Best states for a staff writer

Q: What is the best state for staff writers?

The best state to be a staff writer is Massachusetts based on staff writer salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for staff writers?

The highest paying state for staff writers is Hawaii based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for staff writers?

The worst state for staff writers is Mississippi, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

Quoted expert

Tristan Abbott Ph.D.

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Do you want to become a staff writer at FanSided, and you wonder what that means or entails? We have the full list of best states for staff writers that you can check out, before you begin your journey. Our research shows that Massachusetts is the best state in the country for staff writers.

Massachusetts is the best state for jobs for staff writers, and Mississippi is the worst. The most common pay in Massachusetts is $63,600, while the median pay in Mississippi is $36,290.We found that Massachusetts is the best state for staff writer jobs, whereas Mississippi is the worst.

10 best states for staff writers in 2025

1. Massachusetts
Total staff writer jobs: 1,519
Average annual salary: $63,600
Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $102,000
Location Quotient:
1.71
Staff writer jobs in Massachusetts
2. New Jersey
Total staff writer jobs: 1,008
Average annual salary: $66,287
Lowest 10 percent earn: $40,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $108,000
Location Quotient:
1.31
Staff writer jobs in New Jersey
3. District of Columbia
Total staff writer jobs: 357
Average annual salary: $67,055
Lowest 10 percent earn: $41,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $109,000
Location Quotient:
2.19
Staff writer jobs in District of Columbia
4. Washington
Total staff writer jobs: 832
Average annual salary: $63,039
Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $105,000
Location Quotient:
1.17
Staff writer jobs in Washington
5. Pennsylvania
Total staff writer jobs: 1,677
Average annual salary: $55,057
Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $90,000
Location Quotient:
1.49
Staff writer jobs in Pennsylvania
6. Maryland
Total staff writer jobs: 837
Average annual salary: $60,225
Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $98,000
Location Quotient:
1.36
Staff writer jobs in Maryland
7. New York
Total staff writer jobs: 1,909
Average annual salary: $56,967
Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $93,000
Location Quotient:
1.53
Staff writer jobs in New York
8. Vermont
Total staff writer jobs: 91
Average annual salary: $54,410
Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $86,000
Location Quotient:
1.22
Staff writer jobs in Vermont
9. New Hampshire
Total staff writer jobs: 170
Average annual salary: $54,578
Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $87,000
Location Quotient:
1
Staff writer jobs in New Hampshire
10. Oregon
Total staff writer jobs: 585
Average annual salary: $53,491
Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $87,000
Location Quotient:
1.46
Staff writer jobs in Oregon

Staff writer jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a staff writer

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for a staff writer

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	Massachusetts	$63,600	$39,000	6,859,819	1,519
2	New Jersey	$66,287	$40,000	9,005,644	1,008
3	District of Columbia	$67,055	$41,000	693,972	357
4	Washington	$63,039	$37,000	7,405,743	832
5	Pennsylvania	$55,057	$33,000	12,805,537	1,677
6	Maryland	$60,225	$36,000	6,052,177	837
7	New York	$56,967	$34,000	19,849,399	1,909
8	Vermont	$54,410	$34,000	623,657	91
9	New Hampshire	$54,578	$34,000	1,342,795	170
10	Oregon	$53,491	$32,000	4,142,776	585
11	Virginia	$55,381	$34,000	8,470,020	923
12	Wyoming	$49,967	$31,000	579,315	66
13	North Dakota	$59,233	$36,000	755,393	46
14	Rhode Island	$50,090	$31,000	1,059,639	152
15	Connecticut	$54,406	$33,000	3,588,184	327
16	Montana	$51,219	$31,000	1,050,493	110
17	Illinois	$50,245	$31,000	12,802,023	1,485
18	Minnesota	$50,933	$31,000	5,576,606	664
19	Nevada	$48,988	$30,000	2,998,039	281
20	Michigan	$50,961	$31,000	9,962,311	661
21	North Carolina	$51,122	$32,000	10,273,419	854
22	Ohio	$49,576	$30,000	11,658,609	933
23	Alaska	$53,960	$37,000	739,795	66
24	Maine	$45,611	$28,000	1,335,907	160
25	Delaware	$50,440	$30,000	961,939	107
26	South Dakota	$48,711	$30,000	869,666	44
27	Wisconsin	$48,538	$29,000	5,795,483	430
28	Colorado	$46,653	$29,000	5,607,154	581
29	Arizona	$45,274	$29,000	7,016,270	566
30	Georgia	$45,980	$29,000	10,429,379	935
31	Missouri	$42,989	$27,000	6,113,532	583
32	Utah	$41,391	$26,000	3,101,833	321
33	California	$50,391	$31,000	39,536,653	1,049
34	Kansas	$43,580	$27,000	2,913,123	263
35	Idaho	$42,867	$26,000	1,716,943	147
36	West Virginia	$42,502	$26,000	1,815,857	122
37	Tennessee	$41,437	$26,000	6,715,984	472
38	Nebraska	$39,847	$25,000	1,920,076	220
39	Texas	$41,870	$27,000	28,304,596	1,690
40	New Mexico	$41,158	$26,000	2,088,070	175
41	Louisiana	$40,035	$26,000	4,684,333	302
42	Arkansas	$39,018	$25,000	3,004,279	241
43	Kentucky	$40,357	$25,000	4,454,189	270
44	Alabama	$39,009	$25,000	4,874,747	404
45	Hawaii	$34,070	$25,000	1,427,538	89
46	Iowa	$40,080	$25,000	3,145,711	276
47	Florida	$36,067	$24,000	20,984,400	1,487
48	Indiana	$38,264	$23,000	6,666,818	564
49	South Carolina	$38,616	$24,000	5,024,369	308
50	Oklahoma	$37,472	$24,000	3,930,864	218
51	Mississippi	$36,290	$23,000	2,984,100	119

Highest paying states for staff writers

Rank	State	Avg. Staff Writer Salary
1	Massachusetts	$63,600
2	New Jersey	$66,287
3	District of Columbia	$67,055
4	Washington	$63,039
5	Pennsylvania	$55,057
6	Maryland	$60,225
7	New York	$56,967
8	Vermont	$54,410
9	New Hampshire	$54,578
10	Oregon	$53,491
11	Virginia	$55,381
12	Wyoming	$49,967
13	North Dakota	$59,233
14	Rhode Island	$50,090
15	Connecticut	$54,406
16	Montana	$51,219
17	Illinois	$50,245
18	Minnesota	$50,933
19	Nevada	$48,988
20	Michigan	$50,961
21	North Carolina	$51,122
22	Ohio	$49,576
23	Alaska	$53,960
24	Maine	$45,611
25	Delaware	$50,440
26	South Dakota	$48,711
27	Wisconsin	$48,538
28	Colorado	$46,653
29	Arizona	$45,274
30	Georgia	$45,980
31	Missouri	$42,989
32	Utah	$41,391
33	California	$50,391
34	Kansas	$43,580
35	Idaho	$42,867
36	West Virginia	$42,502
37	Tennessee	$41,437
38	Nebraska	$39,847
39	Texas	$41,870
40	New Mexico	$41,158
41	Louisiana	$40,035
42	Arkansas	$39,018
43	Kentucky	$40,357
44	Alabama	$39,009
45	Hawaii	$34,070
46	Iowa	$40,080
47	Florida	$36,067
48	Indiana	$38,264
49	South Carolina	$38,616
50	Oklahoma	$37,472
51	Mississippi	$36,290

Expert opinions on the best states for staff writers

Are there any particularly good places in the United States for staff writers to find work opportunities?
Tristan Abbott Ph.D.
Assistant Professor and Writing Center Director, Morgan State University
Are you referring to specific academic disciplines or geographic areas? Hiring appears to be at a standstill for everyone, everywhere.

Staff writer best states FAQs

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Best states for Staff Writers

Updated January 8, 2025

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Total staff writer jobs:	1,519
Average annual salary:	$63,600
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$39,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$102,000
Location Quotient:	1.71

Best states for a staff writer

10 best states for staff writers in 2025

1. Massachusetts

2. New Jersey

3. District of Columbia

4. Washington

5. Pennsylvania

6. Maryland

7. New York

8. Vermont

9. New Hampshire

10. Oregon