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Writer / Author

$76,910
median / year
$44,310 – $139,870
what most earn per year (10th–90th percentile)

What the job actually is

Write articles, books, scripts, marketing copy, or other content for a range of audiences.

You may also see this posted as: Advertisement Agency Copywriter (Ad Agency Copywriter), Advertising Copywriter, Copywriter, Freelance Copywriter, Advertising Associate, Advertising Writer.

Where you work

Home offices and media or corporate settings.

The hours

Flexible but deadline-driven

The day to day

What you'd actually spend time doing

  • Develop advertising campaigns for a wide range of clients, working with an advertising agency's creative director and art director to determine the best way to present advertising information.
  • Vary language and tone of messages based on product and medium.
  • Present drafts and ideas to clients.
  • Discuss with the client the product, advertising themes and methods, and any changes that should be made in advertising copy.
  • Review advertising trends, consumer surveys, and other data regarding marketing of goods and services to determine the best way to promote products.

Good fit if you like…

Artistic

creating, designing, performing, or working without a rigid script

Enterprising

leading, persuading, selling, or turning an idea into action

Conventional

organizing information, following systems, and getting details right

O*NET job zone 4 of 5

High preparation—usually a four-year degree plus experience—is common.

Work styles that matter most

InnovationAchievement OrientationIntellectual CuriosityDependability

Software that shows up in the work

Examples employers report—not a checklist you must already know.

Adobe Creative Cloud softwareAdobe PhotoshopAdobe Premiere ProCanvaMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office software

By the numbers

May 2025 BLS wage & employment data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.

Median pay
$76,910
per year
Hourly median
$36.98
per hour
What most earn
$44,310–$139,870
yearly, 10th to 90th percentile
Openings a year
~13,400
projected, 2024–34
Outlook to 2034
+3.6%
About average
Working in the U.S.
47,940
people, nationwide

Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.

“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.

BLS estimates 62.9% of workers in this occupation are self-employed.

What it pays in your state

Statewide medians are a better starting point than the national number. Your city and experience still matter.

BLS state wage tables

How you get in

Typical starting education

Bachelor's degree

Training path: Bachelor's degree.

Related work experience: None.

On-the-job training: Long-term on-the-job training.

License or certification

No license required to start in most places.

Check the path where you live

Licensing rules and available programs change by state. These federal tools take you to the current official listings.

What it takes

WritingResearchEditingStorytelling

The honest take

Many piece together freelance and salaried work, so income can be uneven early on.

Standard Occupational Classification 27-3043. Pay and employment from the BLS May 2025 OEWS survey; outlook and openings from the 2024–34 employment projections; job context from the Occupational Outlook Handbook; tasks, interests, work styles, software examples, and job zone from O*NET 30.3. See something off? Tell us.