Writers and Authors Salary
In New Jersey, writers and authors earn $81,590 at the median, or about $39.23 an hour. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $129K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 99.34), that's roughly $82,132 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,067/month, about 40.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across New Jersey. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $82K get you in New Jersey?
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What this looks like in New Jersey
Writers and authors pay in New Jersey tracks closely to the national median, $82K locally vs. $77K nationwide, a 6% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,067/month, which is 39.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 99.34) 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.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, New Jersey
Entry-level writers and authors (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $82K. Top earners bring in $129K or more, a $79K spread from bottom to top.
Writers and Authors salary by metro in New Jersey
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trenton-Princeton | $90K | +10% | 110 |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton | $61K | -26% | 50 |
Compare to other states
Track writers and authors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when New Jersey numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a writers and author afford a 2BR apartment alone in New Jersey?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $82K, rent takes 39.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,067/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,600/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 New Jersey?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new writers and authors typically earn — is $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,986/month. At HUD’s $2,067/month FMR, rent would take 69% 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 New Jersey?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $82K locally vs. $77K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does New Jersey compare to the national average for writers and authors?
New Jersey pays $82K median vs. the U.S. average of $77K — that’s +6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 99.34), the purchasing-power equivalent is $82K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do writers and authors make in New Jersey?
The median is $81,590 a year, that works out to about $39 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,770, and experienced writers and authors can clear $128,820. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $82K enough to live in New Jersey?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,226/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,067/month, which eats 39.6% 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 New Jersey?
New Jersey has a Regional Price Parity of 99.34 (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 $82,132 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.