Salary data · BLS OEWS May 2025
Writer & Author salary in Memphis, TN-MS-AR
$58,480
Median annual
$28.12
Median hourly
$63,350
Mean annual
170
Employed
In Memphis, TN-MS-AR, a typical writer earned $58,480 a year in May 2025 (median), with an average of $63,350. About 170 people work in this occupation there.
That is 24% below the national median of $76,910. Compared with all occupations in Memphis, TN-MS-AR (median $46,890), writers earn 25% more.
Pay varies widely: the lowest-paid 10% earned less than $42,220, while the top 10% earned more than $94,560. Many writers are self-employed, and BLS wage surveys cover employees only, so freelance income can differ.
Pay distribution
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $42,220 | $20.30 |
| 25th | $49,210 | $23.66 |
| Median | $58,480 | $28.12 |
| 75th | $77,230 | $37.13 |
| 90th | $94,560 | $45.46 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Estimates exclude self-employed workers; "—" means the estimate was not released.