State wages ยท Cost of living
Writers and Authors pay by state
The highest published median is in District of Columbia, at $121,160. District of Columbia leads after cost of living, at $110,240. New Mexico has the lowest RPP among states paying at least the national median ($72,270).
National median
$72,270
Highest state median
$121,160
District of Columbia
Best adjusted pay
$110,240
District of Columbia
States and territories
52
Blank wages are not estimated
Pay at national average prices
Lower: $48,190Higher: $110,240Puerto Rico: No cost of living index
All states
52 rows
| District of Columbia | $121,160 | +67.6% | 109.901 | $110,240 | 1 |
| Maryland | $107,540 | +48.8% | 104.959 | $102,460 | 2 |
| Vermont | $86,040 | +19.1% | 97.958 | $87,830 | 3 |
| Washington | $86,170 | +19.2% | 107.013 | $80,520 | 4 |
| Louisiana | $70,810 | -2.0% | 88.207 | $80,280 | 5 |
| Virginia | $80,990 | +12.1% | 101.104 | $80,110 | 6 |
| New Mexico | $73,790 | +2.1% | 92.212 | $80,020 | 7 |
| Connecticut | $80,950 | +12.0% | 103.61 | $78,130 | 8 |
| Oregon | $77,830 | +7.7% | 103.361 | $75,300 | 9 |
| West Virginia | $66,970 | -7.3% | 89.497 | $74,830 | 10 |
| Massachusetts | $78,440 | +8.5% | 105.757 | $74,170 | 11 |
| Texas | $71,650 | -0.9% | 97.057 | $73,820 | 12 |
| Ohio | $67,580 | -6.5% | 92.774 | $72,840 | 13 |
| California | $80,470 | +11.3% | 110.72 | $72,680 | 14 |
| Nebraska | $64,150 | -11.2% | 90.103 | $71,200 | 15 |
| New Jersey | $75,640 | +4.7% | 108.805 | $69,520 | 16 |
| Idaho | $65,450 | -9.4% | 95.494 | $68,540 | 17 |
| North Carolina | $63,720 | -11.8% | 94.326 | $67,550 | 18 |
| Maine | $65,000 | -10.1% | 97.05 | $66,980 | 19 |
| Minnesota | $65,900 | -8.8% | 98.621 | $66,820 | 20 |
| Georgia | $64,070 | -11.3% | 96.293 | $66,540 | 21 |
| Indiana | $62,080 | -14.1% | 93.329 | $66,520 | 22 |
| Wisconsin | $62,450 | -13.6% | 94.095 | $66,370 | 23 |
| South Dakota | $58,740 | -18.7% | 88.586 | $66,310 | 24 |
| Illinois | $66,180 | -8.4% | 99.958 | $66,210 | 25 |
| Kansas | $59,440 | -17.8% | 90.068 | $65,990 | 26 |
| Missouri | $59,040 | -18.3% | 90.817 | $65,010 | 27 |
| Alabama | $57,120 | -21.0% | 88.823 | $64,310 | 28 |
| Michigan | $61,800 | -14.5% | 96.217 | $64,230 | 29 |
| Tennessee | $58,620 | -18.9% | 91.87 | $63,810 | 30 |
| Florida | $65,830 | -8.9% | 103.414 | $63,660 | 31 |
| Montana | $59,990 | -17.0% | 94.645 | $63,380 | 32 |
| Iowa | $54,990 | -23.9% | 87.762 | $62,660 | 33 |
| Arizona | $62,640 | -13.3% | 100.677 | $62,220 | 34 |
| Utah | $61,020 | -15.6% | 98.864 | $61,720 | 35 |
| Oklahoma | $52,720 | -27.1% | 87.843 | $60,020 | 36 |
| Pennsylvania | $58,170 | -19.5% | 97.572 | $59,620 | 37 |
| Mississippi | $51,230 | -29.1% | 86.953 | $58,920 | 38 |
| North Dakota | $51,970 | -28.1% | 88.959 | $58,420 | 39 |
| New Hampshire | $60,690 | -16.0% | 104.165 | $58,260 | 40 |
| Rhode Island | $59,550 | -17.6% | 102.28 | $58,220 | 41 |
| Delaware | $57,310 | -20.7% | 99.808 | $57,420 | 42 |
| South Carolina | $51,850 | -28.3% | 93.749 | $55,310 | 43 |
| Arkansas | $46,490 | -35.7% | 86.937 | $53,480 | 44 |
| Nevada | $52,700 | -27.1% | 99.979 | $52,710 | 45 |
| Kentucky | $43,450 | -39.9% | 90.159 | $48,190 | 46 |
| Alaska | Not available | Not available | 102.359 | Not available | Not available |
| Colorado | Not available | Not available | 103.052 | Not available | Not available |
| Hawaii | Not available | Not available | 109.951 | Not available | Not available |
| New York | Not available | Not available | 107.921 | Not available | Not available |
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Ranks are supplied source ranks for published wage observations. Cost of living comparisons exclude Puerto Rico. Some nominal source ranks exceed 52; they are retained without correction.