Writers and Authors salary in California
The median writers and authors in California earns $86,480 a year, 12% above the US median. After tax that is roughly $5,301 a month.
- 10th percentile
- $56,730
- 25th percentile
- $75,530
- Median percentile
- $86,480
- 75th percentile
- $127,870
- 90th percentile
- $193,080
Based on 8,390 employed. Data period: BLS OEWS May 2025. Percentiles show the spread of pay, not experience; reading the 25th percentile as "entry level" is only an approximation.
What you keep
$63,615 take-home a year
| Gross pay | $86,480 |
| Federal income tax | −$10,196 |
| Social Security + Medicare | −$6,616 |
| California income tax (approx.) | −$6,054 |
| Monthly take-home | $5,301 |
| Every two weeks | $2,447 |
Does it go far here?
$78,107Median pay in California is worth this at average US prices (local price level 110.7 vs 100).
38%of take-home pay goes to the median rent ($2,036 a month, Census ACS).
Top-paying jobs in California
| Job | Median pay |
|---|---|
| Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric | $400,150 |
| Neurologists | $357,080 |
| Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | $353,900 |
| Psychiatrists | $353,500 |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | $313,890 |
| Obstetricians and Gynecologists | $301,240 |
| Nurse Anesthetists | $292,410 |
| Physicians, All Other | $281,590 |
All writers and authors salaries · Take-home pay in California