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The differences between script 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 script writer and a staff writer. Additionally, a script writer has an average salary of $64,254, which is higher than the $44,844 average annual salary of a staff writer.
The top three skills for a script writer include test cases, test scripts and database. The most important skills for a staff writer are feature stories, news stories, and event coverage.
| Script Writer | Staff Writer | |
| Yearly salary | $64,254 | $44,844 |
| Hourly rate | $30.89 | $21.56 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 15,222 | 80,547 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 82% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Scriptwriting is an art and craft that requires both imagination and creativity to create entertaining content and tell a story in both dialogue and picture. The script can be educational, training, film, television programs, or entertainment. The duties and responsibilities include creating characters and coming up with skeleton plots for the producer to direct the narrative and determine the outcome of events.
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.
Script writers and staff writers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Script Writer | Staff Writer | |
| Average salary | $64,254 | $44,844 |
| Salary range | Between $38,000 And $106,000 | Between $29,000 And $68,000 |
| Highest paying City | Pleasanton, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Virginia | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Snap | The New York Times Company |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Non Profits |
There are a few differences between a script writer and a staff writer in terms of educational background:
| Script Writer | Staff Writer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 82% |
| Most common major | Communication | Journalism |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between script writers' and staff writers' demographics:
| Script Writer | Staff Writer | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 54.2% Female, 45.8% | Male, 49.2% Female, 50.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.6% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 8.7% White, 71.5% 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% |