Writer & Author salary in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
In Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, a typical writer earned $75,940 a year in May 2025 (median), with an average of $80,510. About 2,120 people work in this occupation there.
That is roughly in line with the national median. Compared with all occupations in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (median $54,720), writers earn 39% more. With a location quotient of 1.52, the occupation is more concentrated here than in the US as a whole.
Pay varies widely: the lowest-paid 10% earned less than $43,440, while the top 10% earned more than $134,710. Many writers are self-employed, and BLS wage surveys cover employees only, so freelance income can differ.
Pay distribution
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $43,440 | $20.88 |
| 25th | $49,230 | $23.67 |
| Median | $75,940 | $36.51 |
| 75th | $99,990 | $48.07 |
| 90th | $134,710 | $64.76 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Estimates exclude self-employed workers; "—" means the estimate was not released.