Writers and Authors Salary
In Lansing-East Lansing, MI, writers and authors earn $61,980 at the median, or about $29.8 an hour. The range runs from $53K at the entry level to $103K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.99), which stretches that salary to about $65,249 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,268/month, about 31.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $62K get you in Lansing-East Lansing?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Lansing-East Lansing’s Regional Price Parity (94.99). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Lansing-East Lansing
Pay for writers and authors in Lansing-East Lansing runs about 19% below the U.S. median of $77K. Rent runs $1,268/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.99 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for writers and authors in metros near Lansing-East Lansing, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn | $76K | $76K |
| Ann Arbor | $37K | $37K |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $64K | $66K |
| Columbus | $76K | $80K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Lansing-East Lansing, MI
Entry-level writers and authors (10th percentile) start around $53K. Mid-career wages sit at $62K. Top earners bring in $103K or more, a $49K 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
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track writers and authors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Lansing-East Lansing numbers change.
Related careers in Arts & Media
Frequently asked questions
Can a writers and author afford a 2BR apartment alone in Lansing-East Lansing?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $62K, rent takes 30.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,268/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for writers and authors in Lansing-East Lansing?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new writers and authors typically earn — is $53K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,199/month. At HUD’s $1,268/month FMR, rent would take 40% 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 Lansing-East Lansing?
Local pay runs 19% below the national median — $62K here vs. $77K nationally. Cost of living is 5% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Lansing-East Lansing compare to the national average for writers and authors?
Lansing-East Lansing pays $62K median vs. the U.S. average of $77K — that’s -19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.99), the purchasing-power equivalent is $65K — below the national median.
How much do writers and authors make in Lansing-East Lansing, MI?
The median is $61,980 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $53,310, and experienced writers and authors can clear $102,690. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $62K enough to live in Lansing-East Lansing?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,100/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,268/month, which eats 30.9% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a writers and authors salary go in Lansing-East Lansing?
Lansing-East Lansing has a Regional Price Parity of 94.99 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median writers and authors salary is worth about $65,249 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.