What is a Copy Writer?
Occupation Description Write advertising copy for use by publication or broadcast media to promote sale of goods and services.
Life As a Copy Writer: What Do They Do?
- Conduct research and interviews to determine which of a product’s selling features should be promoted.
- Write to customers in their terms and on their level so that the advertiser’s sales message is more readily received.
- Develop advertising campaigns for a wide range of clients, working with an advertising agency’s creative director and art director to determine the best way to present advertising information.
- Present drafts and ideas to clients.
- Consult with sales, media and marketing representatives to obtain information on product or service and discuss style and length of advertising copy.
- Write advertising copy for use by publication, broadcast, or internet media to promote the sale of goods and services.
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Things a Copy Writer Should Know How to Do
These are the skills Copy Writers say are the most useful in their careers:
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Related Job Titles for this Occupation:
- Advertising Copy Writer
- Advertising Specialist
- Advertising Writer
- Ad Copy Writer
- Ad Writer
Job Outlook for Copy Writers
There were about 131,200 jobs for Copy Writer in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 7.6% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 10,000 new jobs for Copy Writer by 2026. There will be an estimated 12,600 positions for Copy Writer per year.

The states with the most job growth for Copy Writer are Utah, Washington, and Colorado. Watch out if you plan on working in Kansas, New Mexico, or Vermont. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Copy Writer Salary
The average yearly salary of a Copy Writer ranges between $31,700 and $121,670.

Copy Writers who work in District of Columbia, California, or Connecticut, make the highest salaries.
How much do Copy Writers make in different U.S. states?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $58,590 |
Alaska | $64,200 |
Arizona | $55,410 |
Arkansas | $48,670 |
California | $96,910 |
Colorado | $65,450 |
Connecticut | $78,440 |
Delaware | $60,690 |
District of Columbia | $101,690 |
Florida | $53,140 |
Georgia | $63,260 |
Hawaii | $50,740 |
Idaho | $52,570 |
Illinois | $68,710 |
Indiana | $61,920 |
Iowa | $50,680 |
Kansas | $62,670 |
Kentucky | $54,320 |
Louisiana | $44,710 |
Maine | $61,090 |
Maryland | $75,430 |
Massachusetts | $70,000 |
Michigan | $60,850 |
Minnesota | $67,300 |
Mississippi | $53,810 |
Missouri | $57,420 |
Montana | $47,440 |
Nebraska | $45,280 |
Nevada | $53,730 |
New Hampshire | $56,850 |
New Jersey | $81,160 |
New Mexico | $49,460 |
New York | $86,380 |
North Carolina | $67,250 |
North Dakota | $48,060 |
Ohio | $48,380 |
Oklahoma | $50,490 |
Oregon | $69,050 |
Pennsylvania | $60,140 |
Rhode Island | $63,820 |
South Dakota | $49,410 |
Tennessee | $55,370 |
Texas | $56,680 |
Utah | $54,660 |
Vermont | $62,260 |
Virginia | $68,600 |
Washington | $65,200 |
West Virginia | $64,480 |
Wisconsin | $59,360 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Copy Writers
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Copy Writers may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Hypertext markup language HTML
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft Access
- MySQL
- Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat
- Microsoft SharePoint
- Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop
- Google Docs
- FileMaker Pro
- Adobe Systems Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe Systems Adobe InDesign
- PHP: Hypertext preprocessor
- Adobe Systems Adobe Dreamweaver
- YouTube
- Google Drive
How to Become a Copy Writer
What education or degrees do I need to become a Copy Writer?

How many years of work experience do I need?

Where Copy Writers Work

Below are examples of industries where Copy Writers work:

References:
Image Credit: UNU-WIDER from Helsinki, Finland via Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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