Writers and Authors pay range in Los Angeles
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $60,740 a year or less, while the top 10% make $162,030 or more. The middle half of writers and authors in Los Angeles earn between $75,270 and $109,750.
- $61K10th
- $75K25th
- $77KMedian
- $110K75th
- $162K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $98,070 | $8,172 | $47.15 |
| Median | $77,250 | $6,438 | $37.14 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $75,270 | $6,272 | $36.19 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $109,750 | $9,146 | $52.76 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Writers and Authors pay in Los Angeles vs. California and the U.S.
Writers and authors in Los Angeles earn 8% less than the California average ($106,560) and 14% more than the U.S. average ($86,090). At the median the gap is +0% against the U.S. median of $76,910.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $98,070 | $77,250 | $60,740 | $162,030 | n/a |
| California | $106,560 | $86,480 | $56,730 | $193,080 | 8,390 |
| United States | $86,090 | $76,910 | $44,310 | $139,870 | 47,940 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Writers and Authors salary after taxes in Los Angeles
On the average salary of $98,070, a single filer in Los Angeles takes home about $72,794 a year, or $6,066 a month and $2,800 every two weeks. Taxes take 26% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is Los Angeles a good place for writers and authors? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Los Angeles area are 14% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 113.6), so the average $98,070 buys what about $86,355 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.4 times the median wage of all jobs in Los Angeles ($55,850). A typical home costs $968,608, or 9.9 years of this average salary before tax.
Writers and Authors salary in other California cities
Los Angeles ranks 5th of 11 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($120,540).
- San Jose$120,540
- Santa Rosa$113,000
- Oxnard$102,320
- San Diego$101,560
- Los Angeles$98,070
- San Luis Obispo$94,260
- Sacramento$92,290
- Riverside$88,320
- Santa Maria$84,700
- Bakersfield$81,820
Highest-paying cities for writers and authors
Waterbury, CT pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($186,370).
- Waterbury, CT$186,370
- San Jose, CA$120,540
- Washington, DC$118,070
- Santa Rosa, CA$113,000
- Bridgeport, CT$111,590
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Writers and Authors salary in Los Angeles: questions
How much do writers and authors make an hour in Los Angeles?
$47.15 an hour on average, and $37.14 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level writers and authors salary in Los Angeles?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $60,740 a year and the 25th percentile is $75,270, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the writers and authors take-home pay in Los Angeles?
About $72,794 a year ($6,066 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $98,070. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do writers and authors earn more in Los Angeles than elsewhere?
The average here is 14% more than the U.S. average for this job ($86,090).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 27-3043; area Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA (31080). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 10.9%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
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