Writer & Author salary in California
The median annual wage for writers and authors in California was $86,480 in May 2025, with an average of $106,560. About 8,390 people work in this occupation there.
That is 12% above the national median of $76,910. Compared with all occupations in California (median $58,240), writers earn 48% more. With a location quotient of 1.49, the occupation is more concentrated here than in the US as a whole.
Pay varies widely: the lowest-paid 10% earned less than $56,730, while the top 10% earned more than $193,080. Many writers are self-employed, and BLS wage surveys cover employees only, so freelance income can differ.
Pay distribution
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $56,730 | $27.27 |
| 25th | $75,530 | $36.31 |
| Median | $86,480 | $41.58 |
| 75th | $127,870 | $61.48 |
| 90th | $193,080 | $92.83 |
Metro areas in California
| Metro area | Median | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $118,810 | 400 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $107,700 | 50 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $86,340 | 30 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $82,920 | 70 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $82,690 | 240 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $82,590 | 350 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $78,990 | 190 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $77,250 | — |
| Fresno, CA | $77,060 | 70 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $74,820 | 40 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $73,600 | 40 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Estimates exclude self-employed workers; "—" means the estimate was not released.