What is a business writer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
Quoted Expert
Mark Lounibos

Business writers mainly concern themselves with reports on finance, the stock market, financing, and the economy in general. They write reports about economic trends and often have corresponding expertise to offer a spectator's financial advice based on their market observations. Their research can involve individual businesses as well, digging into corporations or emerging industries and delivering relevant information to their readers.

Most employers require their Business Writers to have a college diploma at the very least. Degrees in English, journalism, business, and writing are among the most sought after and the most commonly held by business writers in the current workforce.

Business writers in the United States earn roughly about $54,000 a year on average. Business writers can most often be found working for newspapers, magazines, or journal publications.

What general advice would you give to a Business Writer?

M

Mark Lounibos

Associate Professor, English, Finlandia University

Don't panic. This is a disorienting, disruptive time for everyone. Graduates with English degrees are actually in a strong position to leverage their skills and training across a range of careers. Their facility with language, communication, and critical thinking is ideally suited to the online, remote workplace. The key is to be as prepared and open to working in that kind of setting.
ScoreBusiness WriterUS Average
Salary
6.1

Avg. Salary $77,963

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
4.8

Growth Rate 6%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
4.8
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.35%

Asian 8.65%

Black or African American 6.54%

Hispanic or Latino 7.73%

Unknown 4.96%

White 71.76%

Gender

female 50.90%

male 49.10%

Age - 45
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 45
Stress Level
4.8

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
8.2

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
5.6

Work Life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Business Writer career paths

Key steps to become a business writer

  1. Explore business writer education requirements

    Most common business writer degrees

    Bachelor's

    73.5 %

    Master's

    16.3 %

    Associate

    5.7 %
  2. Start to develop specific business writer skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    Market Research48.16%
    Business Development29.25%
    Proofreading5.38%
    Subject Matter Experts1.99%
    Press Releases1.57%
  3. Complete relevant business writer training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New business writers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a business writer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real business writer resumes.
  4. Research business writer duties and responsibilities

    • Lead all RFP projects and bid teams from initial strategy call through proposal submission to client.
    • Manage social media and collaborate on editorial calendars.
    • Assist in nightly proofreading and editing of the daily newspaper pages.
    • Proofread and edit team members' proposals, offer constructive feedback and suggestions.
  5. Prepare your business writer resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your business writer resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a business writer resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Business Writer Resume templates

    Build a professional Business Writer resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Business Writer resume.
    Business Writer Resume
    Business Writer Resume
    Business Writer Resume
    Business Writer Resume
    Business Writer Resume
    Business Writer Resume
    Business Writer Resume
    Business Writer Resume
    Business Writer Resume
  6. Apply for business writer jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a business writer job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Business Writer Job

Zippi

Are you a Business Writer?

Share your story for a free salary report.

Average business writer salary

The average Business Writer salary in the United States is $77,963 per year or $37 per hour. Business writer salaries range between $55,000 and $109,000 per year.

Average Business Writer Salary
$77,963 Yearly
$37.48 hourly

What Am I Worth?

Loading...
Loading...
salary-calculator

How do business writers rate their job?

-/5

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Business Writer reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2020
Cons

people not providing accurate information


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2019
Pros

Set your own schedule work from home. Determine your own salary. Dictate your hours. Choose the jobs you want.

Cons

Could be paid more. Slow to get started very competitive.


Working as a Business Writer? Share your experience anonymously.
Overall Rating*
Career Growth
Work/Life balance
Pay/Salary

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Browse arts, entertainment, sports, and media jobs