Writer demographics and statistics in the US
Writer demographics research summary. Zippia estimates writer demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our writer estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about writers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 45,024 writers currently employed in the United States.
- 53.8% of all writers are women, while 46.2% are men.
- The average writer age is 42 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of writers is White (75.1%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (7.8%), Black or African American (6.1%) and Unknown (5.6%).
- Writers are most in-demand in New York, NY.
- San Francisco, CA pays an annual average wage of $91,310, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women writers earned 95% of what men earned.
- Massachusetts is the best state for writers to live.
- Writers are 62% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Writer demographics by:
Writer gender statistics
53.8% of writers are women and 46.2% of writers are men.
- Female, 53.8%
- Male, 46.2%
Writer gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 53.8% |
| Male | 46.2% |
Writer gender pay gap
Women earn 95¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$65,023
Female income
$62,018
Writer gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in writer positions over time. Currently, 53.8% of writers are female.
Writer gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 44.34% | 55.66% |
| 2011 | 45.59% | 54.41% |
| 2012 | 46.14% | 53.86% |
| 2013 | 48.12% | 51.88% |
| 2014 | 47.58% | 52.42% |
| 2015 | 45.03% | 54.97% |
| 2016 | 41.98% | 58.02% |
| 2017 | 42.76% | 57.24% |
| 2018 | 46.22% | 53.78% |
| 2019 | 42.26% | 57.74% |
| 2020 | 44.37% | 55.63% |
| 2021 | 46.16% | 53.84% |
Writer related jobs gender ratio
We compared writers with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, public address announcer and track announcer have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Paraprofessional Interpreter | 12% | 88% |
| Deaf Interpreter | 15% | 85% |
| Fashion Journalist | 15% | 85% |
| Writer | 46% | 54% |
| Sports Announcer | 91% | 9% |
| Track Announcer | 92% | 8% |
| Public Address Announcer | 93% | 7% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Writer demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among writers is White, which makes up 75.1% of all writers. Comparatively, 7.8% of writers are Hispanic or Latino and 6.1% of writers are Black or African American.
- White, 75.1%
- Hispanic or Latino, 7.8%
- Black or African American, 6.1%
- Unknown, 5.6%
- Asian, 5.0%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
Writer race
| Writer race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 75.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 7.8% |
| Black or African American | 6.1% |
| Unknown | 5.6% |
| Asian | 5.0% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.4% |
Writer race and ethnicity over time
See how writer racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Writer race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 82.57% | 5.22% | 4.29% | 4.85% |
| 2011 | 82.71% | 5.44% | 3.67% | 5.61% |
| 2012 | 80.65% | 5.97% | 4.45% | 5.94% |
| 2013 | 80.70% | 5.27% | 4.09% | 6.48% |
| 2014 | 79.44% | 6.06% | 4.11% | 6.89% |
| 2015 | 80.25% | 5.37% | 4.53% | 6.85% |
| 2016 | 80.31% | 5.79% | 4.37% | 6.49% |
| 2017 | 81.38% | 5.41% | 4.58% | 5.72% |
| 2018 | 80.03% | 5.04% | 4.26% | 7.30% |
| 2019 | 78.93% | 5.99% | 4.10% | 7.36% |
| 2020 | 75.95% | 6.01% | 4.44% | 7.76% |
| 2021 | 75.09% | 6.09% | 5.01% | 7.82% |
Writer wage gap by race
According to our data, unknown writers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Asian writers have the lowest average salary at $63,417.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $66,253 |
| White | $65,484 |
| Black or African American | $65,566 |
| Asian | $63,417 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $64,433 |
Average writer age
See how the average age of writers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Writer age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 34.5 | 36 |
| White | 44 | 41 |
| Black or African American | 38.5 | 41 |
| Asian | 34 | 35 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 30.5 | 34 |
Writer age breakdown
The average age of writers is 40+ years years old, representing 52% of the writer population.
Writer age breakdown
| Writer Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 52% |
| 30-40 years | 30% |
| 20-30 years | 18% |
Writer educational attainment
The most common degree for writers is bachelor's degree, with 74% of writers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 11% and master's degree degree at 8%.
- Bachelor's, 74%
- Master's, 11%
- Associate, 8%
- High School Diploma, 3%
- Other Degrees, 4%
Writers by degree level
| Writer degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 74% |
| Master's | 11% |
| Associate | 8% |
| High School Diploma | 3% |
| Other Degrees | 4% |
Writer jobs you might like
Writer wage gap by degree level
According to the data, writers with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $73,942 annually. With a Master's degree, writers earn a median annual income of $69,847 compared to $69,694 for writers with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $69,847 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $69,694 |
| Doctorate Degree | $73,942 |
Writer employment statistics
Most writers work for a private in the media industry.
Company size where writers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where writers work.
Writer jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 12% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 16% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 24% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 8% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 22% |
| > 10,000 employees | 18% |
Writer jobs by company type
Employees with the writer job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most writers prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Writer jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 16% |
| Public | 19% |
| Private | 62% |
| Government | 3% |
Writer jobs by industry
The most common industries for writers are media, education and technology.
Writer industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Media | 31% |
| Education | 12% |
| Fortune 500 | 8% |
| Professional | 6% |
| Technology | 6% |
| Internet | 5% |
| Start-up | 5% |
| Manufacturing | 4% |
| Hospitality | 3% |
| Health Care | 3% |
| Retail | 3% |
| Finance | 3% |
| Non Profits | 3% |
| Government | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
Writer turnover and employment statistics
Writer unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for writers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Writer unemployment rate by year
| Year | Writer unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 7.42% |
| 2011 | 6.99% |
| 2012 | 6.73% |
| 2013 | 6.55% |
| 2014 | 7.00% |
| 2015 | 5.19% |
| 2016 | 5.17% |
| 2017 | 5.38% |
| 2018 | 5.51% |
| 2019 | 5.71% |
| 2020 | 6.81% |
| 2021 | 7.01% |
Average writer tenure
The average writer stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 26,963 writers resumes in Zippia's database.
Writer tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 29% |
| 1-2 years | 27% |
| 3-4 years | 11% |
| 5-7 years | 17% |
| 8-10 years | 7% |
| 11+ years | 10% |
Writer LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of writers that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Sports Anchor | 10.10% | 2,108 |
| Talk Show Host | 10.34% | 10,048 |
| Sponsorship Coordinator | 12.01% | 27,068 |
| Commercial Production Editor | 12.38% | 82,285 |
| Arabic Translator | 14.90% | 746 |
| Writer | 16.36% | - |
| Mobile Disc Jockey | 16.36% | 5,576 |
Similar writer jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Sports Anchor | 10.10% | 2,108 |
| Talk Show Host | 10.34% | 10,048 |
| Sponsorship Coordinator | 12.01% | 27,068 |
| Commercial Production Editor | 12.38% | 82,285 |
| Arabic Translator | 14.90% | 746 |
| Mobile Disc Jockey | 16.36% | 5,576 |
Foreign languages spoken by writers
The most common foreign language among writers is Spanish at 46.5%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 17.3% and German is the third-most popular at 5.7%.
- Spanish, 46.5%
- French, 17.3%
- German, 5.7%
- Italian, 4.0%
- Japanese, 3.8%
- Other, 22.7%
Writer languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 46.5% |
| French | 17.3% |
| German | 5.7% |
| Italian | 4.0% |
| Japanese | 3.8% |
| Other | 22.7% |
