Salary data · BLS OEWS May 2025
Writer & Author salary in North Carolina
$63,660
Median annual
$30.60
Median hourly
$72,340
Mean annual
1,810
Employed
In North Carolina, a typical writer earned $63,660 a year in May 2025 (median), with an average of $72,340. About 1,810 people work in this occupation there.
That is 17% below the national median of $76,910. Compared with all occupations in North Carolina (median $47,970), writers earn 33% more.
Pay varies widely: the lowest-paid 10% earned less than $42,180, while the top 10% earned more than $117,820. Many writers are self-employed, and BLS wage surveys cover employees only, so freelance income can differ.
Pay distribution
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $42,180 | $20.28 |
| 25th | $47,940 | $23.05 |
| Median | $63,660 | $30.60 |
| 75th | $83,360 | $40.08 |
| 90th | $117,820 | $56.64 |
Metro areas in North Carolina
| Metro area | Median | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $84,130 | 130 |
| Asheville, NC | $70,280 | 90 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $69,100 | 360 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $63,720 | 420 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | $63,270 | 100 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | $61,460 | 50 |
| Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $60,960 | 50 |
| Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $49,890 | 50 |
| Wilmington, NC | $47,940 | 180 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $47,300 | 40 |
| Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $45,380 | 30 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Estimates exclude self-employed workers; "—" means the estimate was not released.