The average wage for a television writer in the United States is around $29.76 per hour.
Avg Wage
Television writers earn an average hourly wage of $29.76.
Salaries typically start from $15.85 per hour and go up to $55.88 per hour.
6% above national average Updated in 2019
Television writer earnings by seniority
Top-level television writer earnings begin at:
$55.88 per hour
$116,223 per year
Senior-level television writer earnings begin at:
$41.46 per hour
$86,236 per year
Mid-level television writer earnings begin at:
$29.76 per hour
$61,900 per year
Junior-level television writer earnings begin at:
$21.36 per hour
$44,431 per year
Starting level television writer earnings begin at:
$15.85 per hour
$32,967 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Television writer salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Maryland | $75,430 |
| California | $75,400 |
| Connecticut | $74,860 |
| New York | $73,480 |
| 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 |
| Illinois | $58,990 |
| North Carolina | $57,510 |
| Georgia | $56,420 |
| Pennsylvania | $55,920 |
| Colorado | $55,640 |
| Missouri | $55,250 |
| Michigan | $54,580 |
| Arizona | $53,950 |
| Texas | $53,730 |
| New Hampshire | $53,270 |
| Mississippi | $52,760 |
| Delaware | $52,510 |
| Nevada | $52,380 |
| Maine | $51,600 |
| Kansas | $51,520 |
| Hawaii | $51,290 |
| Tennessee | $51,160 |
| Indiana | $51,070 |
| Kentucky | $50,530 |
| Wisconsin | $50,190 |
| Iowa | $49,440 |
| North Dakota | $48,580 |
| Utah | $48,460 |
| Oklahoma | $48,190 |
| Alabama | $48,080 |
| Florida | $47,190 |
| New Mexico | $46,610 |
| Montana | $45,570 |
| Idaho | $45,340 |
| 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 television writer salaries compare to similar careers?
Television writers earn 7% less than similar careers in the United States. On average, they make less than film directors but more than film and video editors.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Film director salary | $75K |
| Producer salary | $75K |
| Talent director salary | $74K |
| Filmmaker salary | $71K |
| Television writer salary | $62K |
| Technical writer salary | $65K |
| Camera operator salary | $53K |
| Copywriter salary | $54K |
| Film and video editor salary | $53K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)