Writers and Authors pay range in Amherst
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $56,070 a year or less, while the top 10% make $96,280 or more. The middle half of writers and authors in Amherst earn between $63,090 and $85,170.
- $56K10th
- $63K25th
- $65KMedian
- $85K75th
- $96K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $75,660 | $6,305 | $36.38 |
| Median | $65,290 | $5,441 | $31.39 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $63,090 | $5,258 | $30.33 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $85,170 | $7,098 | $40.95 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Writers and Authors salary after taxes in Amherst
On the average salary of $75,660, a single filer in Amherst takes home about $58,594 a year, or $4,883 a month and $2,254 every two weeks. Taxes take 23% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave premiums are not included.
Is Amherst a good place for writers and authors? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Amherst area are in line with the U.S. average (BEA price parity 100.2), so the average $75,660 buys what about $75,477 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Amherst ($57,030). A typical home costs $363,400, or 4.8 years of this average salary before tax.
Writers and Authors salary in other Massachusetts cities
Amherst ranks 3rd of 3 Massachusetts metro areas for this job; Boston pays the most ($94,580).
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 Amherst: questions
How much do writers and authors make an hour in Amherst?
$36.37 an hour on average, and $31.39 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level writers and authors salary in Amherst?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $56,070 a year and the 25th percentile is $63,090, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the writers and authors take-home pay in Amherst?
About $58,594 a year ($4,883 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $75,660. Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave premiums are not included.
Do writers and authors earn more in Amherst than elsewhere?
The average here is 9% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($83,052).
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 Amherst Town-Northampton, MA (11200). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.2%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Census median home value (Zillow does not cover this metro). 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 (2026 rules). Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave premiums are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 2.25, this job is 2.2 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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