The median annual wage for Writers and Authors in California is $80,470 (May 2024 BLS OES). The mean (average) is $96,880.
Pay spans roughly $45,880 at the 10th percentile to $163,180 at the 90th, so experience and specialisation move this figure a lot. At the median that is about $38.69 per hour. An estimated 8,950 people work as writers and authors in California.
| Median (annual) | $80,470 |
| Mean (annual) | $96,880 |
| Median (hourly) | $38.69 |
| 10th percentile | $45,880 |
| 90th percentile | $163,180 |
| Employment | 8,950 |
Updated 2026-07-23.
Source: BLS OES May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Checked 2026-07-23.