Authors & Writers by the Numbers

185,276: Total number of authors and writers, 2005

39: % increase in authors between 1990 and 2005

51.9: % of authors who work full-time writing

$50,800: Median income for full-time authors, 2005

$38,700: Median income for entire civilian labor force, 2005

$38,800: Median income for all authors, 2005

$47,300: Median income for male authors, 2005

$33,300: Median income for female authors, 2005

54.9: % of authors who are female

10.8: % of authors who are minorities

26.8: % of authors under age 35

83.1: % of authors with at least a bachelor's degree

45.9: % of authors who are self-employed

50,000: Estimated number of writers living in California and New York

1: Rank of Santa Fe, N.Mex., among cities, authors per capita

Source: National Endowment for the Arts study Artists in the Workforce: 1990–2005