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The differences between writers and staff writers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a writer, becoming a staff writer takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a writer has an average salary of $66,143, which is higher than the $44,844 average annual salary of a staff writer.
The top three skills for a writer include work ethic, customer service and web content. The most important skills for a staff writer are feature stories, news stories, and event coverage.
| Writer | Staff Writer | |
| Yearly salary | $66,143 | $44,844 |
| Hourly rate | $31.80 | $21.56 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 13,931 | 80,547 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 82% |
| Average age | 42 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 2 |
A writer can have different responsibilities depending on which industry or line of work they are involved. There are writers assigned in a corporate setting, some in journalism, while there are also writers in the entertainment Industry. Although they focus on varying types of writing, they all function to inform. Among the typical duties of writers involve producing content within allotted time or deadline, gather information and verify to ensure accuracy, proofread, and undergo review and revisions.
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.
Writers and staff writers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Writer | Staff Writer | |
| Average salary | $66,143 | $44,844 |
| Salary range | Between $40,000 And $107,000 | Between $29,000 And $68,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Apple | The New York Times Company |
| Best paying industry | - | Non Profits |
There are a few differences between a writer and a staff writer in terms of educational background:
| Writer | Staff Writer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 82% |
| Most common major | English | Journalism |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between writers' and staff writers' demographics:
| Writer | Staff Writer | |
| Average age | 42 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 46.2% Female, 53.8% | Male, 49.2% Female, 50.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.1% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 5.0% White, 75.1% 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 | 16% | 11% |