Salary data · BLS OEWS May 2025
Writer & Author salary in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$77,250
Median annual
$37.14
Median hourly
$98,070
Mean annual
—
Employed
In Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA, a typical writer earned $77,250 a year in May 2025 (median), with an average of $98,070.
That is roughly in line with the national median. Compared with all occupations in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA (median $55,850), writers earn 38% more.
Pay varies widely: the lowest-paid 10% earned less than $60,740, while the top 10% earned more than $162,030. Many writers are self-employed, and BLS wage surveys cover employees only, so freelance income can differ.
Pay distribution
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $60,740 | $29.20 |
| 25th | $75,270 | $36.19 |
| Median | $77,250 | $37.14 |
| 75th | $109,750 | $52.76 |
| 90th | $162,030 | $77.90 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Estimates exclude self-employed workers; "—" means the estimate was not released.