Writers and Authors Salary
In North Carolina, writers and authors earn $63,660 at the median, or about $30.6 an hour. The range runs from $42K at the entry level to $118K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.66), which stretches that salary to about $68,703 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,284/month, about 30.1% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across North Carolina. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $64K get you in North Carolina?
About writers and authors
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What this looks like in North Carolina
Pay for writers and authors in North Carolina runs about 17% below the U.S. median of $77K. Rent runs $1,284/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30.6% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.66 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, North Carolina
Entry-level writers and authors (10th percentile) start around $42K. Mid-career wages sit at $64K. Top earners bring in $118K or more, a $76K spread from bottom to top.
Writers and Authors salary by metro in North Carolina
8 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $84K | +32% | 130 |
| Asheville | $70K | +10% | 90 |
| Raleigh-Cary | $69K | +9% | 360 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $64K | +0% | 420 |
| Greensboro-High Point | $63K | -1% | 100 |
| Winston-Salem | $61K | -3% | 50 |
| Wilmington | $48K | -25% | 180 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton | $47K | -26% | 40 |
Compare to other states
Track writers and authors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when North Carolina numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a writers and author afford a 2BR apartment alone in North Carolina?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $64K, rent takes 30.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,284/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/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 North Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new writers and authors typically earn — is $42K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,531/month. At HUD’s $1,284/month FMR, rent would take 51% 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 North Carolina?
Local pay runs 17% below the national median — $64K here vs. $77K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does North Carolina compare to the national average for writers and authors?
North Carolina pays $64K median vs. the U.S. average of $77K — that’s -17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $69K — below the national median.
How much do writers and authors make in North Carolina?
The median is $63,660 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $42,180, and experienced writers and authors can clear $117,820. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $64K enough to live in North Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,192/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,284/month, which eats 30.6% 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 North Carolina?
North Carolina has a Regional Price Parity of 92.66 (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 $68,703 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.