The average salary for an author in the United States is around $76,910 per year.
Avg Salary
Authors earn an average yearly salary of $76,910.
Wages typically start from $44,310 and go up to $139,870.
23% above national average Updated in 2025
Author earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level author earnings begin at:
$67.25 per hour
$139,870 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level author earnings begin at:
$49.01 per hour
$101,950 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level author earnings begin at:
$36.98 per hour
$76,910 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level author earnings begin at:
$28.00 per hour
$58,230 per year
10th percentile
Starting level author earnings begin at:
$21.31 per hour
$44,310 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Author salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Connecticut | $98,460 |
| Vermont | $94,430 |
| Louisiana | $89,520 |
| California | $86,480 |
| Washington | $85,700 |
| Massachusetts | $85,260 |
| Virginia | $85,000 |
| New Jersey | $81,590 |
| Oregon | $80,540 |
| Pennsylvania | $77,410 |
| Colorado | $76,830 |
| Indiana | $75,820 |
| Georgia | $74,710 |
| New York | $73,480 |
| Minnesota | $72,810 |
| New Hampshire | $71,830 |
| Rhode Island | $70,190 |
| Texas | $69,990 |
| Illinois | $68,220 |
| Florida | $68,080 |
| Alabama | $66,950 |
| Ohio | $65,930 |
| Kansas | $65,840 |
| Nebraska | $65,470 |
| Utah | $64,530 |
| West Virginia | $64,410 |
| Wisconsin | $64,370 |
| Alaska | $64,330 |
| Nevada | $63,910 |
| North Carolina | $63,660 |
| Iowa | $61,010 |
| Tennessee | $58,870 |
| Oklahoma | $58,770 |
| Missouri | $58,140 |
| South Dakota | $56,700 |
| Idaho | $56,360 |
| Arizona | $55,990 |
| Michigan | $54,580 |
| Mississippi | $54,180 |
| Delaware | $52,510 |
| South Carolina | $51,920 |
| Maine | $51,600 |
| North Dakota | $50,860 |
| Hawaii | $50,740 |
| Wyoming | $49,650 |
| Kentucky | $48,780 |
| Arkansas | $47,970 |
| New Mexico | $46,610 |
| Montana | $45,570 |
| Puerto Rico | $33,050 |
| District of Columbia | $129,300 |
| Maryland | $104,330 |
How do author salaries compare to similar careers?
Authors earn 8% more than similar careers in the United States. On average, they make less than news anchors but more than sports writers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| News anchor salary | $62K |
| Technical writer salary | $90K |
| Editor salary | $78K |
| Copywriter salary | $77K |
| Television writer salary | $77K |
| Author salary | $77K |
| Proofreader salary | $51K |
| Sports writer salary | $35K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)