Creative pay 2026
Copywriter salary in Pennsylvania (2026)
Writers and copywriters in Pennsylvania earn a median $77,410 a year ($37.22 an hour), according to BLS wage data for May 2025. That is close to the US median for the job ($76,910), 12th of 44 states and territories. The median for every job in Pennsylvania is $49,690, so this pays 56% more than the typical job there.
- $77,410median a year in Pennsylvania
- $37.22median an hour
- +1%vs the US median ($76,910)
- 1,080employee jobs (BLS estimate)
What is the salary range for a copywriter in Pennsylvania?
Half of writers and copywriters in Pennsylvania earn between $54,030 and $102,480. Pay is more spread out than nationally: the top 10% earn at least 4.4 times what the bottom 10% earn, against 3.2 times across the US.
| 10th percentile | $40,270 | $44,310 | $19.36 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25th | $54,030 | $58,230 | $25.98 |
| Median | $77,410 | $76,910 | $37.22 |
| 75th | $102,480 | $101,950 | $49.27 |
| 90th percentile | $178,490 | $139,870 | $85.81 |
The mean (average) is $90,060, above the median, pulled up by the highest earners.
How does Pennsylvania compare with other states?
Pennsylvania sits 12th of 44, between Oregon ($80,540) and Colorado ($76,830).
| Maryland | $104,330 | +35% | 540 |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | $81,590 | +5% | 1,180 |
| Ohio | $65,930 | −15% | 830 |
| West Virginia | $64,410 | −17% | 110 |
Which cities in Pennsylvania pay writers and copywriters best?
Of the 3 metro areas in Pennsylvania where BLS publishes a median for the job, Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington pays most, at $84,130, 9% above the state median.
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 560 | $84,130 | $40.45 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | 50 | $77,740 | $37.37 |
| Lancaster, PA | 50 | $65,660 | $31.57 |
How many writers and copywriters work in Pennsylvania?
BLS estimates 1,080 employee jobs, 0.18 in every 1,000 jobs in the state. The job is rarer here than nationally: a location quotient of 0.58, where 1 is the US average.
Employees only. BLS does not count the self-employed, who are a large share of several creative jobs.
What do other creative jobs pay in Pennsylvania?
1 of the 5 other creative jobs below pay a higher median in Pennsylvania.
| UX/UI designer | $104,160 | 2,820 |
|---|---|---|
| Motion designer | $71,760 | 300 |
| Graphic designer | $60,730 | 8,150 |
| Videographer | $51,760 | 670 |
| Photographer | $40,520 | 1,870 |
What do freelance writers and copywriters charge?
Upwork, copywriters list $19 to $45 an hour, worldwide. Pennsylvania's employee median of $37.22 an hour is inside that range. The rate calculator works out an hourly rate from the salary you want.
Questions
What is the average copywriter salary in Pennsylvania?
The median is $77,410 a year and the mean is $90,060, from BLS data for May 2025 covering about 1,080 employee jobs.
How much does a copywriter make an hour in Pennsylvania?
The median hourly wage is $37.22. The bottom 10% earn under $19.36 and the top 10% over $85.81.
What does a starting copywriter earn in Pennsylvania?
BLS does not publish pay by experience. The lowest-paid quarter of writers and copywriters in Pennsylvania earn under $54,030 a year and the lowest-paid tenth under $40,270, which is the nearest guide to starting pay.
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Where do these numbers come from?
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (published 15 May 2026). Occupation 27-3043, Writers and Authors. Employees only; annual figures are hourly times 2,080.
n = 1,080 jobs in the Pennsylvania estimate. Last updated 2 October 2026.
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Copywriter pay in other states
- District of Columbia $129,300
- Maryland $104,330
- Connecticut $98,460
- Louisiana $89,520
- California $86,480
- Washington $85,700
- Massachusetts $85,260
- Virginia $85,000
- New Jersey $81,590
- Oregon $80,540
- Colorado $76,830
- Indiana $75,820