The average wage for an author in the United States is around $21.63 per hour.
Avg Wage
Authors earn an average hourly wage of $21.63.
Salaries typically start from $11.52 per hour and go up to $40.61 per hour.
24% below national average Updated in 2019
Author earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level author earnings begin at:
$40.61 per hour
$84,471 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level author earnings begin at:
$30.13 per hour
$62,677 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level author earnings begin at:
$21.63 per hour
$44,989 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level author earnings begin at:
$15.53 per hour
$32,293 per year
10th percentile
Starting level author earnings begin at:
$11.52 per hour
$23,961 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Author salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| California | $75,400 |
| Connecticut | $74,860 |
| New York | $73,480 |
| Maryland | $67,120 |
| Virginia | $66,340 |
| Massachusetts | $64,380 |
| Alaska | $64,330 |
| Vermont | $64,140 |
| New Jersey | $63,290 |
| Rhode Island | $62,660 |
| Minnesota | $61,880 |
| Washington | $61,060 |
| West Virginia | $59,970 |
| Oregon | $59,960 |
| North Carolina | $57,510 |
| Georgia | $56,420 |
| Kansas | $56,052 |
| Indiana | $56,029 |
| Colorado | $55,640 |
| Missouri | $55,250 |
| Illinois | $54,898 |
| Michigan | $54,580 |
| Texas | $53,730 |
| New Hampshire | $53,270 |
| Mississippi | $52,760 |
| Delaware | $52,510 |
| Nevada | $52,380 |
| Maine | $51,600 |
| Tennessee | $51,160 |
| Idaho | $50,844 |
| Hawaii | $50,740 |
| Wisconsin | $50,190 |
| Iowa | $49,440 |
| Arizona | $49,025 |
| North Dakota | $48,580 |
| Utah | $48,460 |
| Oklahoma | $48,190 |
| Kentucky | $47,927 |
| Florida | $47,190 |
| Alabama | $47,028 |
| Pennsylvania | $46,980 |
| New Mexico | $46,610 |
| Montana | $45,570 |
| Ohio | $45,230 |
| Wyoming | $44,480 |
| Arkansas | $43,450 |
| South Dakota | $42,620 |
| Nebraska | $38,990 |
| Louisiana | $36,040 |
| Puerto Rico | $33,050 |
| District of Columbia | $100,210 |
How do author salaries compare to similar careers?
Authors earn about the same as related careers in the United States. On average, they make less than technical writers but more than sports writers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Technical writer salary | $65K |
| Copywriter salary | $54K |
| Editor salary | $54K |
| Author salary | $45K |
| Proofreader salary | $43K |
| Sports writer salary | $25K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)