Writers and Authors salary
in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
- Middle 50%
- $49,230–$99,990
- vs U.S. median
- -1%
- Metro rank
- #15 of 30
Writers and Authors in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro earn a median of $75,940 a year, based on BLS estimates for 2,120 jobs (May 2025). That is 1% below the U.S. median of $76,910 and 11% above the IL statewide median of $68,220. It ranks #15 of 30 metros with published figures for this job.
- SOURCEBLS OEWS, May 2025
- SAMPLE2,120 jobs (estimate)
- SCOPEall employers, all experience levels
- PERIODMay 2025 estimates
Full percentile breakdown
BLS · metro vs U.S.
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RELATED JOBS IN CHICAGO
Questions
What is the average Writers and Authors salary in Chicago?
The BLS median is $75,940 a year (May 2025). Half of the 2,120 jobs pay between $49,230 and $99,990. The 10th percentile is $43,440 and the 90th is $134,710.
Is Chicago a high-paying metro for Writers and Authors?
That is 1% below the U.S. median of $76,910 and 11% above the IL statewide median of $68,220. It ranks #15 of 30 U.S. metros with published BLS figures for this job.
How much do Writers and Authors make an hour in Chicago?
About $36.51 an hour at the median (the BLS annual figure of $75,940 divided by 2,080 hours, the conversion BLS uses). The middle half earn about $23.67–$48.07 an hour. Straight-time pay, before overtime and shift differentials.
Does this include experience levels?
BLS figures cover all experience levels together. Employer filings carry a DOL wage level, which the free checker can filter by (approximate).
Sources: U.S. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (national + state) (metro area estimates, all employers); employer rows from U.S. DOL OFLC LCA Disclosure Data, FY2026 Q3 (LCA_Disclosure_Data_FY2026_Q3.xlsx). Base pay only. Estimates can have sampling error, especially for smaller metros.