
Author gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in author positions over time. Currently, 50.5% of authors are female.
Author gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 47.71% | 52.29% |
| 2011 | 48.97% | 51.03% |
| 2012 | 49.52% | 50.48% |
| 2013 | 51.51% | 48.49% |
| 2014 | 50.98% | 49.02% |
| 2015 | 48.41% | 51.59% |
| 2016 | 45.32% | 54.68% |
| 2017 | 46.11% | 53.89% |
| 2018 | 49.60% | 50.40% |
| 2019 | 45.61% | 54.39% |
| 2020 | 47.74% | 52.26% |
| 2021 | 49.55% | 50.45% |
Author related jobs gender ratio
We compared authors with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, public address announcer and track announcer have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Paraprofessional Interpreter | 12% | 88% |
| Deaf Interpreter | 15% | 85% |
| Fashion Journalist | 15% | 85% |
| Author | 50% | 50% |
| Sports Announcer | 91% | 9% |
| Track Announcer | 92% | 8% |
| Public Address Announcer | 93% | 7% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Author demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among authors is White, which makes up 75.6% of all authors. Comparatively, 7.6% of authors are Hispanic or Latino and 5.9% of authors are Black or African American.
- White, 75.6%
- Hispanic or Latino, 7.6%
- Black or African American, 5.9%
- Unknown, 5.6%
- Asian, 4.9%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
Author race
| Author race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 75.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 7.6% |
| Black or African American | 5.9% |
| Unknown | 5.6% |
| Asian | 4.9% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.4% |
Author race and ethnicity over time
See how author racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Author race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 83.06% | 5.06% | 4.21% | 4.66% |
| 2011 | 83.20% | 5.27% | 3.58% | 5.41% |
| 2012 | 81.14% | 5.81% | 4.36% | 5.75% |
| 2013 | 81.18% | 5.11% | 4.00% | 6.28% |
| 2014 | 79.93% | 5.90% | 4.02% | 6.69% |
| 2015 | 80.74% | 5.21% | 4.45% | 6.66% |
| 2016 | 80.80% | 5.63% | 4.29% | 6.29% |
| 2017 | 81.87% | 5.25% | 4.49% | 5.52% |
| 2018 | 80.52% | 4.88% | 4.18% | 7.10% |
| 2019 | 79.42% | 5.83% | 4.01% | 7.16% |
| 2020 | 76.43% | 5.85% | 4.36% | 7.56% |
| 2021 | 75.58% | 5.93% | 4.93% | 7.62% |
Author wage gap by race
According to our data, unknown authors have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Asian authors have the lowest average salary at $75,558.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $78,481 |
| White | $77,691 |
| Black or African American | $77,774 |
| Asian | $75,558 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $76,608 |
Average author age
See how the average age of authors varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Author age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 34.5 | 36 |
| White | 44 | 41 |
| Black or African American | 38.5 | 41 |
| Asian | 34 | 35 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 30.5 | 34 |
Author age breakdown
The average age of authors is 40+ years years old, representing 52% of the author population.
Author age breakdown
| Author Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 52% |
| 30-40 years | 30% |
| 20-30 years | 18% |
Author educational attainment
The most common degree for authors is bachelor's degree, with 60% of authors earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 16% and master's degree degree at 10%.
- Bachelor's, 60%
- Master's, 16%
- Associate, 10%
- Doctorate, 5%
- Other Degrees, 9%
Authors by degree level
| Author degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 60% |
| Master's | 16% |
| Associate | 10% |
| Doctorate | 5% |
| Other Degrees | 9% |
Author jobs you might like
Author wage gap by degree level
According to the data, authors with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $86,325 annually. With a Master's degree, authors earn a median annual income of $82,161 compared to $82,005 for authors with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $82,161 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $82,005 |
| Doctorate Degree | $86,325 |
Author employment statistics
Most authors work for a private in the media industry.
Company size where authors work
Below, you can see the size of companies where authors work.
Author jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 12% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 19% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 25% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 11% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 17% |
| > 10,000 employees | 16% |
Author jobs by company type
Employees with the author job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most authors prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Author jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 13% |
| Public | 18% |
| Private | 65% |
| Government | 4% |
Author jobs by industry
The most common industries for authors are media, professional and education.
Author industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Media | 25% |
| Professional | 12% |
| Education | 10% |
| Technology | 9% |
| Fortune 500 | 8% |
| Manufacturing | 5% |
| Retail | 4% |
| Start-up | 4% |
| Internet | 3% |
| Government | 3% |
| Construction | 2% |
| Health Care | 2% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Non Profits | 2% |
| Real Estate | 2% |
| Energy | 2% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
| Agriculture | 1% |
Author turnover and employment statistics
Author unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for authors between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Author unemployment rate by year
| Year | Author unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 7.42% |
| 2011 | 6.99% |
| 2012 | 6.73% |
| 2013 | 6.55% |
| 2014 | 7.00% |
| 2015 | 5.19% |
| 2016 | 5.17% |
| 2017 | 5.38% |
| 2018 | 5.51% |
| 2019 | 5.71% |
| 2020 | 6.81% |
| 2021 | 7.01% |
Average author tenure
The average author stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 13,332 authors resumes in Zippia's database.
Author tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 20% |
| 1-2 years | 22% |
| 3-4 years | 10% |
| 5-7 years | 17% |
| 8-10 years | 10% |
| 11+ years | 21% |
Author LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of authors that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Writer/Reporter | 10.10% | 16,366 |
| Radio Announcer | 10.34% | 2,870 |
| Wardrobe Specialist | 12.01% | 33,146 |
| Bureau Chief | 12.38% | 13,125 |
| Sign Language Interpreter | 14.90% | 23,371 |
| Author | 16.36% | - |
| Train Caller | 16.36% | 2,521 |
Similar author jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Writer/Reporter | 10.10% | 16,366 |
| Radio Announcer | 10.34% | 2,870 |
| Wardrobe Specialist | 12.01% | 33,146 |
| Bureau Chief | 12.38% | 13,125 |
| Sign Language Interpreter | 14.90% | 23,371 |
| Train Caller | 16.36% | 2,521 |
Foreign languages spoken by authors
The most common foreign language among authors is Spanish at 39.9%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 16.5% and German is the third-most popular at 6.9%.
- Spanish, 39.9%
- French, 16.5%
- German, 6.9%
- Mandarin, 5.3%
- Arabic, 4.7%
- Other, 26.7%
Author languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 39.9% |
| French | 16.5% |
| German | 6.9% |
| Mandarin | 5.3% |
| Arabic | 4.7% |
| Other | 26.7% |
