Writers and Authors Salary
In Fort Collins-Loveland, CO, writers and authors earn $102,570 at the median, or about $49.31 an hour. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $151K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 101.13), that's roughly $101,424 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,759/month, or 26.6% of estimated take-home pay.
Where the paycheck goes
What $103K actually covers in Fort Collins-Loveland, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Fort Collins-Loveland’s Regional Price Parity (101.13). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About writers and authors
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What this looks like in Fort Collins-Loveland
Fort Collins-Loveland sits well above the national pay line for writers and authors, local pay runs about 33% higher than the U.S. median of $77K. Rent runs $1,759/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27.8% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 101.13) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for writers and authors in metros near Fort Collins-Loveland, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $69K | $65K |
| Colorado Springs | $84K | $83K |
| Boulder | $84K | $79K |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler | $59K | $57K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Fort Collins-Loveland, CO
Entry-level writers and authors (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $103K. Top earners bring in $151K or more, a $116K spread from bottom to top.
Writers and Authors pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Writers and Authors salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $129K | +68% | 1,050 |
| Maryland | $104K | +36% | 540 |
| Connecticut | $98K | +28% | 480 |
| Vermont | $94K | +23% | 110 |
| Louisiana | $90K | +16% | 480 |
| California | $86K | +12% | 8,390 |
| Washington | $86K | +11% | 770 |
| Massachusetts | $85K | +11% | 1,350 |
| Virginia | $85K | +11% | 1,530 |
| New Jersey | $82K | +6% | 1,180 |
| Oregon | $81K | +5% | 950 |
| Pennsylvania | $77K | +1% | 1,080 |
| Colorado | $77K | -0% | 1,300 |
| Indiana | $76K | -1% | 450 |
| Georgia | $75K | -3% | 820 |
| Minnesota | $73K | -5% | 720 |
| New Hampshire | $72K | -7% | 180 |
| Rhode Island | $70K | -9% | 110 |
| Texas | $70K | -9% | 2,320 |
| Illinois | $68K | -11% | 2,640 |
| Florida | $68K | -11% | 3,010 |
| Alabama | $67K | -13% | 180 |
| Ohio | $66K | -14% | 830 |
| Kansas | $66K | -14% | 240 |
| Nebraska | $65K | -15% | 240 |
| Utah | $65K | -16% | 410 |
| West Virginia | $64K | -16% | 110 |
| Wisconsin | $64K | -16% | 710 |
| Nevada | $64K | -17% | 190 |
| North Carolina | $64K | -17% | 1,810 |
| Iowa | $61K | -21% | 290 |
| Tennessee | $59K | -23% | 1,260 |
| Oklahoma | $59K | -24% | 220 |
| Missouri | $58K | -24% | 600 |
| South Dakota | $57K | -26% | 60 |
| Idaho | $56K | -27% | 90 |
| Arizona | $56K | -27% | 600 |
| Mississippi | $54K | -30% | 130 |
| South Carolina | $52K | -32% | 520 |
| North Dakota | $51K | -34% | 80 |
| Wyoming | $50K | -35% | N/A |
| Kentucky | $49K | -37% | 350 |
| Arkansas | $48K | -38% | 270 |
Showing 1–10 of 43 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track writers and authors salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Fort Collins-Loveland numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a writers and author afford a 2BR apartment alone in Fort Collins-Loveland?
Yes — at the median salary of $103K, rent takes 27.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,759/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for writers and authors in Fort Collins-Loveland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new writers and authors typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,356/month. At HUD’s $1,759/month FMR, rent would take 75% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is writers and author a high-paying job in Fort Collins-Loveland?
Local pay is 33% above the national median — $103K here vs. $77K nationally.
How does Fort Collins-Loveland compare to the national average for writers and authors?
Fort Collins-Loveland pays $103K median vs. the U.S. average of $77K — that’s +33%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 101.13), the purchasing-power equivalent is $101K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do writers and authors make in Fort Collins-Loveland, CO?
The median is $102,570 a year, that works out to about $49 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,540, and experienced writers and authors can clear $150,540. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $103K enough to live in Fort Collins-Loveland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,336/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,759/month, which eats 27.8% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a writers and authors salary go in Fort Collins-Loveland?
Fort Collins-Loveland has a Regional Price Parity of 101.13 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median writers and authors salary is worth about $101,424 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do writers and authors get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.