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Screenwriter Salary in the United States

How much does a Screenwriter make in the United States? The salary range for a Screenwriter job is from $51,157 to $65,571 per year in the United States. Click on the filter to check out Screenwriter job salaries by hourly, weekly, biweekly, semimonthly, monthly, and yearly.

Average base salary
updated at April 01, 2025
$58,175
Per Year
The average salary for a Screenwriter is $58,175
per Year in the United States.
Individually reported data submitted by users of our website

HOW SHOULD YOU USE THIS DATA?

Employees: Use this as a guide for salary expectations, but be aware that responsibilities can change across companies for the same job title, so there may be differences between this data, other free site and our subscription products bought by employers.

Employers: This data could be used as reference point in your market pricing, but not the only source, due to differences across jobs locations, and sizes of companies.Consider additional sources like our Employer reported data.

Base Salary
$51,157
$58,175
Medium
$65,571

Highest Paying Cities for Screenwriter in the United States

Screenwriter salaries in the United States will pay differently by cities. Below following are the eight cities with the highest income for Screenwriter jobs in the United States. The city with the highest salary is San Jose. Click on the Screenwriter salary in cities you are interested in to view detailed job salary information.

States with Higher Salaries for Screenwriter

The five states where Screenwriter jobs get higher salaries in the United States are: District of Columbia, California, Massachusetts, Washington, and New Jersey. Compared with the average salary of a Screenwriter in the United States, the state of District of Columbia with the highest job income for this job. The second and third states are California and Massachusetts respectively. The high or low salary paid to Screenwriter by the US has a greater relationship with the demand for jobs and the cost of living.

How Much Do Similar Professions Get Paid in the United States?

There are some different titles for Screenwriter jobs, and the job title of Screenwriter will vary in different companies. The job title has a lot to do with the department and responsibilities, and the same job title will vary in different departments. The following list is the salary of jobs similar to Screenwriter, start to view Screenwriter-related jobs you are interested in.

How Much Should You Be Earning?

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What Does a Screenwriter Do?

Also, professional screenwriters do not often work for free, but amateur screenwriters will often work for free and are considered "writers in training." Spec scripts are usually penned by unknown professional screenwriters and amateur screenwriters.

December 21, 2021

The internet likewise offers a wide range of totally free resources via screenwriting-centric websites or the like through MasterClass or YouTube that aspiring Screenwriters and TV Writers can take advantage of anytime they want for no little or no cost.

December 17, 2021

On the writing side, the best skill that a person could have to be a Writer–whether it’s a Screenwriter or any other kind of Writer–is curiosity and good observational skills.

December 16, 2021

Several fellowships exist that also aim to educate and deepen the expertise of aspiring Screenwriters and TV Writers.

December 16, 2021

A non-union writer may write for free; whereas an established screenwriter can write for millions of dollars.

December 16, 2021

Most Common Benefits for Screenwriter

Social Security
Healthcare
401(k)
Pension
Disability
Time Off (days)

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about salaries for a Screenwriter
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Also, professional screenwriters do not often work for free, but amateur screenwriters will often work for free and are considered "writers in training." Spec scripts are usually penned by unknown professional screenwriters and amateur screenwriters.
Is this information useful?
Thank you!
Check the below career pages for detailed pay ranges for similar professions to Screenwriter:
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Explore our personal salary report to know the Screenwriter market value in the United States. And find out if any places are having a higher Screenwriter salary.
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The highest Screenwriter salary is $65,571, while the lowest is $51,157 in the United States.
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