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Freelance writer and photographer job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected freelance writer and photographer job growth rate is -10% from 2018-2028.
About -5,100 new jobs for freelance writer and photographers are projected over the next decade.
Freelance writer and photographer salaries have increased 16% for freelance writer and photographers in the last 5 years.
There are over 12,997 freelance writer and photographers currently employed in the United States.
There are 17,459 active freelance writer and photographer job openings in the US.
The average freelance writer and photographer salary is $52,315.
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 12,997 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 13,679 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 14,089 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 13,951 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 14,143 | 0.00% |
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $52,315 | $25.15 | +3.5% |
| 2024 | $50,540 | $24.30 | +3.0% |
| 2023 | $49,089 | $23.60 | +4.8% |
| 2022 | $46,841 | $22.52 | +4.1% |
| 2021 | $44,996 | $21.63 | +4.0% |
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 145 | 21% |
| 2 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 312 | 5% |
| 3 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 315 | 4% |
| 4 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 268 | 4% |
| 5 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 155 | 4% |
| 6 | Vermont | 623,657 | 22 | 4% |
| 7 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 22 | 4% |
| 8 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 100 | 3% |
| 9 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 27 | 3% |
| 10 | Delaware | 961,939 | 27 | 3% |
| 11 | Alaska | 739,795 | 20 | 3% |
| 12 | New York | 19,849,399 | 397 | 2% |
| 13 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 263 | 2% |
| 14 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 208 | 2% |
| 15 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 203 | 2% |
| 16 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 176 | 2% |
| 17 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 116 | 2% |
| 18 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 65 | 2% |
| 19 | Nevada | 2,998,039 | 58 | 2% |
| 20 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 31 | 2% |
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santa Cruz | 1 | 2% | $48,295 |
University of Cincinnati Clermont College
SUNY College at Oswego
Utah State University
Fairfield University
University of San Francisco
The University of the Arts
University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
Molloy College
University of Richmond
Ursinus College
Saint Anselm College
Grand Valley State University
Indiana University Kokomo
University of Miami
California State University - Fullerton
American University
Dr. Terry Nugent: Graduates with a BA in English have more opportunities than ever before in the job market. While most think only about the degree as a stepping stone into K12 teaching or graduate school, the degree can also be a stepping stone into the corporate world. Large corporations need people who have experience writing complex texts, applying critical thinking and analytic abilities, and audience awareness when communicating with stakeholders at all levels of their industry. Industries that hire English majors include nonprofit organizations, government agencies, medical institutions, journalism, publishing, and entertainment. Basically, I would encourage a senior or new graduate to think outside the box—hone in on the industry you think you would be most interested in, think about the kind of work environment you are best suited for, and then look for entry-level positions with companies in that industry.
Dr. Terry Nugent: Maximizing your salary potential will largely be dependent on how well you have navigated your undergraduate opportunities. Participating in student organizations, internships, and electives such as music appreciation or theatre can open up unexpected opportunities or make you a good fit for local nonprofit organization. Taking advantage of traveling opportunities and study abroad will also broaden your opportunities. Finally, realizing that education is a life long endeavor and obtaining certifications will document added skills.
Nicole Walker: English majors make it clear what's going on in other disciplines, in other sectors, in other businesses, and in government and politics. We are the great connectors between people and between ideas.
Laura Wilson: Writing and editing will always be important and prevalent. Clear communication is increasingly important. Encourage writers to work WITH AI by learning how to use the software and edit the output. Encourage exploration of certificates to make them more marketable.
Soma Frazier: AI can do a lot of things writers do, and quickly. It's mastered the hard skills of writing, but it's not yet proficient in the soft skills: in short, it's not human. So, I think soft skills like applying context, nuance and audience awareness to the tone of written work will become evermore crucial.
Soma Frazier: Take on a variety of jobs. For instance, while teaching and writing creative works, I was also freelancing and writing grants. In doing so, I developed multiple income sources as well as a broad skill base that ultimately equipped me to secure higher-paying opportunities. Beyond that, each job shaped my creative writing: crafting pithy articles taught me to revise down, while developing grant proposals taught me to make a specific mission or topic feel relevant to the everyday reader. You may hit the jackpot and land your dream career straight out of school. If you're like the rest of us, though, there will be a period of uncertainty in which you're building your portfolio and finding your stride. That's the perfect time to take a note from improv comedians and be receptive to opportunities and ideas by saying 'Yes.'
Soma Frazier: Leverage social media and your network to find a mentor. Mine had authored a bestselling book and was thriving as a freelance brand and content strategist for clients including Hershey and E&J; Gallo Winery. I truly respected her experience, so I treated for coffee and let her know I wanted to be her when I grew up! She laughed, offered advice, and eventually hired me to write for her food blog—which came with snazzy perks like wine and chocolate. I ended up taking on her overflow. Though I wound up in higher education rather than content strategy, those years taught me to adopt a specific style and tone, and to cut a 500-word piece to 150 words without sacrificing anything essential. I still apply what I learned from my mentor to my own career and writing—and it helped shape my debut novel, which sold to a Big 5 publisher.
Shane Graham: Remember the skills you honed as an English major: pay close attention to detail, ground your thinking in evidence, find reliable sources of information, and put things in their larger context. All of these skills will serve you well in whatever job you pursue.
Shane Graham: All the skills I mentioned above. Humanities degrees, and the kinds of thinking they encourage, will only become more important in the years to come. AI chatbots can only regurgitate and mimic thinking that already exists in the world; the well-trained human brain can create something new.
Fairfield University
Rhetoric And Composition/Writing Studies
Rachel Robinson-Zetzer PhD: People are scared of the blank page. Too often, they think that what they write needs to be perfect in its first iteration; however, that’s a myth and a romantic notion of the lone, solitary writer. In fact, much writing happens in collaboration with others, and people are either drawn to that environment, or they aren’t. Once people realize that writing is malleable, meaning it can be changed and revised again and again, that desire to seek perfection lessens, and Writers are more willing to kill their darlings.
Rachel Robinson-Zetzer PhD: Writing is a great profession to enter now because it’s a way to reach a specific audience for a specific purpose. With all the misinformation in the world today, Writers have a lot of power. It’s an exciting time to let your voice be heard, whether that’s through fiction, newswriting, memoir, cartoon, or something else.
Dean Rader: English is a fantastic, nimble, relevant degree. Because people with an English degree can do so many things--not just one thing, like accounting for example, we have to work a little harder to brand or market ourselves for the specific job we want. We have to hustle a little bit harder. We have to network with our friends a little more. Our resumes and cover letters have to be impeccable. We may have to start at the very bottom and work our way up the ladder. So, I encourage students and recent graduates to take any job that gets their foot in the door. And then, once you have that job. Do it well. And don't be a jerk. Be kind. Be helpful. Make yourself indispensable. Employees who can do many things--write, create, collaborate, communicate--are necessary and can often find themselves advancing in a career they may not have imagined. I just encourage students to not have a fixed mindset about a job, work hard, and be open.
Dean Rader: There is an interesting study I saw recently that shows how humanities majors tend to start out with a lower beginning salary than most other fields. However, in five years, their salaries and their job satisfaction are higher than those from many other disciplines. English majors who can do another thing, who minor in marketing or who can do coding or Web design often have an easier time landing that first job. But, I also often recommend a graduate degree. That may sound counterintuitive given the reports out there about how college and graduate school admissions are plummeting; however, if fewer people are going to graduate school--especially in the humanities--there could very well be a deficit of people in the workforce with advanced training. If you can get an MBA or a JD or a master's without going into too much debt, research shows it pays off down the road.
Michael Pennell: Adaptability and flexibility. The type of writing, the genres of writing, the styles of writing, and the technologies around writing may/will change, so be adaptable. Learn how to learn, especially on the fly. Your college instructors can't teach you every type or genre of writing you may encounter in your career; so, develop skills in learning new genres of writing. Ask yourself, what worked in the past that will work as I learn this new type/style of writing. Adapting to different audiences and formats is key. The ability to research and in turn translate that research to your audience, even if it involves SEO and writing for the web with a less concrete audience or for search engines. In this sense, the skill of creating transferrable content is key. Also, storytelling is very important in many writing-based careers—how to tell a story. Another skill is differentiating what you can offer that AI can't or where does AI complement your work and writing? Avoiding or ignoring AI is not wise.
University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
English Language And Literature
Liam Callanan: Be the best writer on the team. And avoid multiple exclamation points!!! Better yet, avoid them altogether. Better to be your own singular exclamation point.
Liam Callanan: Read. Read everything, including, especially, things on paper—books, magazines, newspapers. Paper-based reading exercises your focus muscles and broadens your mind.
Prof. Laura Betz PhD: Any graduate beginning a career should feel very confident in the skills of critical thinking, writing, and public speaking that the English major has provided, and should be bold in putting those skills to work in many different professional contexts.
Katherine Kim Ph.D: -Again, it depends on the field, as jobs that center on skills you learn by being an English major vary widely. If it is jobs in teaching and studying English language and literature, then being open to interdisciplinary work and the digital humanities/new media will continue to be important. Studying English already requires a certain level of interdisciplinary work, and technology keeps adding to the ways people interact and circulate ideas. In addition, learning how to communicate clearly and understand/interpret what others communicate will always be vital. Given the divisiveness that exists in this world, understanding different perspectives and being able to communicate well with those who hold those perspectives will continue to be important in the field and beyond it.
Katherine Kim Ph.D: -You should have your application documents polished and organized. In addition, students can take advantage of opportunities to highlight themselves while still in school. For instance, getting published in a school literary magazine, heading a school-sponsored literature club or author event, or working for a school (or outside) publication can show your skills and interests before you even apply for full-time positions. Also, part of the situation deals with striking a balance between how you want to be desired by the person doing the hiring and how you want to show desire for the position. While you want to cast a wide net sometimes when looking for jobs, you also want to put in that extra effort with the applications for jobs that would be really great fits. If the hiring person and you both see how well you would fit in the position, that can help make the case for trying to secure you for the job!
Katherine Kim Ph.D: -I think it depends on what field you are discussing, as 'English' doesn't necessarily need to be seen as a field (unless you are speaking of teaching or studying English language or literature). However, I can say that the great thing about an English degree is that it can be beneficial for people to have in a variety of fields. In fact, for quite a few years now, people in fields like business have been wanting new hires with better communication, writing, interpersonal interaction, and close analysis skills, as well as mental flexibility, than they have been seeing. These are all skills that can be practiced and honed through being an English major! Sometimes people think of English degrees as useful only if someone is going to teach English, but that is definitely not the case!
University of Richmond
Rhetoric And Composition/Writing Studies
Justin Wigard: Think big and be open to new opportunities. Written communication is present in all fields, so the writing skills you obtain can translate across disciplines and professional contexts. Having some experience with digital tools or data science, even just a little bit, will allow you to combine your qualitative writing experiences with quantitative approaches.
Justin Wigard: Critical textual analysis is key. With a degree in writing, you’ll be able to parse multiple forms of writing effectively: grants, data reports, creative works, and more! You’ll be prepared to work with anything that conveys information through written form (digitally, verbally, even visually). Digital writing, rhetoric, and publishing is also going to become increasingly prevalent as our world becomes more digitally connected. So, learning the ins and outs of writing is great, but you will become even more proficient if you have a little bit of experience working with digital projects. Programming, data science, basic web design, or proficiency with digital publishing suites will give you more understanding of how to write and create in a technologically-mediated world.
Justin Wigard: Writing graduates are primed to quickly, innately, analyze many forms of communication. Learning the fundamentals of writing and rhetoric gives you the capacity to work in any written genre and context. My advice would be to read deeply and widely! Read poetry and nonfiction, study business memos and film scripts, annotate law briefs and scholarly monographs. The more you read, the more styles and approaches to writing you’ll be familiar with. Likewise, I would recommend writing constantly, and getting as much feedback from your peers, faculty members, and writing center consultants as you can. That way, you’ll get used to editing, revising, and publishing. Most of your courses will require writing of some kind. Use each class as an opportunity to practice your writing experiences. Follow up with your professors afterward to continue honing those skills. Lastly, think about how you can extend those writing skills beyond the classroom. Explore opportunities contribute your writing skills with faculty mentors, student organizations, local newspapers or publications, and even community groups.
Ursinus College
English Language And Literature
Jay Shelat: Learn to negotiate for a higher salary!
Saint Anselm College
English Language And Literature
Dr. Joshua Potter: The best way to maximize your potential growth, both in terms of salary and long-term fulfillment, is to find a line of work that meets your interests and inspirations. This will catalyze creativity, unlock new skills and unforeseen directions through the broader economy. We are living in times of incredible change and transition; the path that is currently visible may be gone tomorrow; being prepared to make orthogonal moves when opportunities open and close is imperative for any line of work. English majors, however, are especially well prepared to do this.
Dr. Joshua Potter: Follow your passion, use your intuition, and be creative. A humanistic education, especially within the discipline of English, prepares you to be a clear communicator, critical thinker, empathic builder of relationships, and creative wayfinder through shifting cultural landscapes. It is imperative to stay nimble, assert oneself into social institutions and fields of work that stoke one’s inspiration, and be prepared to help build fields and institutions that don’t yet exist.
Grand Valley State University
Rhetoric And Composition/Writing Studies
Laurence José PhD: The easy answer here is writers write. But admittingly this can mean different things since writing takes different forms and involves different tasks. At the minimum, writing requires reading, brainstorming, drafting, and editing. But it can also require tasks such as conducting field research, analyzing data and documents, providing and receiving feedback, conducting interviews, tailoring content to different media, etc. In other words, what a writer does on a day-to-day basis is highly dependent on the genre(s) in which they write and the context in which they work. Whether one identifies as a creative writer, business writer, or technical writer, a writer creates and shapes meanings that must appeal to a specific audience in a specific context.
Laurence José PhD: Writing enables us to understand and act on the world around us. In this way, Writer has always been an important profession. But today, the information overload that comes with the digital age amplifies the need for people with skills to make content relevant and accessible for different audiences. This includes writing for social media contexts, crafting stories for a blog or news website, translating a text-based document into an infographic, writing a podcast script, designing slides for a presentation, or synthesizing research findings via a report for decision makers. These skills are relevant in different job sectors. In many ways, the rise of generative AI and the spread of misinformation makes the need for writers and information literacy skills even more prominent.
Laurence José PhD: Among the likes, I’d say the creative aspect of writing. As a writer, you get to create stories to inspire readers. This can range from convincing an audience to browse a website or give money for a specific cause, to inspiring an audience to rethink their approach to a specific subject. Being a writer also means constant learning, whether it is learning about new topics, interacting with different people, and working with new technologies and modes of meanings. Some of the likes can easily become dislikes too. If one does not like research or is not able to handle negative feedback, then, Writer may not be the right profession for them. Also, writing is hard. It takes time. It requires focus, planning, and the ability to create a space free of distractions. Finally, at a time when technology can generate content in a few seconds, being a writer can also mean having to reassert the value of writing and its significance. This too can be difficult.
Jim Coby: I think we will find ourselves increasingly working with generative AI in the near future. That's not to say that we all need to know the programming behind it, but we should develop a knowledge of how it operates and what gen AI can and cannot help us with. Certainly, gen AI helping us with rote and repetitive tasks will be a boon for creativity, but there's also a potential threat with its creative abilities. The pandemic brought with it a wave of students who were removed from their social and educational school settings for months at a time. Undoubtedly a necessary move from a public health perspective, but there were very clearly some downsides. Chief among those is that many young people have difficulties communicating with their peers. Developing strong communication skills - both in print and in person - are going to become increasingly important. While others may struggle with interpersonal relationships, you can separate yourself by becoming proficient.
Jim Coby: A degree in English does not necessarily provide you with a 1 to 1 employment opportunity. Unlike, say, engineering students, who will most likely move into engineering as an occupation, English majors do not necessarily end up English teachers. Many do, but most don't. Instead, it's useful to think of your employment search more broadly. If you've taken a number of classes in literary studies, then you're likely skilled in locating several points of evidence and making strong arguments with that evidence. You're going to be taking those skills in order to make a case for yourself. Think on the skills you've gained over the years, how you developed those skills, examples of time when you employed those skills, and ways you can improve those skills. Considering yourself as a fully fleshed out "round" character (akin to those you've read so much about) in your own storyline may well help you to conceive of novel and interesting employment opportunities.
Jaswinder Bolina Ph.D., M.F.A.: As large-language model artificial intelligence permeates the marketplace, those with truly unique reading, writing, and analytical skills will become more important than ever. Most crucial will be the ability to quickly identify formulaic writing and thinking done by machines while offering vibrant, original, and human solutions to social, political, and economic problems. Your English major taught you how artful and inventive language can offer singular and vital perspective. Seek out that kind of language and insight. Relish every opportunity to produce it yourself.
Irena Praitis: There’s a major concern that AI will be replacing people in a number of areas. People working with people—as leaders, collaborators, communicators, planners—those educated in the humanities, might possibly be in increasing demand. There are few areas of life more complicated than understanding and working with people. That’s what a degree in English begins to prepare someone for—that complication at the heart of human nature and how to begin to understand it and work with it.
Irena Praitis: English majors are excellent communicators, collaborators, and critical thinkers. Communication skills are highly sought as are skills for people working together. Graduates should emphasize their communication and critical thinking skills, emphasizing also creative thinking and working with and understanding others.
Irena Praitis: Always ask for the top of the salary range offered. Stress that the skills you bring will strengthen and grow as you learn and adapt to a particular organization's work environment.
Chelsea Horne Ph.D.: It is important to remember that even if this moment feels daunting and uncertain, you are at a very exciting stage of your life and career. Think about all your options and possibilities and focus on where and how you want to contribute to the world through your writing and profession. As you step into your career, consider building your network: at your workplace, with alumni groups, and with industry professionals. A strong network can offer opportunities for mentorship, collaboration, development, and more.