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The differences between feature 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 feature writer and a staff writer. Additionally, a staff writer has an average salary of $44,844, which is higher than the $35,590 average annual salary of a feature writer.
The top three skills for a feature writer include web content, feature stories and lifestyle. The most important skills for a staff writer are feature stories, news stories, and event coverage.
| Feature Writer | Staff Writer | |
| Yearly salary | $35,590 | $44,844 |
| Hourly rate | $17.11 | $21.56 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 10,279 | 80,547 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 81% | Bachelor's Degree, 82% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A feature writer is someone who writes real-time news, telling it with a mix of narrative and proper news writing. They can choose from a variety of topics and styles. They have a wide vocabulary to give a big impact. They also use idiomatic expressions and figures of speech to compel readers into reading and digging for more information based on what they wrote. However, despite making these stories and features colorful, that doesn't permit any feature writer to write any false narrative and must make sure that their articles are still factual and educational.
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.
Feature writers and staff writers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Feature Writer | Staff Writer | |
| Average salary | $35,590 | $44,844 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $51,000 | Between $29,000 And $68,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | - | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | - | The New York Times Company |
| Best paying industry | - | Non Profits |
There are a few differences between a feature writer and a staff writer in terms of educational background:
| Feature Writer | Staff Writer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 81% | Bachelor's Degree, 82% |
| Most common major | Journalism | Journalism |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between feature writers' and staff writers' demographics:
| Feature Writer | Staff Writer | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 42.3% Female, 57.7% | Male, 49.2% Female, 50.8% |
| Race ratio | 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% | 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 | 11% | 11% |