As of July 01, 2026, the average annual salary for Scriptwriter in Chicago, IL is $63,008, equivalent to $30 per hour, $1,212 weekly, or $5,251 monthly. These figures, sourced from Salary.com’s real-time job posting scans, highlight competitive earning potential for Scriptwriter in cities like San Jose, Santa Clara, and San Francisco.

Annually Salaries for Scriptwriter in Chicago, IL vary widely, spanning from $45,398 to $73,045. Most professionals fall between the 25th percentile ($53,790) and 75th percentile ($68,262), while top earners (90th percentile) make $73,045 per year. This $14,472 pay gap underscores opportunities for salary growth through certifications, specialized skills like Presentation or Programming, or targeting high-paying regions like District of Columbia or California.

Location and experience significantly influence earnings. For example, Chicago Scriptwriter often earn 1.4% higher than national averages. However, Chicago currently ranks 249 statewide for Scriptwriter job salary. Professionals are advised to focus on high-growth sectors like to offset market challenges.

Based on HR-reported data: a national average with a geographic differential
Scriptwriter Salaries by Percentile
Percentile Salary Location Last Updated
10th Percentile Scriptwriter Salary $45,398 Chicago, IL July 01, 2026
25th Percentile Scriptwriter Salary $53,790 Chicago, IL July 01, 2026
50th Percentile Scriptwriter Salary $63,008 Chicago, IL July 01, 2026
75th Percentile Scriptwriter Salary $68,262 Chicago, IL July 01, 2026
90th Percentile Scriptwriter Salary $73,045 Chicago, IL July 01, 2026
25% $53,790 10% $45,398 90% $73,045 75% $68,262 $63,008 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click
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What is a Scriptwriter ?

A screenplay writer (also called screenwriter for short), scriptwriter or scenarist, is a writer who practices the craft of screenwriting, writing screenplays on which mass media, such as films, television programs and video games, are based....

Source: Wikipedia (as of 04/18/2019). Read more from Wikipedia

See user submitted job responsibilities for Scriptwriter.

Job Openings for Scriptwriter in Chicago, IL

Career Path for this job

  1. This Job:

    Scriptwriter

    0 - 2 years experience
    Bachelor's Degree

  2. Up a level:

    Senior Producer

    2 - 4 years experience
    Bachelor's Degree

Understand the total compensation opportunity for a Scriptwriter, base salary plus other pay elements

Average Base Salary

Core compensation

 
 
 
53790
68262
63008

Average Total Cash Compensation

Includes base and annual incentives

 
 
 
58532
77853
67558
These charts show the average base salary (core compensation), as well as the average total cash compensation for the job of Scriptwriter in Chicago, IL. The base salary for Scriptwriter ranges from $53,790 to $68,262 with the average base salary of $63,008. The total cash compensation, which includes base, and annual incentives, can vary anywhere from $58,532 to $77,853 with the average total cash compensation of $67,558.

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53790
68262

 

About Chicago, Illinois    Chicago (/ʃɪˈkɑːɡoʊ/ (listen), locally also /-ˈkɔː-/), officially the City of Chicago, is the most populous city in Illinois, as well as the third mos....More

Chicago, Illinois  area prices were up 0.8% from a year ago

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