Writers and Authors pay range in Lansing
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $53,310 a year or less, while the top 10% make $102,690 or more. The middle half of writers and authors in Lansing earn between $59,230 and $92,370.
- $53K10th
- $59K25th
- $62KMedian
- $92K75th
- $103K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $72,480 | $6,040 | $34.85 |
| Median | $61,980 | $5,165 | $29.80 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $59,230 | $4,936 | $28.48 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $92,370 | $7,698 | $44.41 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Writers and Authors salary after taxes in Lansing
On the average salary of $72,480, a single filer in Lansing takes home about $56,319 a year, or $4,693 a month and $2,166 every two weeks. Taxes take 22% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). Includes Lansing's local income tax (1%).
Is Lansing a good place for writers and authors? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Lansing area are 5% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 95.0), so the average $72,480 buys what about $76,302 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.2 times the median wage of all jobs in Lansing ($52,800). A typical home costs $250,377, or 3.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Writers and Authors salary in other Michigan cities
Lansing ranks 2nd of 3 Michigan metro areas for this job; Detroit pays the most ($83,390).
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 Lansing: questions
How much do writers and authors make an hour in Lansing?
$34.84 an hour on average, and $29.80 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level writers and authors salary in Lansing?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $53,310 a year and the 25th percentile is $59,230, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the writers and authors take-home pay in Lansing?
About $56,319 a year ($4,693 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $72,480. Includes Lansing's local income tax (1%).
Do writers and authors earn more in Lansing than elsewhere?
The average here is 13% 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 Lansing-East Lansing, MI (29620). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 16.9%.
- 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). Includes Lansing's local income tax (1%).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.45, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.45).
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