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Author salary
Average author salary
$78,368
Understanding Author Salaries
The average salary for an author in the United States is $78,368 per year, translating to approximately $38 per hour. However, salaries can vary widely based on factors such as geographic location, industry, and years of experience. For example, authors in states like California and New York often earn higher wages due to the concentration of publishing companies and literary markets.
Key Influencers on Author Earnings
Experience plays a crucial role in determining salary. Entry-level authors may start with lower compensation, while those with established reputations can command significantly higher rates for their work. Additionally, genres and formats, such as fiction, non-fiction, or technical writing, also impact earnings potential. Authors who self-publish can see varying returns based on their marketing efforts and audience reach.
Job Opportunities in the Author Field
Numerous job opportunities exist for authors across different platforms, including traditional publishing, self-publishing, blogging, and content creation for businesses. Engaging with literary agents or networking at industry events can further enhance your prospects. This diverse landscape allows authors to find their niche and potentially increase their earnings through various income streams.
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Where can an Author earn more?
Author salary estimates from across the web
Average author salary by state
The average author salary in Massachusetts, California, and Vermont are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average author salary states are Florida, Mississippi, and Missouri.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for authors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $115,262 | $55.41 |
| 2 | California | $113,371 | $54.51 |
| 3 | Vermont | $112,247 | $53.96 |
| 4 | Washington | $93,289 | $44.85 |
| 5 | District of Columbia | $102,467 | $49.26 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $93,815 | $45.10 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $88,726 | $42.66 |
| 8 | North Dakota | $105,037 | $50.50 |
| 9 | New York | $84,311 | $40.53 |
| 10 | Iowa | $80,746 | $38.82 |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | $83,945 | $40.36 |
| 12 | Maine | $83,347 | $40.07 |
| 13 | South Dakota | $79,758 | $38.35 |
| 14 | North Carolina | $81,746 | $39.30 |
| 15 | Illinois | $83,676 | $40.23 |
| 16 | Texas | $78,333 | $37.66 |
| 17 | Minnesota | $79,307 | $38.13 |
| 18 | South Carolina | $82,052 | $39.45 |
| 19 | Louisiana | $80,963 | $38.92 |
| 20 | Rhode Island | $75,536 | $36.32 |
| 21 | West Virginia | $77,271 | $37.15 |
| 22 | Montana | $79,341 | $38.14 |
| 23 | Wyoming | $72,961 | $35.08 |
| 24 | Kansas | $77,161 | $37.10 |
| 25 | Virginia | $77,592 | $37.30 |
| 26 | Tennessee | $74,411 | $35.77 |
| 27 | Idaho | $78,848 | $37.91 |
| 28 | New Mexico | $78,055 | $37.53 |
| 29 | Oregon | $73,014 | $35.10 |
| 30 | Alabama | $74,748 | $35.94 |
| 31 | Kentucky | $73,348 | $35.26 |
| 32 | Arkansas | $74,574 | $35.85 |
| 33 | Georgia | $72,804 | $35.00 |
| 34 | Indiana | $72,442 | $34.83 |
| 35 | New Hampshire | $74,368 | $35.75 |
| 36 | Hawaii | $80,228 | $38.57 |
| 37 | Delaware | $75,727 | $36.41 |
| 38 | Alaska | $62,538 | $30.07 |
| 39 | Maryland | $73,087 | $35.14 |
| 40 | Colorado | $68,128 | $32.75 |
| 41 | Arizona | $73,973 | $35.56 |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $70,450 | $33.87 |
| 43 | Nevada | $73,659 | $35.41 |
| 44 | Wisconsin | $70,883 | $34.08 |
| 45 | Utah | $58,532 | $28.14 |
| 46 | Ohio | $67,169 | $32.29 |
| 47 | Florida | $59,119 | $28.42 |
| 48 | Michigan | $55,290 | $26.58 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $58,884 | $28.31 |
| 50 | Missouri | $58,788 | $28.26 |
| 51 | Nebraska | $57,535 | $27.66 |
Highest paying cities for authors
The highest-paying cities for authors are Beverly, MA, Burbank, CA, and Seattle, WA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Beverly, MA | $114,747 | $55.17 |
| 2 | Burbank, CA | $111,845 | $53.77 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $93,767 | $45.08 |
| 4 | Hackensack, NJ | $93,710 | $45.05 |
| 5 | Hartford, CT | $88,584 | $42.59 |
| 6 | New York, NY | $84,561 | $40.65 |
| 7 | Philadelphia, PA | $84,385 | $40.57 |
| 8 | Chicago, IL | $84,083 | $40.42 |
| 9 | Charlotte, NC | $80,373 | $38.64 |
| 10 | Minnetonka, MN | $79,213 | $38.08 |
| 11 | Houston, TX | $78,709 | $37.84 |
| 12 | Reston, VA | $77,890 | $37.45 |
| 13 | Overland Park, KS | $77,401 | $37.21 |
| 14 | Tucson, AZ | $73,912 | $35.53 |
| 15 | Atlanta, GA | $72,746 | $34.97 |
| 16 | Indianapolis, IN | $72,294 | $34.76 |
| 17 | Saint Louis, MO | $59,449 | $28.58 |
| 18 | Salt Lake City, UT | $58,361 | $28.06 |
| 19 | Saint Clair Shores, MI | $55,426 | $26.65 |
Author salary details
An author's salary ranges from $51,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $118,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an author's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $118,000 | $9,833 | $57 |
| 75th Percentile | $97,000 | $8,083 | $47 |
| Average | $78,368 | $6,531 | $38 |
| 25th Percentile | $62,000 | $5,167 | $30 |
| 10th Percentile | $51,000 | $4,250 | $25 |
Highest paying author jobs
The highest paying types of authors are short story writer, radio script writer, and program writer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Writer | $66,143 | $5,512 | $31.80 | 13,931 |
Top companies hiring authors now:
Which companies pay authors the most?
Author salaries at John Wiley & Sons and Pluralsight are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average author salary at companies like Caterpillar and CAI are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | John Wiley & Sons | $103,091 | $49.56 |
| 2 | Pluralsight | $103,017 | $49.53 |
| 3 | Caterpillar | $98,003 | $47.12 |
| 4 | CAI | $97,192 | $46.73 |
| 5 | Erp Analysts | $95,953 | $46.13 |
| 6 | Abbott | $95,436 | $45.88 |
| 7 | Populus Group | $93,150 | $44.78 |
| 8 | Alere | $90,991 | $43.75 |
| 9 | ICONMA | $88,919 | $42.75 |
| 10 | Edward Jones | $88,464 | $42.53 |
| 11 | R1 RCM | $87,597 | $42.11 |
| 12 | Technicolor | $86,220 | $41.45 |
| 13 | Regal Beloit | $83,908 | $40.34 |
| 14 | DISH Network | $82,497 | $39.66 |
| 15 | G-TECH | $80,803 | $38.85 |
| 16 | PACCAR | $79,962 | $38.44 |
| 17 | AGCO | $79,093 | $38.03 |
| 18 | Woods Services | $78,052 | $37.52 |
| 19 | TA Digital | $77,289 | $37.16 |
| 20 | RELX | $76,925 | $36.98 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Author salary by industry
The average author salary varies across industries:
- The average author salary in the technology industry is $88,105, the highest of any industry.
- The average author salary in the finance industry is $76,341.
- Authors in the non profits industry earn an average salary of $63,695, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for authors
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Technology | $88,105 | $42.36 |
| 2 | Health Care | $76,341 | $36.70 |
| 3 | Media | $76,330 | $36.70 |
| 4 | Real Estate | $68,765 | $33.06 |
| 5 | Non Profits | $63,695 | $30.62 |
High paying author jobs
Author salary trends
The average author salary has risen by $13,135 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average author earned $65,233 annually, but today, they earn $78,368 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for authors over the last decade.
Compare author salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average author salary over time
Compare author salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Author salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $78,400 | $37.68 | +5.8% |
| 2024 | $73,800 | $35.48 | +1.6% |
| 2023 | $72,600 | $34.90 | +0.6% |
| 2022 | $72,200 | $34.70 | +0.9% |
| 2021 | $71,500 | $34.38 | +1.6% |
Recently added author salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Us Oncology, Inc. | Chemotherapy Auth Spec II | Orland Park, IL | 06/17/2025 | $48,001 |
| Accupac | Batch Record Author | Maitland, PA | 06/12/2025 | $44,000 |
| Accenture | Pharmasuite MES Author | Charlotte, NC | 06/02/2025 | $131,439 |
| Accenture | Pharmasuite MES Author | Carmel, IN | 06/02/2025 | $131,439 |
| Akkodis | Technical Author | Erie, PA | 05/30/2025 | $73,045 |
| Cella | AEM Author (Hybrid) | Malvern, PA | 05/29/2025 | $93,915 |
| Bae Systems Plc | F-35 Tctd Author-Inspections | Fort Worth, TX | 05/21/2025 | $86,460 |
| Lockheed Martin | F-16 Technical Publications Author Junior | Fort Worth, TX | 05/10/2025 | $60,200 |
| Olin | Safety Data Sheet (SDS) Author | Houston, TX | 04/28/2025 | $75,800 |
| Citigroup Inc. | Knowledge Management Author, Learning Design and Development | Jacksonville, FL | 04/11/2025 | $58,656 |
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