Writers and Authors — Career Decision Dashboard
United States
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Report generated from official BLS OEWS and O*NET data — United States.
Median annual wage
$76,910
United States, 2025
Employment
47,940
United States, 2025
Typical education
Not recorded
Job Zone 4
Skills identified
35
10 related careers
Career overview
Originate and prepare written material, such as scripts, stories, advertisements, and other material.
- O*NET code
- 27-3043.00
- Job zone
- 4
- Experience required
- Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
Typical tasks
- Write fiction or nonfiction prose, such as short stories, novels, biographies, articles, descriptive or critical analyses, and essays.
- Revise written material to meet personal standards and to satisfy needs of clients, publishers, directors, or producers.
- Present drafts and ideas to clients.
- Edit or rewrite existing written material as necessary, and submit written material for approval by supervisor, editor, or publisher.
- Conduct research to obtain factual information and authentic detail, using sources such as newspaper accounts, diaries, and interviews.
- Vary language and tone of messages based on product and medium.
- Write articles, bulletins, sales letters, speeches, and other related informative, marketing and promotional material.
- Write advertising material for use by publication, broadcast, or internet media to promote the sale of goods and services.
Choose a location
Salary analysis — United States
10th percentile
$44,310
25th percentile
$58,230
75th percentile
$101,950
90th percentile
$139,870
Most important skills
- Writing5.0
- Reading Comprehension4.1
- Active Listening3.8
- Speaking3.8
- Time Management3.8
- Critical Thinking3.6
- Judgment and Decision Making3.1
- Complex Problem Solving3.1
- Active Learning3.0
- Social Perceptiveness3.0
- Persuasion3.0
- Coordination2.9
What skills do you need?
Select the skills you already have
Skills listed are those O*NET rates at importance 3.0 or above for this occupation. Set your own level on the same 0–7 O*NET scale.
Skill coverage
0%
0 of 11 identified skills
Matched
0
Missing
11
Your selected skills cover approximately 0% of the skills identified for this occupation in O*NET. This is a coverage measure of listed skills only — it is not a qualification, hiring or interview outcome.
Skills to develop
| Skill | Importance | Required level | Your level | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Writing | 5.0 | 5.1 | Not selected | 5.1 |
| Reading Comprehension | 4.1 | 4.3 | Not selected | 4.3 |
| Active Listening | 3.8 | 4.0 | Not selected | 4.0 |
| Speaking | 3.8 | 3.9 | Not selected | 3.9 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.6 | 3.9 | Not selected | 3.9 |
| Time Management | 3.8 | 3.1 | Not selected | 3.1 |
| Persuasion | 3.0 | 3.4 | Not selected | 3.4 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.1 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.1 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Active Learning | 3.0 | 3.1 | Not selected | 3.1 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
Ordered by required level gap multiplied by O*NET importance. No prediction or recommendation is implied.
Related careers
Supplemental
National median $102,030
Compare with Writers and AuthorsSupplemental
National median $82,890
Compare with Writers and AuthorsSupplemental
National median $104,000
Compare with Writers and AuthorsSupplemental
National median $78,760
Compare with Writers and AuthorsHow salary varies by location
| Location | Median | Employment | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| DC | $129,300 | 1,050 | 2025 |
| Waterbury, CT | $127,350 | 50 | 2025 |
| San Jose, CA | $118,810 | 400 | 2025 |
| Washington, DC | $108,460 | 2,060 | 2025 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $107,700 | 50 | 2025 |
| MD | $104,330 | 540 | 2025 |
| Bridgeport, CT | $103,060 | 150 | 2025 |
| Fort Collins, CO | $102,570 | — | 2025 |
| Seattle, WA | $98,730 | 520 | 2025 |
| CT | $98,460 | 480 | 2025 |
| Hartford, CT | $97,160 | 140 | 2025 |
| VT | $94,430 | 110 | 2025 |
| New Haven, CT | $94,410 | 60 | 2025 |
| Trenton, NJ | $90,060 | 110 | 2025 |
| LA | $89,520 | 480 | 2025 |
| Portland, OR | $87,560 | 600 | 2025 |
| Baltimore, MD | $87,020 | 240 | 2025 |
| CA | $86,480 | 8,390 | 2025 |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | $86,340 | 30 | 2025 |
| WA | $85,700 | 770 | 2025 |
Career transition paths
Compare the skills of a career you hold today with Writers and Authors to see shared skills, target-only skills and skill overlap.
Build a transition comparisonCareer and skills data: O*NET 31.0.
Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, 2025 (May 2025 release).
Figures are periodic published survey snapshots, not real-time market rates.