The average wage for an author in the United States is around $21.63 per hour.
Avg Wage
Authors earn an average hourly wage of $21.63.
Salaries typically start from $11.52 per hour and go up to $40.61 per hour.
24% below national average Updated in 2019
Author earnings by seniority
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Author salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Alaska | $64,330 |
| Alabama | $47,028 |
| Arkansas | $43,450 |
| Arizona | $49,025 |
| California | $75,400 |
| Colorado | $55,640 |
| Connecticut | $74,860 |
| District of Columbia | $100,210 |
| Delaware | $52,510 |
| Florida | $47,190 |
| Georgia | $56,420 |
| Hawaii | $50,740 |
| Iowa | $49,440 |
| Idaho | $50,844 |
| Illinois | $54,898 |
| Indiana | $56,029 |
| Kansas | $56,052 |
| Kentucky | $47,927 |
| Louisiana | $36,040 |
| Massachusetts | $64,380 |
| Maryland | $67,120 |
| Maine | $51,600 |
| Michigan | $54,580 |
| Minnesota | $61,880 |
| Missouri | $55,250 |
| Mississippi | $52,760 |
| Montana | $45,570 |
| North Carolina | $57,510 |
| North Dakota | $48,580 |
| Nebraska | $38,990 |
| New Hampshire | $53,270 |
| New Jersey | $63,290 |
| New Mexico | $46,610 |
| Nevada | $52,380 |
| New York | $73,480 |
| Ohio | $45,230 |
| Oklahoma | $48,190 |
| Oregon | $59,960 |
| Pennsylvania | $46,980 |
| Puerto Rico | $33,050 |
| Rhode Island | $62,660 |
| South Dakota | $42,620 |
| Tennessee | $51,160 |
| Texas | $53,730 |
| Utah | $48,460 |
| Virginia | $66,340 |
| Vermont | $64,140 |
| Washington | $61,060 |
| Wisconsin | $50,190 |
| West Virginia | $59,970 |
| Wyoming | $44,480 |
How do author salaries compare to similar careers?
Authors earn about the same as related careers in the United States. On average, they make less than technical writers but more than sports writers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Technical writer salary | $65K |
| Copywriter salary | $54K |
| Editor salary | $54K |
| Author salary | $45K |
| Proofreader salary | $43K |
| Sports writer salary | $25K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)