27
Writers and Authors is a notable career in the 27 category. This page provides verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0 (2024), helping you compare Writers and Authors against similar careers and make data-driven decisions.
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| soc | 27-3043 |
| title | Writers and Authors |
| onet code | 27-3043.00 |
| description | Originate and prepare written material, such as scripts, stories, advertisements, and other material. |
| job zone | 4 |
| major group | 27 |
| tot emp | 47,800 |
| a mean | 85,780 |
| a median | 72,270 |
| a pct10 | 41,080 |
| a pct25 | 52,890 |
| a pct75 | 98,320 |
| a pct90 | 133,680 |
| h mean | 41 |
| h median | 34 |
The day-to-day work of a writers and authors typically centers on develop advertising campaigns for a wide range of clients, working with an advertising agency's creative director and art director to determine the best way to present advertising information. 6 of these 8 tasks are Core O*NET duties; the remainder are common supplemental work. Task descriptions below are quoted from the U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET 29.0 occupation profile.
Workers in this occupation rely most on Writing, Reading Comprehension, and Active Listening. Across the top 10 skills, the average O*NET importance score is 3.74 out of 5 — highly rated for this role. Importance reflects how essential each skill is for adequate job performance.
Among working writers and authors, the most common entry qualification is a Bachelor's Degree (47.0%). Bachelor's-degree-or-higher credentials are reported by 47% of incumbents. Entry pathways are mixed; a meaningful minority enters without a four-year degree.
Median annual pay is highest in District of Columbia at $121,160 and lowest in Kentucky at $43,450 — a 2.8× spread. The top five states (District of Columbia, Maryland, Washington, Vermont, Virginia) average $96,380. Figures reflect BLS OEWS May 2024 state-level wage estimates; percentiles shown are for full-time wage-earners in each state.
| State | Median | Mean | 10th % | 90th % | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $121,160 | $122,310 | $63,790 | $176,550 | 1,240 |
| Maryland | $107,540 | $108,860 | $57,830 | $155,950 | 620 |
| Washington | $86,170 | $91,770 | $51,050 | $129,990 | 900 |
| Vermont | $86,040 | $83,240 | $55,450 | $100,440 | 60 |
| Virginia | $80,990 | $87,920 | $48,000 | $133,930 | 1,630 |
| Connecticut | $80,950 | $92,350 | $41,210 | $140,640 | 640 |
| California | $80,470 | $96,880 | $45,880 | $163,180 | 8,950 |
| Massachusetts | $78,440 | $92,520 | $48,810 | $137,130 | 1,260 |
| Oregon | $77,830 | $82,340 | $47,340 | $128,490 | 850 |
| New Jersey | $75,640 | $79,770 | $45,790 | $119,180 | 1,610 |
| New Mexico | $73,790 | $99,610 | $46,230 | — | 60 |
| Texas | $71,650 | $82,840 | $43,460 | $133,420 | 2,100 |
| Louisiana | $70,810 | $69,090 | $26,520 | $108,480 | 380 |
| Ohio | $67,580 | $69,310 | $37,970 | $98,270 | 960 |
| West Virginia | $66,970 | $63,160 | $22,200 | $98,550 | 100 |
| Illinois | $66,180 | $73,530 | $36,950 | $121,080 | 2,010 |
| Minnesota | $65,900 | $72,500 | $46,690 | $103,690 | 980 |
| Florida | $65,830 | $79,820 | $42,100 | $135,210 | 2,440 |
| Idaho | $65,450 | $71,280 | $37,250 | $109,610 | 100 |
| Maine | $65,000 | $67,940 | $33,280 | $102,350 | — |
| Nebraska | $64,150 | $74,300 | $41,790 | $94,320 | 200 |
| Georgia | $64,070 | $78,720 | $36,340 | $116,480 | 1,200 |
| North Carolina | $63,720 | $69,370 | $35,580 | $101,160 | 2,170 |
| Arizona | $62,640 | $65,360 | $38,110 | $98,690 | 580 |
| Wisconsin | $62,450 | $67,870 | $46,860 | $92,240 | 620 |
| Indiana | $62,080 | $71,970 | $47,070 | $102,510 | 510 |
| Michigan | $61,800 | $58,880 | $35,530 | $81,580 | 860 |
| Utah | $61,020 | $63,720 | $33,480 | $89,830 | 630 |
| New Hampshire | $60,690 | $67,550 | $38,120 | $112,820 | 230 |
| Montana | $59,990 | $63,790 | $44,550 | $83,770 | 90 |
| Rhode Island | $59,550 | $69,640 | $37,400 | $102,260 | 200 |
| Kansas | $59,440 | $55,750 | $15,890 | $100,090 | 190 |
| Missouri | $59,040 | $63,900 | $39,970 | $99,570 | 550 |
| South Dakota | $58,740 | $59,430 | $39,640 | $100,440 | 40 |
| Tennessee | $58,620 | $61,120 | $41,020 | $91,070 | 1,220 |
| Pennsylvania | $58,170 | $73,600 | $21,030 | $134,780 | 1,360 |
| Delaware | $57,310 | $65,030 | $48,180 | $93,860 | 40 |
| Alabama | $57,120 | $64,040 | $36,150 | $108,510 | 170 |
| Iowa | $54,990 | $57,130 | $31,990 | $81,170 | 280 |
| Oklahoma | $52,720 | $59,200 | $36,160 | $80,470 | — |
| Nevada | $52,700 | $59,870 | $39,230 | $84,220 | 200 |
| North Dakota | $51,970 | $53,680 | $33,280 | $73,800 | 70 |
| South Carolina | $51,850 | $59,950 | $35,360 | $93,720 | 470 |
| Mississippi | $51,230 | $53,580 | $27,150 | $83,950 | 130 |
| Arkansas | $46,490 | $51,080 | $34,840 | $71,300 | 280 |
| Kentucky | $43,450 | $51,470 | $35,430 | $75,330 | 340 |
Recruiters and job boards use several alternate titles for writers and authors. Knowing these variants widens your job search — listings for Advertisement Agency Copywriter (Ad Agency Copywriter) or Advertisement Copywriter (Ad Copywriter) frequently describe the same role. The list below is a sample of the most common industry variants.
This data helps you understand how Writers and Authors compares to others in the 27 category. Use it to make informed decisions based on verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0.
careers with the closest data values to Writers and Authors
The CertifyWize editorial team aggregates and verifies careers data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0. Every statistic on this site is cross-referenced against the official source before publication, with quarterly re-verification cycles.
Read our full methodology or contact us with corrections.
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