As of July 01, 2026, the average annual salary for Scriptwriter in Los Angeles, CA is $67,368, equivalent to $32 per hour, $1,296 weekly, or $5,614 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 Los Angeles, CA vary widely, spanning from $48,539 to $78,099. Most professionals fall between the 25th percentile ($57,512) and 75th percentile ($72,985), while top earners (90th percentile) make $78,099 per year. This $15,473 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, Los Angeles Scriptwriter often earn 0.2% higher than national averages. However, Los Angeles currently ranks 69 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 $48,539 Los Angeles, CA July 01, 2026
25th Percentile Scriptwriter Salary $57,512 Los Angeles, CA July 01, 2026
50th Percentile Scriptwriter Salary $67,368 Los Angeles, CA July 01, 2026
75th Percentile Scriptwriter Salary $72,985 Los Angeles, CA July 01, 2026
90th Percentile Scriptwriter Salary $78,099 Los Angeles, CA July 01, 2026
25% $57,512 10% $48,539 90% $78,099 75% $72,985 $67,368 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 Los Angeles, CA

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

 
 
 
57512
72985
67368

Average Total Cash Compensation

Includes base and annual incentives

 
 
 
62582
83240
72233
These charts show the average base salary (core compensation), as well as the average total cash compensation for the job of Scriptwriter in Los Angeles, CA. The base salary for Scriptwriter ranges from $57,512 to $72,985 with the average base salary of $67,368. The total cash compensation, which includes base, and annual incentives, can vary anywhere from $62,582 to $83,240 with the average total cash compensation of $72,233.

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57512
72985

 

About Los Angeles, California    Los Angeles (/lɔːs ˈændʒələs/ (listen);[a] Spanish: Los Ángeles), officially the City of Los Angeles and often known by its initials L.A., is the most....More

Los Angeles, California  area prices were up 3.2% from a year ago

Scriptwriter Salary in popular cities: San DiegoSan JoseSan Francisco

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