Writers and Authors Salary
In Topeka, KS, writers and authors earn $51,610 at the median, or about $24.81 an hour. The range runs from $34K at the entry level to $87K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.82), which stretches that salary to about $58,106 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,057/month, about 31.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $52K actually covers in Topeka, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Topeka’s Regional Price Parity (88.82). 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 Topeka
Pay for writers and authors in Topeka runs about 33% below the U.S. median of $77K. Rent runs $1,057/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30.8% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.82 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% 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 Topeka, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $69K | , |
| St. Louis | $57K | $60K |
| Kansas City | $67K | $73K |
| Boulder | $84K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Topeka, KS
Entry-level writers and authors (10th percentile) start around $34K. Mid-career wages sit at $52K. Top earners bring in $87K or more, a $54K 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 Topeka numbers change.
Related careers in Arts & Media
Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a writers and author afford a 2BR apartment alone in Topeka?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $52K, rent takes 30.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,057/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/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 Topeka?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new writers and authors typically earn — is $34K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,314/month. At HUD’s $1,057/month FMR, rent would take 46% 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 Topeka?
Local pay runs 33% below the national median — $52K here vs. $77K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Topeka compare to the national average for writers and authors?
Topeka pays $52K median vs. the U.S. average of $77K — that’s -33%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.82), the purchasing-power equivalent is $58K — below the national median.
How much do writers and authors make in Topeka, KS?
The median is $51,610 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $33,580, and experienced writers and authors can clear $87,430. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $52K enough to live in Topeka?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,435/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,057/month, which eats 30.8% 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 Topeka?
Topeka has a Regional Price Parity of 88.82 (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 $58,106 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.