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Senior medical writer salary
Average senior medical writer salary
$99,453
Understanding Senior Medical Writer Salaries
The average salary for a Senior Medical Writer in the United States is approximately $99,453 per year, translating to around $48 per hour. Salaries in this field can vary significantly based on factors such as geographic location, years of experience, and the specific industry.
Top Paying States
Some of the highest-paying states for Senior Medical Writers include California, New York, and Massachusetts. In these states, salaries may exceed the national average, reflecting the higher cost of living and demand for medical writing expertise.
Career Opportunities
In addition to competitive salaries, Senior Medical Writers can explore various roles across pharmaceuticals, biotech, and healthcare communications. Job opportunities are expanding as more companies seek skilled writers to create regulatory documents, clinical study reports, and educational materials.
For those considering a career in medical writing, it's essential to understand the salary trends and potential for growth in different regions and industries. This comprehensive information equips you to assess your career path effectively.
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Where can a Senior Medical Writer earn more?
Senior medical writer salary estimates from across the web
Average senior medical writer salary by state
The average senior medical writer salary in California, Arizona, and Virginia are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average senior medical writer salary states are Kentucky, Oklahoma, and Nebraska.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for senior medical writers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $137,466 | $66.09 |
| 2 | California | $125,243 | $60.21 |
| 3 | Virginia | $117,817 | $56.64 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $109,766 | $52.77 |
| 5 | Arizona | $117,986 | $56.72 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $104,382 | $50.18 |
| 7 | Nevada | $93,145 | $44.78 |
| 8 | Maryland | $100,917 | $48.52 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $99,521 | $47.85 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $99,989 | $48.07 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $96,929 | $46.60 |
| 12 | Vermont | $96,292 | $46.29 |
| 13 | North Carolina | $94,423 | $45.40 |
| 14 | Michigan | $98,321 | $47.27 |
| 15 | Minnesota | $88,351 | $42.48 |
| 16 | Illinois | $87,593 | $42.11 |
| 17 | New York | $94,237 | $45.31 |
| 18 | Delaware | $88,546 | $42.57 |
| 19 | Alaska | $90,416 | $43.47 |
| 20 | Oregon | $90,200 | $43.37 |
| 21 | Wyoming | $84,331 | $40.54 |
| 22 | Rhode Island | $88,737 | $42.66 |
| 23 | Washington | $90,918 | $43.71 |
| 24 | Texas | $87,752 | $42.19 |
| 25 | North Dakota | $88,511 | $42.55 |
| 26 | New Mexico | $82,316 | $39.58 |
| 27 | Florida | $88,565 | $42.58 |
| 28 | Georgia | $82,667 | $39.74 |
| 29 | Ohio | $86,898 | $41.78 |
| 30 | Louisiana | $86,387 | $41.53 |
| 31 | Alabama | $78,218 | $37.60 |
| 32 | Missouri | $78,865 | $37.92 |
| 33 | West Virginia | $76,302 | $36.68 |
| 34 | Utah | $76,668 | $36.86 |
| 35 | Indiana | $80,948 | $38.92 |
| 36 | South Carolina | $77,284 | $37.16 |
| 37 | Wisconsin | $81,643 | $39.25 |
| 38 | Arkansas | $74,770 | $35.95 |
| 39 | Tennessee | $78,904 | $37.93 |
| 40 | Colorado | $81,157 | $39.02 |
| 41 | Kentucky | $73,121 | $35.15 |
| 42 | Hawaii | $81,566 | $39.21 |
| 43 | Mississippi | $73,947 | $35.55 |
| 44 | Idaho | $69,316 | $33.33 |
| 45 | Montana | $76,433 | $36.75 |
| 46 | Kansas | $75,184 | $36.15 |
| 47 | Maine | $75,276 | $36.19 |
| 48 | Nebraska | $70,020 | $33.66 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $72,160 | $34.69 |
| 50 | South Dakota | $68,152 | $32.77 |
| 51 | Iowa | $68,871 | $33.11 |
Highest paying cities for senior medical writers
The highest-paying cities for senior medical writers are Santa Rosa, CA, Phoenix, AZ, and Bridgewater, NJ.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santa Rosa, CA | $129,281 | $62.15 |
| 2 | Phoenix, AZ | $118,374 | $56.91 |
| 3 | Bridgewater, NJ | $109,728 | $52.75 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $104,298 | $50.14 |
| 5 | Baltimore, MD | $101,024 | $48.57 |
| 6 | Philadelphia, PA | $99,970 | $48.06 |
| 7 | Detroit, MI | $98,836 | $47.52 |
| 8 | Raleigh, NC | $95,944 | $46.13 |
| 9 | New York, NY | $94,451 | $45.41 |
| 10 | Bothell, WA | $91,706 | $44.09 |
| 11 | Austin, TX | $89,051 | $42.81 |
| 12 | Providence, RI | $88,759 | $42.67 |
| 13 | Wilmington, DE | $88,642 | $42.62 |
| 14 | Minneapolis, MN | $88,300 | $42.45 |
| 15 | Northbrook, IL | $88,268 | $42.44 |
| 16 | Jacksonville, FL | $87,861 | $42.24 |
| 17 | Columbus, OH | $86,891 | $41.77 |
| 18 | Cheyenne, WY | $84,928 | $40.83 |
| 19 | Atlanta, GA | $82,539 | $39.68 |
| 20 | Indianapolis, IN | $80,485 | $38.69 |
Senior medical writer salary details
A senior medical writer's salary ranges from $62,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $157,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a senior medical writer's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $157,000 | $13,083 | $75 |
| 75th Percentile | $126,000 | $10,500 | $61 |
| Average | $99,453 | $8,288 | $48 |
| 25th Percentile | $77,000 | $6,417 | $37 |
| 10th Percentile | $62,000 | $5,167 | $30 |
Highest paying senior medical writer jobs
The highest paying types of senior medical writers are senior editor, managing editor, and senior writer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Managing Editor | $89,060 | $7,422 | $42.82 | 16,781 |
| Content Editor | $61,694 | $5,141 | $29.66 | 18,586 |
| Writer | $66,143 | $5,512 | $31.80 | 13,931 |
| Grant Writer | $52,719 | $4,393 | $25.35 | 16,708 |
| Contributing Writer | $51,372 | $4,281 | $24.70 | 10,292 |
| Content Writer | $58,918 | $4,910 | $28.33 | 19,621 |
Top companies hiring senior medical writers now:
Which companies pay senior medical writers the most?
Senior medical writer salaries at Biogen and Novartis are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average senior medical writer salary at companies like Novo Nordisk and Regeneron are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Biogen | $130,437 | $62.71 |
| 2 | Novartis | $121,805 | $58.56 |
| 3 | Novo Nordisk | $120,091 | $57.74 |
| 4 | Regeneron | $118,855 | $57.14 |
| 5 | Vertex Pharmaceuticals | $118,432 | $56.94 |
| 6 | Edwards Lifesciences | $116,996 | $56.25 |
| 7 | Cytokinetics | $115,930 | $55.74 |
| 8 | Gilead Sciences | $113,770 | $54.70 |
| 9 | Sanofi US | $112,250 | $53.97 |
| 10 | Exelixis | $105,773 | $50.85 |
| 11 | Pfizer | $102,268 | $49.17 |
| 12 | QuintilesIMS | $101,414 | $48.76 |
| 13 | Veristat | $100,526 | $48.33 |
| 14 | Ariad Pharmaceuticals | $100,470 | $48.30 |
| 15 | Arthrex | $97,697 | $46.97 |
| 16 | Peloton Group | $97,689 | $46.97 |
| 17 | Envision Pharma Group | $96,839 | $46.56 |
| 18 | MMS | $96,822 | $46.55 |
| 19 | Prime Global | $96,782 | $46.53 |
| 20 | IBM | $96,619 | $46.45 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Senior medical writer salary trends
The average senior medical writer salary has risen by $13,376 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average senior medical writer earned $86,077 annually, but today, they earn $99,453 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for senior medical writers over the last decade.
Compare senior medical writer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average senior medical writer salary over time
Compare senior medical writer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Senior medical writer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $99,500 | $47.81 | +2.4% |
| 2024 | $97,100 | $46.66 | +1.4% |
| 2023 | $95,700 | $46.02 | +1.3% |
| 2022 | $94,500 | $45.43 | +1.5% |
| 2021 | $93,100 | $44.74 | -0.6% |
Recently added senior medical writer salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Star Partners | Senior Medical Writer (Contract-To | Maple Grove, MN | 06/27/2025 | $83,480 |
| Costello Medical | Senior Medical Writer | Boston, MA | 06/25/2025 | $90,000 |
| Syneos Health, Inc. | SR Medical Writer, Regulatory (Home-Based, US and Canada) | Morrisville, NC | 06/21/2025 | $80,600 |
| WCG | Senior Medical Writer, Radscience | San Francisco, CA | 06/18/2025 | $90,000 |
| WCG | Senior Medical Writer, Radscience | Chicago, IL | 06/18/2025 | $90,000 |
| WCG | Senior Medical Writer, Radscience | Boston, MA | 06/18/2025 | $90,000 |
| WCG | Senior Medical Writer, Radscience | Carmel, IN | 06/18/2025 | $90,000 |
| Real Chemistry | Senior Medical Writer | New York, NY | 06/16/2025 | $100,000 |
| Superlanet | Senior Clinical Informaticist | San Marcos, CA | 06/11/2025 | $100,000 |
| Connect Life Sciences | Senior/Principal Regulatory Medical Writer | Canton, MI | 06/10/2025 | $110,000 |
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