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Staff writer salary
Average staff writer salary
$44,844
Understanding Staff Writer Salaries
The staff writer salary averages $44,844 annually, equating to about $22 per hour. Salaries can vary significantly based on factors like experience, location, and the specific industry. For instance, staff writers with more years in the field often see higher compensation. Entry-level positions may offer lower pay, while seasoned professionals can command higher salaries, especially in metropolitan areas.
Salary Variation by State
In states such as California and New York, the demand for staff writers is high, leading to higher average salaries. For example, some of the highest-paying states for staff writers include:
- California: $52,000
- New York: $50,000
- Washington: $48,000
Additionally, industry-specific roles, such as those in tech or finance, may offer premium salaries compared to those in traditional media. Understanding these factors can help aspiring writers gauge their potential earnings and make informed career decisions.
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Where can a Staff Writer earn more?
Staff writer salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level staff writer | $30,400 | $14.63 |
| Mid-level staff writer | $48,500 | $23.31 |
| Senior-level staff writer | $66,600 | $32.00 |
Staff writer salary estimates from across the web
Average staff writer salary by state
The average staff writer salary in New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Washington are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average staff writer salary states are South Carolina, Indiana, and Oklahoma.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for staff writers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $63,600 | $30.58 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $66,287 | $31.87 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $67,055 | $32.24 |
| 4 | Washington | $63,039 | $30.31 |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | $55,057 | $26.47 |
| 6 | Maryland | $60,225 | $28.95 |
| 7 | New York | $56,967 | $27.39 |
| 8 | Vermont | $54,410 | $26.16 |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $54,578 | $26.24 |
| 10 | Oregon | $53,491 | $25.72 |
| 11 | Virginia | $55,381 | $26.63 |
| 12 | Wyoming | $49,967 | $24.02 |
| 13 | North Dakota | $59,233 | $28.48 |
| 14 | Rhode Island | $50,090 | $24.08 |
| 15 | Connecticut | $54,406 | $26.16 |
| 16 | Montana | $51,219 | $24.62 |
| 17 | Illinois | $50,245 | $24.16 |
| 18 | Minnesota | $50,933 | $24.49 |
| 19 | Nevada | $48,988 | $23.55 |
| 20 | Michigan | $50,961 | $24.50 |
| 21 | North Carolina | $51,122 | $24.58 |
| 22 | Ohio | $49,576 | $23.83 |
| 23 | Alaska | $53,960 | $25.94 |
| 24 | Maine | $45,611 | $21.93 |
| 25 | Delaware | $50,440 | $24.25 |
| 26 | South Dakota | $48,711 | $23.42 |
| 27 | Wisconsin | $48,538 | $23.34 |
| 28 | Colorado | $46,653 | $22.43 |
| 29 | Arizona | $45,274 | $21.77 |
| 30 | Georgia | $45,980 | $22.11 |
| 31 | Missouri | $42,989 | $20.67 |
| 32 | Utah | $41,391 | $19.90 |
| 33 | California | $50,391 | $24.23 |
| 34 | Kansas | $43,580 | $20.95 |
| 35 | Idaho | $42,867 | $20.61 |
| 36 | West Virginia | $42,502 | $20.43 |
| 37 | Tennessee | $41,437 | $19.92 |
| 38 | Nebraska | $39,847 | $19.16 |
| 39 | Texas | $41,870 | $20.13 |
| 40 | New Mexico | $41,158 | $19.79 |
| 41 | Louisiana | $40,035 | $19.25 |
| 42 | Arkansas | $39,018 | $18.76 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $40,357 | $19.40 |
| 44 | Alabama | $39,009 | $18.75 |
| 45 | Hawaii | $34,070 | $16.38 |
| 46 | Iowa | $40,080 | $19.27 |
| 47 | Florida | $36,067 | $17.34 |
| 48 | Indiana | $38,264 | $18.40 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $38,616 | $18.57 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $37,472 | $18.02 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $36,290 | $17.45 |
Highest paying cities for staff writers
The highest-paying cities for staff writers are Washington, DC, Jersey City, NJ, and Seattle, WA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington, DC | $67,023 | $32.22 |
| 2 | Jersey City, NJ | $66,372 | $31.91 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $63,508 | $30.53 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $63,477 | $30.52 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $57,007 | $27.41 |
| 6 | Springfield, VA | $56,868 | $27.34 |
| 7 | San Francisco, CA | $56,272 | $27.05 |
| 8 | Philadelphia, PA | $55,263 | $26.57 |
| 9 | Greenwich, CT | $54,564 | $26.23 |
| 10 | Burlington, VT | $53,945 | $25.94 |
| 11 | Portland, OR | $53,814 | $25.87 |
| 12 | Duluth, MN | $51,670 | $24.84 |
| 13 | Detroit, MI | $51,117 | $24.58 |
| 14 | Chicago, IL | $50,578 | $24.32 |
| 15 | Charlotte, NC | $49,829 | $23.96 |
| 16 | Columbus, OH | $49,057 | $23.59 |
| 17 | Waukesha, WI | $48,405 | $23.27 |
| 18 | Denver, CO | $46,780 | $22.49 |
| 19 | Atlanta, GA | $46,084 | $22.16 |
| 20 | Phoenix, AZ | $45,367 | $21.81 |
Staff writer salary details
A staff writer's salary ranges from $29,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $68,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a staff writer's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $68,000 | $5,667 | $33 |
| 75th Percentile | $56,000 | $4,667 | $27 |
| Average | $44,844 | $3,737 | $22 |
| 25th Percentile | $35,000 | $2,917 | $17 |
| 10th Percentile | $29,000 | $2,417 | $14 |
Highest paying staff writer jobs
The highest paying types of staff writers are managing editor, senior writer, and senior technical writer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Journalist | $60,828 | $5,069 | $29.24 | 11,488 |
| Editor | $52,107 | $4,342 | $25.05 | 15,115 |
| Production Editor | $53,275 | $4,440 | $25.61 | 62,877 |
| News Editor | $53,822 | $4,485 | $25.88 | 12,484 |
| Technical Editor | $61,717 | $5,143 | $29.67 | 78,423 |
| Managing Editor | $89,060 | $7,422 | $42.82 | 16,781 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for staff writers, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Dr. Claudia R. Fernández
Clinical Assistant Professor of Spanish Director, Spanish Basic Language Program, University of Illinois-Chicago
It is convenient, at least for majors in languages, to also have a second major such as education, health-related areas, business, computer science, political science, etc. Having knowledge of language and cultures will make them stronger candidates for prospective jobs, that's for sure. Language learning trains the student to deal with "greys" and ambiguities, to make inferences, and to work comfortably, even when not everything is known or totally understood. It builds resilience and confidence.
Top companies hiring staff writers now:
Which companies pay staff writers the most?
Staff writer salaries at The New York Times Company and The Washington Post are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average staff writer salary at companies like FiscalNote and Informa Plc are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The New York Times Company | $91,345 | $43.92 |
| 2 | The Washington Post | $89,228 | $42.90 |
| 3 | FiscalNote | $66,993 | $32.21 |
| 4 | Informa Plc | $66,661 | $32.05 |
| 5 | Columbia University in the City of New York | $59,527 | $28.62 |
| 6 | Human Rights Foundation | $59,165 | $28.44 |
| 7 | Ziff Davis | $58,751 | $28.25 |
| 8 | Harvard University | $57,783 | $27.78 |
| 9 | Observer Media Group | $57,035 | $27.42 |
| 10 | NerdWallet | $56,945 | $27.38 |
| 11 | Lincoln Institute of Land Policy | $56,032 | $26.94 |
| 12 | Advisory Board | $53,426 | $25.69 |
| 13 | Everyday Health | $50,872 | $24.46 |
| 14 | Art Media Holdings | $48,305 | $23.22 |
| 15 | Gregory FCA | $47,200 | $22.69 |
| 16 | Reorg | $47,177 | $22.68 |
| 17 | University of Pennsylvania | $46,955 | $22.57 |
| 18 | ConsumerAffairs | $46,945 | $22.57 |
| 19 | Institutional Investor | $46,910 | $22.55 |
| 20 | CoStar Group | $46,748 | $22.48 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Staff writer salary trends
The average staff writer salary has risen by $6,031 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average staff writer earned $38,813 annually, but today, they earn $44,844 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for staff writers over the last decade.
Compare staff writer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average staff writer salary over time
Compare staff writer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Staff writer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $44,800 | $21.56 | +2.4% |
| 2025 | $43,800 | $21.04 | +1.4% |
| 2024 | $43,200 | $20.75 | +1.3% |
| 2023 | $42,600 | $20.49 | +1.5% |
| 2022 | $42,000 | $20.17 | -0.6% |
Recently added staff writer salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Pennsylvania | Staff Writer, Center for Ethics and The Rule of Law | Nome, ND | 06/30/2025 | $49,671 |
| Fiscal Note | Senior Staff Writer, Energy Newsletters (Contractor) | Washington, MN | 06/30/2025 | $93,915 |
| Tmx | Staff Writer | Fine, NY | 06/28/2025 | $70,000 |
| University of Pennsylvania | Staff Writer, Center for Ethics and The Rule of Law | Philadelphia, PA | 06/26/2025 | $49,671 |
| Memorial Hermann Health System | Commerce Staff Writer, Instyle | New York, NY | 06/25/2025 | $64,350 |
| Columbia University In The City of New York | Staff Writer, Columbia Journalism Review | New York, NY | 06/20/2025 | $75,000 |
| Enloe Medical Center | Staff Writer-Marketing (PER Diem, Temporary, Days) | Chico, CA | 06/19/2025 | $50,255 |
| Fortune Media Ip Limited | Health Staff Writer | New York, NY | 06/18/2025 | $85,000 |
| The New York Times Company | Senior Staff Writer, Beauty & Personal Care, NYT Wirecutter | New York, NY | 06/11/2025 | $87,000 |
| All | Billboard: Staff Writer | Ione, CA | 06/09/2025 | $68,000 |
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