Salary data · BLS OEWS May 2025
Writer & Author salary in Madison, WI
$68,760
Median annual
$33.06
Median hourly
$72,410
Mean annual
150
Employed
In Madison, WI, a typical writer earned $68,760 a year in May 2025 (median), with an average of $72,410. About 150 people work in this occupation there.
That is 11% below the national median of $76,910. Compared with all occupations in Madison, WI (median $58,080), writers earn 18% more.
Pay varies widely: the lowest-paid 10% earned less than $49,570, while the top 10% earned more than $98,330. Many writers are self-employed, and BLS wage surveys cover employees only, so freelance income can differ.
Pay distribution
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $49,570 | $23.83 |
| 25th | $57,660 | $27.72 |
| Median | $68,760 | $33.06 |
| 75th | $80,450 | $38.68 |
| 90th | $98,330 | $47.27 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Estimates exclude self-employed workers; "—" means the estimate was not released.