As of July 01, 2026, the average annual salary for Scriptwriter in Washington, DC is $67,142, equivalent to $32 per hour, $1,291 weekly, or $5,595 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 Washington, DC vary widely, spanning from $48,376 to $77,837. Most professionals fall between the 25th percentile ($57,319) and 75th percentile ($72,740), while top earners (90th percentile) make $77,837 per year. This $15,421 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, Washington Scriptwriter often earn 0.5% higher than national averages. However, Washington currently ranks 79 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 $48,376 Washington, DC July 01, 2026
25th Percentile Scriptwriter Salary $57,319 Washington, DC July 01, 2026
50th Percentile Scriptwriter Salary $67,142 Washington, DC July 01, 2026
75th Percentile Scriptwriter Salary $72,740 Washington, DC July 01, 2026
90th Percentile Scriptwriter Salary $77,837 Washington, DC July 01, 2026
25% $57,319 10% $48,376 90% $77,837 75% $72,740 $67,142 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 Washington, DC

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

 
 
 
57319
72740
67142

Average Total Cash Compensation

Includes base and annual incentives

 
 
 
62372
82961
71991
These charts show the average base salary (core compensation), as well as the average total cash compensation for the job of Scriptwriter in Washington, DC. The base salary for Scriptwriter ranges from $57,319 to $72,740 with the average base salary of $67,142. The total cash compensation, which includes base, and annual incentives, can vary anywhere from $62,372 to $82,961 with the average total cash compensation of $71,991.

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57319
72740

 

About Washington, District of Columbia    Washington, D.C. is located in the mid-Atlantic region of the U.S. East Coast. Due to the District of Columbia retrocession, the city has a total area....More

Washington, District of Columbia  area prices were up 1.3% from a year ago

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