Writers and Authors
SOC Code: 27-3043 Job Zone 4: Considerable Preparation Needed
Originate and prepare written material, such as scripts, stories, advertisements, and other material.
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Prevailing Wage Levels (National)
DOL/OFLC prevailing wage thresholds for Writers and Authors. Hourly rates x 2,080 = annual.
FY2027 Weighted Lottery Impact
| Level | Lottery Entries | Est. Selection Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Level I (Entry) | 1 entry | ~16% |
| Level II (Qualified) | 2 entries | ~31% |
| Level III (Experienced) | 3 entries | ~45% |
| Level IV (Expert) | 4 entries | ~61% |
Prevailing Wages by Metro Area
| Metro Area | Level I | Level II | Level III | Level IV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $49,192 | $92,019 | $134,826 | $177,653 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $62,254 | $89,939 | $117,645 | $145,330 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $59,446 | $87,963 | $116,459 | $144,976 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $70,512 | $92,851 | $115,170 | $137,509 |
| Winchester, VA-WV | $68,349 | $91,062 | $113,755 | $136,469 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $64,584 | $88,379 | $112,154 | $135,949 |
| Modesto, CA | $64,480 | $88,275 | $112,091 | $135,886 |
| Lexington Park, MD | $69,264 | $91,458 | $113,672 | $135,866 |
| Merced, CA | $56,763 | $82,805 | $108,826 | $134,867 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $66,664 | $89,378 | $112,070 | $134,784 |
H-1B Filing Data
Top H-1B Employers
| Employer | Filings | Avg Wage |
|---|---|---|
| ANOMALY PARTNERS LLC | 10 | $163,250 |
| Facebook, Inc. | 5 | $154,265 |
| Meta Platforms, Inc. | 4 | $193,094 |
| Meta Platforms, Inc | 4 | $220,379 |
| Apple Inc. | 4 | $148,532 |
| SKELETON INC | 4 | $104,000 |
| BBDO USA, LLC | 4 | $113,257 |
| Public People LLC | 3 | $189,667 |
| Goodby, Silverstein and Partners, Inc. | 3 | $114,342 |
| TBWA WORLDWIDE INC. | 3 | $146,667 |
Filing Trend
| Year | Filings | Avg Wage |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 8 | $91,853 |
| 2021 | 11 | $129,198 |
| 2022 | 14 | $113,200 |
| 2023 | 34 | $95,170 |
| 2024 | 55 | $111,789 |
| 2025 | 70 | $103,091 |
| 2026 | 5 | $133,076 |
Key Skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Writing | 4.8 | |
| Reading Comprehension | 4.1 | |
| Speaking | 3.9 | |
| Active Listening | 3.9 | |
| Critical Thinking | 3.6 | |
| Time Management | 3.6 | |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.4 | |
| Active Learning | 3.4 | |
| Coordination | 3.4 | |
| Persuasion | 3.4 |
Knowledge Areas
| Knowledge | Importance |
|---|---|
| English Language | 5.0 |
| Sales and Marketing | 4.3 |
| Communications and Media | 4.2 |
| Customer and Personal Service | 4.0 |
| Computers and Electronics | 3.5 |
| Mathematics | 2.9 |
| Administrative | 2.8 |
| Administration and Management | 2.7 |
Education Requirements
| Education Level | % of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree | 47.0% |
| Post-secondary certificate | 35.4% |
| Associate's degree | 17.7% |
Typical Tasks
- Discuss with the client the product, advertising themes and methods, and any changes that should be made in advertising copy.
- Present drafts and ideas to clients.
- Vary language and tone of messages based on product and medium.
- Develop advertising campaigns for a wide range of clients, working with an advertising agency's creative director and art director to determine the best way to present advertising information.
- Write articles, bulletins, sales letters, speeches, and other related informative, marketing and promotional material.
- Review advertising trends, consumer surveys, and other data regarding marketing of goods and services to determine the best way to promote products.
Technology Skills
Green = Hot Technology in demand
Adobe Acrobat Adobe After Effects Adobe Creative Cloud software Adobe Illustrator Adobe InDesign Adobe Photoshop Asana Canva Facebook Figma Google Analytics Google Docs Google Workspace software HubSpot software Hypertext markup language HTML
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