Writers and Authors Salary
In Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD, writers and authors earn $84,130 at the median, or about $40.45 an hour. The range runs from $52K at the entry level to $182K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 102.55), that's roughly $82,038 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,810/month, about 33.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $84K get you in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington’s Regional Price Parity (102.55). 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington
Writers and authors pay in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington tracks closely to the national median, $84K locally vs. $77K nationwide, a 9% difference. Rent runs $1,810/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33.4% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 102.55) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for writers and authors in metros near Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $78K | $79K |
| Lancaster | $66K | $67K |
| Columbus | $76K | $80K |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $87K | $83K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
Entry-level writers and authors (10th percentile) start around $52K. Mid-career wages sit at $84K. Top earners bring in $182K or more, a $130K 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
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Related careers in Arts & Media
Frequently asked questions
Can a writers and author afford a 2BR apartment alone in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $84K, rent takes 33.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,810/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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new writers and authors typically earn — is $52K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,125/month. At HUD’s $1,810/month FMR, rent would take 58% 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $84K locally vs. $77K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington compare to the national average for writers and authors?
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington pays $84K median vs. the U.S. average of $77K — that’s +9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 102.55), the purchasing-power equivalent is $82K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do writers and authors make in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD?
The median is $84,130 a year, that works out to about $40 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $52,080, and experienced writers and authors can clear $182,160. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $84K enough to live in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,416/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,810/month, which eats 33.4% 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington has a Regional Price Parity of 102.55 (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 $82,038 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.