National Salary Info » Writers and Editors

Highest Paying Industries for Writers and Editors

The top 100 highest paying industries for writers and editors (ranked by average annual salary) are listed in Table 1. The entry level salary (as measured by the salary of the lowest 10% paid earners) and the number of employment in those industries are also shown. As shown in the table, with an average annual salary of $85,820, wireless telecommunications carriers (except satellite) is the highest paying industry for writers and editors. It is followed by natural gas distribution industry (average annual salary $84,330). The salary and employment information is computed from data published by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2015 [1]. For more information about salaries of writers and editors in a specific industry, use the links in the table.

Table 1. 100 Highest Paying Industries for Writers and Editors

Rank	Industry	Average Salary i	Entry Level Salary i	# of Empl. i
1	Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite)	$85,820	$43,480	170
2	Natural Gas Distribution	$84,330	$45,900	40
3	Manufacturing and Reproducing Magnetic and Optical Media	$82,220	$47,360	70
4	Utilities	$81,390	$53,400	190
5	Federal government, including USPS	$81,090	$52,720	2,340
6	Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation)	$81,090	$52,720	2,320
7	Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution	$80,930	$54,480	150
8	Legal Services	$77,600	$41,410	250
9	Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers	$77,280	$49,080	n/a
10	Household Appliances and Electrical and Electronic Goods Merchant Wholesalers	$76,820	$45,290	240
11	Monetary Authorities-Central Bank	$76,330	$51,020	50
12	Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing	$76,110	$51,730	n/a
13	Paper and Paper Product Merchant Wholesalers	$76,080	$42,370	n/a
14	Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing	$75,050	$46,050	1,490
15	Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing	$75,010	$47,700	1,140
16	Transportation Equipment Manufacturing	$74,260	$49,630	n/a
17	Specialty hospitals - Privately owned	$74,210	$53,440	90
18	Securities and Commodity Contracts Intermediation and Brokerage	$74,160	$44,550	170
19	Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing	$73,920	$45,380	3,710
20	Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing	$73,560	$40,790	600
21	Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences	$73,520	$44,480	3,020
22	Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities	$72,520	$42,390	370
23	Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals	$72,100	$50,970	130
24	Waste Treatment and Disposal	$71,770	$37,740	120
25	Computer Systems Design and Related Services	$71,440	$40,980	10,750
26	Software Publishers	$71,430	$38,130	3,440
27	Other Financial Investment Activities	$71,100	$40,720	200
28	Mining	$70,920	$49,960	30
29	Scientific Research and Development Services	$70,900	$42,580	3,770
30	Testing Laboratories	$70,790	$43,000	900
31	Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing	$70,010	$44,140	1,010
32	Wholesale Electronic Markets and Agents and Brokers	$69,980	$40,070	820
33	Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing	$69,520	$41,130	250
34	Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction	$69,510	$48,060	30
35	Chemical Manufacturing	$69,170	$42,900	1,090
36	Manufacturing	$68,410	$40,650	9,220
37	Hospitals - Privately owned	$68,350	$41,560	810
38	Temporary Help Services	$68,210	$40,270	4,010
39	Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers	$68,190	$39,120	690
40	Employment Services	$68,060	$39,040	4,860
41	Federal, State, and Local Government (OES Designation)	$67,660	$41,820	3,930
42	Federal, State, and Local Government	$67,660	$41,820	3,930
43	Waste Management and Remediation Services	$67,600	$33,170	250
44	General Medical and Surgical Hospitals - Privately owned	$67,360	$40,750	720
45	Commercial and Industrial Machinery Equipment (except Auto and Electronic) Repair and Maintenance	$67,300	$40,690	30
46	Rental and Leasing Services	$67,250	$28,090	30
47	Hospitals (including private, state, and local government hospitals)	$67,190	$41,410	950
48	Business schools and computer and management training - Privately owned	$67,110	$40,490	520
49	Cable and Other Subscription Programming	$67,080	$34,180	750
50	Construction of Buildings	$66,550	$49,420	40
51	Communications Equipment Manufacturing	$66,510	$43,900	390
52	Business Schools and Computer and Management Training	$66,440	$40,620	530
53	Miscellaneous Manufacturing	$66,440	$37,710	380
54	Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	$66,370	$36,150	40,700
55	Offices of Physicians	$66,290	$40,750	210
56	General Medical and Surgical Hospitals	$66,160	$40,480	820
57	Direct Insurance (except Life, Health, and Medical) Carriers	$65,750	$41,830	170
58	Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods	$65,660	$38,560	1,340
59	Activities Related to Real Estate	$65,620	$38,980	70
60	Labor Unions and Similar Labor Organizations	$65,360	$25,060	300
61	Nonresidential Building Construction	$65,280	$50,130	40
62	Wholesale Trade	$65,220	$38,590	3,180
63	Nondepository Credit Intermediation	$65,150	$42,320	200
64	Motion Picture and Video Industries	$65,130	$32,500	5,590
65	Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services	$64,760	$42,320	4,670
66	Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services	$64,760	$35,040	390
67	Industrial Machinery Manufacturing	$64,280	$37,200	220
68	Finance and Insurance	$64,270	$40,950	2,480
69	Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing	$64,260	$43,230	170
70	Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities	$64,160	$41,090	310
71	Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries	$64,160	$32,380	5,860
72	Credit Intermediation and Related Activities	$63,800	$39,730	750
73	Activities Related to Credit Intermediation	$63,660	$36,560	300
74	Grantmaking and Giving Services	$63,450	$35,460	1,500
75	Engineering Services	$63,400	$42,930	3,410
76	Construction	$63,350	$37,910	130
77	Machinery, Equipment, and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers	$63,310	$37,480	140
78	Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services	$63,140	$34,620	8,030
79	Drugs and Druggists' Sundries Merchant Wholesalers	$62,970	$39,400	310
80	Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories	$62,930	$40,660	80
81	Depository Credit Intermediation	$62,680	$41,810	250
82	Hospitals - State government owned	$62,630	$42,420	90
83	Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations	$62,500	$33,560	5,090
84	Management of Companies and Enterprises	$62,490	$36,830	4,780
85	Repair and Maintenance	$62,390	$34,370	70
86	Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services	$62,350	$32,330	10,180
87	Support Activities for Air Transportation	$62,270	$39,110	130
88	Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services	$62,150	$34,780	7,990
89	Insurance Carriers and Related Activities	$62,060	$41,190	1,280
90	Other Nondepository Credit Intermediation	$62,010	$40,150	110
91	Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing	$61,970	$38,030	150
92	Transportation and Warehousing	$61,930	$36,410	570
93	Administrative and Support Services	$61,880	$34,840	7,740
94	Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers	$61,660	$24,340	4,540
95	Electrical Equipment Manufacturing	$61,440	$42,110	120
96	Scheduled Air Transportation	$61,350	$35,170	310
97	Insurance Carriers	$61,330	$41,220	970
98	Outpatient Care Centers	$61,290	$34,630	160
99	Direct Health and Medical Insurance Carriers	$61,030	$40,900	590
100	Specialized Design Services	$60,960	$34,470	950