Copywriters work for companies to create ad copy that persuades consumers to buy a product. Copywriters can work for marketing and advertising companies as a whole or within marketing departments of individual companies. Copywriting is a technical field that requires experience and skill. If you’re interested in becoming a copywriter, learn about your salary prospects.
Average Salary
On average, copywriters make around $43,887 a year. Keep in mind that this figure takes into account copywriters across industries and with varying experience levels. Copywriters certainly don’t make enough money to be millionaires, but they can make enough money to live comfortably.
Entry-Level Salary
Entry-level copywriters can make anywhere from $27,200 to $62,000 per year. The median salary for entry level copywriters is around $40,900. These numbers refer to entry-level salary, but many copywriters work per hour rather than for a salary position. A reasonable rate for an entry-level copywriter can fall anywhere between $10 and $31 per hour.
Education
There is no straight route education path for copywriters. If you’re considering becoming a copywriter, you should consider a bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications, English, technical writing, or journalism. Many copywriters end up in the marketing field as a result of their interest in writing. However, if you want to start out as a copywriter and continue to work your way up through the marketing profession, consider going toward a marketing or communications degree instead of a degree that is entirely focused on writing.
Location
Like most professions, copywriters are likely to make more money if they live in a big city or metropolitan area. New York, Boston, San Francisco, Chicago, Minneapolis, Seattle, and Los Angeles all have decent rates of growth for copywriting professions. Keep in mind that there is more money is large cities, in part because the property values are higher, so people need more money to sustain a career. You can still make a decent living as a copywriter in a less populated area.
Freelancing
With the rise of the internet and SEO copywriting, many copywriters are simply freelancing for various companies. Pay for freelance copywriting can vary. Some freelancers charge based on word count, and others charge per job. Others even charge per hour. Keeping all of those factors in mind, the pay per hour for a freelance copywriter comes out to anywhere between $30 and $150. The average pay per hour is around $83.
