The average salary for an author in District of Columbia is around $129,300 per year.
Avg Salary
Authors earn an average yearly salary of $129,300.
Wages typically start from $74,990 and go up to $172,480.
42% above national average Updated in 2025
Author earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level author earnings begin at:
$82.92 per hour
$172,480 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level author earnings begin at:
$75.97 per hour
$158,020 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level author earnings begin at:
$62.16 per hour
$129,300 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level author earnings begin at:
$48.23 per hour
$100,320 per year
10th percentile
Starting level author earnings begin at:
$36.05 per hour
$74,990 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 about the same as related careers in District of Columbia. On average, they make less than journalists but more than editors.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Journalist salary | $105K |
| Copywriter salary | $129K |
| Television writer salary | $129K |
| Author salary | $129K |
| Technical writer salary | $118K |
| Editor salary | $84K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)