Writers and Authors pay range in Washington
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $69,090 a year or less, while the top 10% make $171,410 or more. The middle half of writers and authors in Washington earn between $83,200 and $145,680.
- $69K10th
- $83K25th
- $108KMedian
- $146K75th
- $171K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $118,070 | $9,839 | $56.76 |
| Median | $108,460 | $9,038 | $52.14 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $83,200 | $6,933 | $40.00 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $145,680 | $12,140 | $70.04 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Writers and Authors salary after taxes in Washington
On the average salary of $118,070, a single filer in Washington takes home about $84,825 a year, or $7,069 a month and $3,262 every two weeks. Taxes take 28% of gross pay.
The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in WV | $87,374 | $7,281 |
| Working in MD | $86,459 | $7,205 |
| Working in VA | $85,917 | $7,160 |
| Working in DC | $84,825 | $7,069 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Washington a good place for writers and authors? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Washington area are 9% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 108.9), so the average $118,070 buys what about $108,437 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.5 times the median wage of all jobs in Washington ($71,060). A typical home costs $583,013, or 4.9 years of this average salary before tax.
Writers and Authors salary in nearby metro areas
- Baltimore, MD$101,430
- Charlottesville, VA$80,940
- Richmond, VA$71,390
- Harrisburg, PA$79,410
- Lancaster, PA$70,700
- Philadelphia, PA$95,850
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 Washington: questions
How much do writers and authors make an hour in Washington?
$56.76 an hour on average, and $52.14 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level writers and authors salary in Washington?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $69,090 a year and the 25th percentile is $83,200, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the writers and authors take-home pay in Washington?
About $84,825 a year ($7,069 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $118,070.
Do writers and authors earn more in Washington than elsewhere?
The average here is 42% more 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV (47900). 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: 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 (2026 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 2.13, this job is 2.1 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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