The average wage for a sports writer in the United States is around $9.03 per hour.
Avg Wage
Sports writers earn an average hourly wage of $9.03.
Salaries typically start from $6.68 per hour and go up to $12.20 per hour.
71% below national average Updated in 2023
Sports writer earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level sports writer earnings begin at:
$12.20 per hour
$25,381 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level sports writer earnings begin at:
$10.58 per hour
$22,004 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level sports writer earnings begin at:
$9.03 per hour
$18,777 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level sports writer earnings begin at:
$7.70 per hour
$16,023 per year
10th percentile
Starting level sports writer earnings begin at:
$6.68 per hour
$13,891 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Sports writer salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| North Dakota | $38,260 |
| Indiana | $37,180 |
| New York | $34,570 |
| Texas | $33,700 |
| Michigan | $30,960 |
| Alaska | $30,790 |
| Washington | $30,660 |
| Arizona | $29,790 |
| California | $29,760 |
| New Jersey | $29,600 |
| Missouri | $29,340 |
| Pennsylvania | $29,230 |
| Connecticut | $28,650 |
| Illinois | $28,560 |
| Maryland | $28,460 |
| Delaware | $28,350 |
| Iowa | $28,300 |
| South Dakota | $27,970 |
| Virginia | $27,410 |
| Florida | $24,360 |
| Minnesota | $23,890 |
| Alabama | $23,850 |
| Kansas | $23,720 |
| Nevada | $23,710 |
| Louisiana | $23,550 |
| Nebraska | $23,540 |
| Oregon | $22,780 |
| South Carolina | $22,090 |
| Ohio | $21,320 |
| New Mexico | $19,380 |
| Montana | $19,020 |
| Oklahoma | $18,280 |
| Mississippi | $17,800 |
| Kentucky | $17,670 |
How do sports writer salaries compare to similar careers?
Sports writers earn about the same as related careers in the United States. On average, they make less than editors but more than referees.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Editor salary | $32K |
| Proofreader salary | $28K |
| Physical education teacher salary | $26K |
| Sports scout salary | $24K |
| Athletic trainer salary | $21K |
| Sports writer salary | $19K |
| Fitness trainer salary | $17K |
| Writer salary | $8K |
| Athlete salary | $3K |
| Referee salary | $1K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)