Last updated 2 October 2026
How much does a copywriter make in 2026?
In the US, the median employed copywriter earns $76,910 a year, or $36.98 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The middle half earn $58,230 to $101,950.
Upwork puts freelance copywriters at $19 to $45 an hour, median $30, worldwide (Upwork, checked October 2026).
Work out what you should charge →
What do copywriters earn in the US?
Writers and Authors (SOC 27-3043), employees. A year (BLS, May 2025):
An hour: median $36.98, middle half $28.00 to $49.01, top tenth from $67.25. About 47,940 employees.
Counting the self-employed, BLS puts the occupation at 140,300 in 2025, 64.8% of them self-employed, and projects -0.3% change by 2035 (BLS projections 2025–35).
By state
| State | Median a year | Middle half | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $129,300 | $100,320–$158,020 | 1,050 |
| Maryland | $104,330 | $77,020–$140,670 | 540 |
| Connecticut | $98,460 | $73,610–$129,260 | 480 |
| Vermont | $94,430 | $79,920–$107,590 | 110 |
| Louisiana | $89,520 | $55,860–$105,970 | 480 |
| California | $86,480 | $75,530–$127,870 | 8,390 |
| Washington | $85,700 | $65,330–$109,000 | 770 |
| Massachusetts | $85,260 | $67,770–$108,030 | 1,350 |
| Virginia | $85,000 | $64,730–$104,000 | 1,530 |
| New Jersey | $81,590 | $60,610–$103,120 | 1,180 |
| Oregon | $80,540 | $52,620–$104,010 | 950 |
| Pennsylvania | $77,410 | $54,030–$102,480 | 1,080 |
| Colorado | $76,830 | $51,710–$95,420 | 1,300 |
| Indiana | $75,820 | $59,080–$90,590 | 450 |
| Georgia | $74,710 | $58,700–$99,260 | 820 |
| Minnesota | $72,810 | $61,970–$86,390 | 720 |
| New Hampshire | $71,830 | $50,750–$98,550 | 180 |
| Rhode Island | $70,190 | $56,180–$84,170 | 110 |
| Texas | $69,990 | $53,950–$96,260 | 2,320 |
| Illinois | $68,220 | $43,440–$97,280 | 2,640 |
| Florida | $68,080 | $47,410–$93,100 | 3,010 |
| Alabama | $66,950 | $51,840–$93,550 | 180 |
| Ohio | $65,930 | $55,680–$81,060 | 830 |
| Kansas | $65,840 | $43,740–$72,700 | 240 |
| Nebraska | $65,470 | $55,290–$77,260 | 240 |
| Utah | $64,530 | $53,800–$86,240 | 410 |
| West Virginia | $64,410 | $47,530–$72,340 | 110 |
| Wisconsin | $64,370 | $51,710–$77,220 | 710 |
| Nevada | $63,910 | $48,130–$74,940 | 190 |
| North Carolina | $63,660 | $47,940–$83,360 | 1,810 |
| Iowa | $61,010 | $50,280–$69,220 | 290 |
| Tennessee | $58,870 | $47,120–$78,900 | 1,260 |
| Oklahoma | $58,770 | $43,640–$76,950 | 220 |
| Missouri | $58,140 | $48,130–$77,570 | 600 |
| South Dakota | $56,700 | $54,080–$59,710 | 60 |
| Idaho | $56,360 | $48,770–$69,120 | 90 |
| Arizona | $55,990 | $47,340–$74,570 | 600 |
| Mississippi | $54,180 | $41,600–$63,770 | 130 |
| South Carolina | $51,920 | $41,610–$76,330 | 520 |
| North Dakota | $50,860 | $47,480–$65,590 | 80 |
| Wyoming | $49,650 | $41,560–$57,600 | n/p |
| Kentucky | $48,780 | $40,760–$64,550 | 350 |
| Arkansas | $47,970 | $39,150–$62,790 | 270 |
| Puerto Rico | $43,440 | $37,010–$47,590 | 90 |
States where BLS published a median (BLS, May 2025). n/p: not published (too few responses, or withheld to protect employers).
Where the most jobs are
| Metro area | Jobs | Median a year |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 2,120 | $75,940 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 2,060 | $108,460 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 1,270 | $66,470 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 1,130 | $85,260 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 860 | $69,100 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 850 | $64,520 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 600 | $87,560 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 570 | $76,470 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 560 | $84,130 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | 520 | $63,270 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 520 | $98,730 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 510 | $75,760 |
What do copywriters earn in the UK, Canada and Australia?
| Country | Local | In US$ |
|---|---|---|
| United StatesMedian a year (BLS, May 2025)Writers and Authors (27-3043) | $76,910 | $76,910 |
| United KingdomMedian a year, full-time (ONS ASHE, April 2025 (provisional))Authors, writers and translators (SOC 3412) | £39,459 | $52,054 |
| CanadaMedian an hour (Job Bank Canada, 2023–24 data)Authors and writers (except technical) (NOC 51111) | C$36.81 | $26.34 |
| AustraliaAverage a week, all employees (ABS, May 2025)Journalists and other writers (ANZSCO 2124) | A$1,794 | $1,157 |
US dollars at the 2025 average rates: £1 = $1.3192, US$1 = C$1.3973, A$1 = $0.645 (Federal Reserve, 2025 average). The four figures measure different things, so compare each country with itself first.
UK, full-time, a year
Authors, writers and translators (SOC 2020 3412). Authors, writers and translators. ONS rates the median reasonably precise. (ONS ASHE, April 2025 (provisional))
25th percentile £32,036 · Median £39,459 · the rest not published
Canada, an hour
Authors and writers (except technical) (NOC 51111), 2023-2024. Authors and writers (except technical). (Job Bank Canada, 2023–24 data)
Australia: Journalists and other writers, which includes copywriters. ABS publishes the average for all employees, A$1,794 a week, with a standard error of A$178 (ABS, May 2025).
What do freelance copywriters charge?
Published by the platforms, surveys and unions below, in their words. Platform figures describe that platform's own marketplace, which is worldwide; surveys are self-reported.
| What | Figure | Where | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upwork, copywriters (Upwork, checked October 2026) | $19–$45 (median $30)an hour | Worldwide | Platform data |
| Upwork, content writers (Upwork, checked October 2026) | $15–$40 (median $25)an hour | Worldwide | Platform data |
| EFA survey, business and marketing writing (ghostwritten), per word (EFA survey, 2026)Median ranges. Per hour: $87.50–$125. | 50¢–$1a word | US | Survey, self-reported |
| EFA survey, business and marketing writing (ghostwritten), per hour (EFA survey, 2026) | $88–$125an hour | US | Survey, self-reported |
| EFA survey, blog posts (ghostwritten), per word (EFA survey, 2026)Per hour: $75–$100. Blog posts as work for hire: 25.0¢–45.0¢ per word. | 25¢–40¢a word | US | Survey, self-reported |
| Payoneer survey, content writing (average) (Payoneer survey, 2022)Self-reported, 2022. | $24 averagean hour | Worldwide | Survey, self-reported |
A freelance rate has to cover what an employer would: unpaid time, software, equipment, tax and holidays. The rate calculator turns the income you want into the hourly rate and project prices that cover them.
Questions
How much does a copywriter make in the US?
In the US, the median employed copywriter earns $76,910 a year, or $36.98 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The middle half earn $58,230 to $101,950.
How much does a copywriter make in the UK?
In the UK, the nearest official group (Authors, writers and translators) has a full-time median of £39,459 a year, about $52,054 (ONS ASHE, April 2025 (provisional)). Authors, writers and translators.
How much does a copywriter make in Canada?
In Canada, Authors and writers (except technical) (NOC 51111) earn a median of C$36.81 an hour, about $26.34 (Job Bank Canada, 2023–24 data). Authors and writers (except technical).
How much does a copywriter make in Australia?
In Australia, employees in Journalists and other writers (ANZSCO 2124) average A$1,794 a week, part-time included, about $1,157 (ABS, May 2025). ABS publishes averages only at this level, not percentiles.
How much should a freelance copywriter charge?
Published figures: Upwork, copywriters: $19 to $45 an hour, median $30 (Upwork, checked October 2026); Upwork, content writers: $15 to $40 an hour, median $25 (Upwork, checked October 2026); EFA survey, business and marketing writing (ghostwritten), per word: 50¢ to $1 a word (EFA survey, 2026). These are platform and survey figures, not a census. To work out your own rate from the income you want, your costs and your billable hours, use the free calculator at https://tryslicemedia.com/tools/creative-rate-calculator.
How many copywriters are self-employed?
BLS counts 140,300 writers and authors in the US in 2025, of whom 64.8% are self-employed, and projects a change of -0.3% by 2035 (BLS projections 2025–35). The wage figures above cover employees only.
Sources
- Australian Bureau of Statistics, Employee Earnings and Hours, Australia, May 2025, Data Cube 11, published 23 January 2026. Checked 2 October 2026. Official dataAverage (mean) weekly total cash earnings of ALL employees in May 2025, part-time included, by ANZSCO four-digit occupation. ABS publishes no percentiles at this level. Creative Commons Attribution 4.0.
- Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Foreign Exchange Rates, G.5A Annual, 2025 averages, published 5 January 2026. Checked 2 October 2026. Official dataAverage of 2025 daily noon buying rates in New York. US government work, public domain.
- Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank), Job Bank wages, 2025 release (open data), published 19 November 2025. Checked 2 October 2026. Official dataHourly wages by occupation (NOC 2021), mostly from Statistics Canada's Labour Force Survey, 2023–2024. Job Bank's "low" and "high" wages are the 10th and 90th percentiles in most cases. Open Government Licence – Canada.
- Office for National Statistics (UK), Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, 2025 provisional, Table 14 (occupation by SOC 2020 four-digit), published 23 October 2025. Checked 2 October 2026. Official dataEmployee jobs in April 2025, from HMRC PAYE records. Full-time employees, gross pay. Figures ONS judges unreliable or disclosive are suppressed and shown here as not published. Provisional: ONS revises them a year later. Open Government Licence v3.0.
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025, published 15 May 2026. Checked 2 October 2026. Official dataSurvey of about 1.1 million employer establishments over three years. Wage and salary workers only: the self-employed are not included. Annual figures are hourly wages times 2,080 hours. US government work, public domain.
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35, Table 1.2. Checked 2 October 2026. Official dataProjected change in employment from 2025 to 2035, including the self-employed, and the share of workers who are self-employed. US government work, public domain.
- Editorial Freelancers Association, 2026 Rate Chart, published March 2026. Checked 2 October 2026. Survey, self-reportedSurvey of EFA members, November 2025 to mid-January 2026: over 1,100 respondents, rates charged in 2025. Median ranges. Self-reported; the EFA neither sets rates nor advises members. Copyright EFA; quoted with attribution.
- Payoneer, Global Freelancer Income Report 2022, published 2022. Checked 2 October 2026. Survey, self-reportedSurvey of 2,000 Payoneer customers in over 100 countries. Self-reported averages (means). Four years old: the newer 2023 edition gives no figures by field. Copyright Payoneer; quoted with attribution.
- Upwork, Copywriter Hourly Rates. Checked 2 October 2026. Platform data"Typical hourly rate ranges of certain historical contracts worldwide." The range is on the page; the median is in the page's own description (its meta text). No date on the page. Copyright Upwork; quoted with attribution.
- Upwork, Content Writer Hourly Rates. Checked 2 October 2026. Platform data"Typical hourly rate ranges of certain historical contracts worldwide." The range is on the page; the median is in the page's own description (its meta text). No date on the page. Copyright Upwork; quoted with attribution.
How the roles are matched to official groups, and the rest of the method: Creative pay 2026. Download the data (CSV).
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