10 Publications that Pay $2.00 Per Word

Writers! It can be hard to find publications that pay top rates — especially because most of the highest paying publications don’t list their pay publicly. However, based on our research, here are ten publications that pay up to $2 per word for the articles they publish.

These publications generally would pay this rate only for in-depth feature articles that require extensive reporting, as opposed to less involved articles.

It very much is possible to land a high paying publication if you’re new to freelance writing. One of Maggie Gigandet’s early publications was for The Atavist, which pays extremely well. If you’re interested in learning about how she landed this publication, then I recommend taking Maggie’s pitching course.

And if you’re looking for even more high paying publications, I recommend spending some time exploring our database of publishers.

1. Trails is a quarterly, print-only magazine for “backpackers and people who sleep in the dirt.” The focus of the magazine is on “backpacking and other human/naturally-powered means of sleeping outdoors: bikepacking, canoe camping, even things like rafting or mountaineering are fair game.” The main emphasis of the magazine is on North American destinations. They’re always looking for story ideas from writers, photographers, etc. Feature length can be between 1,000 to 5,000 words. According to their pitch guide, they pay writers at least $0.50 to $2 per word, depending on the difficulty of the story, the writer’s experience, and the commitment required. They can pay $35 to $400 per photo. 
2. Epic publishes extraordinary true stories. Their “writers travel the world searching for encounters with the unknown. Wartime romance, unlikely savants, deranged detectives, gentlemen thieves, and love struck killers: stories that tap into the thrill of being alive.” According to an old tweet by their deputy editor, they generally pay $1 to $2 per word. Most of their stories are at least 5,000 to 6,000 words long. You can see their editor’s contact information and submission guidelines here.
3. Fortune is “a global leader in business journalism with major franchises including the Fortune 500, Fortune Global 500, 100 Best Companies to Work For, 50 World’s Greatest Leaders, Most Powerful Women in Business, and 100 Fastest-Growing Companies.” A payment report indicates that they pay up to $2.00 per word. To learn more, read their old pitching guidelines here.
4. The Intercept is a nonprofit news organization that is devoted to holding the powerful accountable through its fearless, adversarial journalism. They are looking for compelling investigative stories or original perspectives on a subject that is in their wheelhouse. They do not list rates publicly, but according to payment reports, they pay up to $2.08 per word. To read their submission guidelines, refer to this page.
5. MIT Technology Review is a national magazine in print and digital formats (published 10 times per year). Editors look for original articles on information technology, nanotechnology, biotechnology, and their impact on society. According to their pitch guide, payment is $1-$2 per word, depending on the writer’s experience level, the story, and the publication route. 
6. Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN) is a weekly print magazine and an online publication that covers chemistry news. They’re always accepting stories (new, features, etc.) from Sci-Comm freelancers. Rates: news stories start at $650, briefs at $360, and mid-length reported science features at $2 per word. To learn more, refer to their editor’s post. To contact them, refer to this page.
7. Smithsonian Magazine ‘’places a Smithsonian lens on the world, looking at the topics and subject matters researched, studied and exhibited by the Smithsonian Institution—science, history, art, popular culture and innovation.’’ They accept proposals from established freelance writers. When sending in your pitch for a history article, you must supply links to previously published works. While no pay is listed on their website, according to one payment report, they paid $0.23 per word. A now deleted Tweet also indicated their print rates are $2.00 per word. To learn more, refer to their print magazine pitch guidelines and website pitch guidelines.
8. Travel + Leisure Magazine tells stories from around the world: stories that are big or small, visually driven or essayistic, first-person or as-told-to or service-oriented. They’re interested in stories about a place that is misunderstood or changing, stories about seeing the world in a new way, and especially stories by writers or photographers who bring a new voice to the conversation about a place or topic. They don’t pay by word count; according to their pitch guide, they have a flat rate by type of story. That being said, previous calls for pithces have indicated pay rates of $2.00 per word. To learn more, read their pitching guidelines.
9. Cosmopolitan is a women’s magazine for dating tips, sex advice, beauty tutorials, fashion trends, and celebrity news. Payment reports indicate that they pay an average of $0.30 per word. Previous calls for pitches have indicated a pay rate or $1.00 to $2.00 per word for features. To learn more about them and to contact them, visit this page.
10. The Blacklight is the New York Amsterdam News’ investigative unit. They are seeking experienced freelance journalists. They primarily work with freelance journalists based in the New York City area but are also open to working with those based outside the region. According to their pitch guide, they pay $250+ for fact checks (500 to 1,000 words, 1 to 2 interviews); $1.00 per word for medium length articles (800 to 1,500 words, 2 to 4 interviews); $2.00 per word or a flat commission fee for long form articles (1,500+ words, 4+ interviews); and $250 to $500+ for data visualizations.