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The differences between creative writers and staff writers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a creative writer and a staff writer. Additionally, a creative writer has an average salary of $73,095, which is higher than the $44,844 average annual salary of a staff writer.
The top three skills for a creative writer include digital marketing, proofreading and email campaigns. The most important skills for a staff writer are feature stories, news stories, and event coverage.
| Creative Writer | Staff Writer | |
| Yearly salary | $73,095 | $44,844 |
| Hourly rate | $35.14 | $21.56 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 19,129 | 80,547 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 82% |
| Average age | 42 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Creative writers are professionals who employ their imagination and discipline to convey new and interesting ideas to an audience in an engaging way, such as books, screenplays, and promotional marketing material. These writers must select a subject or theme for their writing projects while conducting research to obtain factual information and authentic detail for their content. They must review and submit their work for approval to meet the needs of their clients, publishers, or directors. Creative writers can also work for magazines, websites, and advertising or become a freelancer.
A staff writer is an individual who works in the television (TV) or entertainment industry to provide standard content such as news reports, reviews, and features. Since writing content is important, staff writers must be able to collaborate and brainstorm ideas with other staff members in the production process. They must attend conferences, events, or seminars to meet other people in the industry. Staff writers must also possess knowledge in scriptwriting and an in-depth understanding of the entertainment industry.
Creative writers and staff writers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Creative Writer | Staff Writer | |
| Average salary | $73,095 | $44,844 |
| Salary range | Between $46,000 And $114,000 | Between $29,000 And $68,000 |
| Highest paying City | Redwood City, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | California | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Apple | The New York Times Company |
| Best paying industry | Internet | Non Profits |
There are a few differences between a creative writer and a staff writer in terms of educational background:
| Creative Writer | Staff Writer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 82% |
| Most common major | English | Journalism |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between creative writers' and staff writers' demographics:
| Creative Writer | Staff Writer | |
| Average age | 42 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 45.8% Female, 54.2% | Male, 49.2% Female, 50.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.9% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 7.6% Asian, 4.9% White, 75.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 6.7% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 8.8% White, 71.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 11% |