Anthropic, the company behind the Claude chatbot, is offering $295,000 to $345,000 a year for an executive communications writer. The job listing has been open since September 8 and was still live on October 24.
That’s about four times what a typical American writer earns. The median pay for writers and authors was $76,910 in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. For public relations specialists it was $74,750.
The posting isn’t a one-off, though. We went through the writing and communications jobs Anthropic and OpenAI currently list. Every one we checked pays at least $171,000.
What the Anthropic job actually asks for
The writer would work with Anthropic’s head of executive communications and other senior leaders. The job covers drafting and editing, event support, and “coordinating executive response to breaking news,” the listing says.
It is not an entry-level role. Anthropic wants “8+ years of high level executive communications experience, ideally at a high-tempo, industry-shaping organization.” It also wants depth in at least one area its leaders cover. The listing names science and research, products and AI architecture, enterprise strategy, and visual storytelling and brand.
The other terms:
- Location: San Francisco or New York. Anthropic expects staff in an office at least 25% of the time.
- Education: a bachelor’s degree, or an equivalent mix of education, training and experience.
- Visas: Anthropic sponsors visas, but it says it can’t do so “for every role and every candidate.”
The $345,000 figure is the top of the base salary range, not a guaranteed offer. The listing doesn’t say whether equity comes on top.
Anthropic’s other writing jobs pay $200,000 and up
The executive writer is one of 11 communications and writing openings on Anthropic’s careers board as of October 24. Every one of them lists at least $200,000.
| Anthropic opening | Annual salary range |
|---|---|
| Executive Communications Writer | $295,000 to $345,000 |
| Internal Communications Manager, Tech | $295,000 to $345,000 |
| Communications Manager, Claude Platform | $265,000 to $295,000 |
| Technical Editor | $265,000 to $295,000 |
| Copywriter, Developer | $200,000 to $255,000 |
| Technical Program Manager, Science Strategy and Communications | $365,000 to $435,000 |
Source: Anthropic job listings on Greenhouse, October 24, 2026.
OpenAI pays in a similar band
OpenAI’s careers board shows a similar pattern. Each listing also says it “Offers Equity”:
- Research Lead, Policy Communications: $347,000 to $385,000.
- Media Relations, Safety Communications: $240,000 to $260,000.
- Safety Transparency Editor: $220,000 to $245,000.
- Internal Communications, Research and Product: $171,000 to $190,000.
All four jobs sit in San Francisco, where pay runs well above the national median.
Why these salaries are public at all
You can see these numbers because of state law. Since January 2023, California employers with 15 or more workers must put a good-faith pay scale in every job posting. The rule is Labor Code section 432.3. New York has a similar rule.
Posted ranges are base pay. At AI companies, stock grants can add a lot to that. The full package for these roles is likely higher than the listing shows.
What it tells writers about the AI job market
AI labs build tools that draft text in seconds. Yet they pay a premium for people who decide what their leaders should say. The same companies are spending record sums on chips and data centers, as our AI bubble explainer shows.
The common thread in these listings is judgment, not typing speed. They ask for years of senior experience, comfort with technical material and calm under breaking news.
That matters for anyone weighing a career shift into AI. The six-figure writing jobs are real. But they go to experienced specialists, and they sit in two of the country’s most expensive cities.
