Freelancers don't get salaries. We get paid by the word, most often. So it depends on what projects you're working on, what your salary rate (usually depending on experience and the size/finances of the company you're working for), how many projects you get lined up and how fast the company pays you.
I think Wizards hires some full time RPG writers (but don't quote me on that.) I don't think that White Wolf has any on staff (salaried) who are just writers rather than developers, but I could be wrong. (I'm not sure what Justin Achilli is doing with the company right now, for example, and MMORGs are an entirely different matter, but again, aren't freelance.)
I would never advise someone with a finite amount of monthly expenses (rent/bills, etc) to quit a day job to take up freelancing full time. It's just too hard to work up to the point where you are making anywhere near what you need to pay basic expenses. Right now, after 3-4 years of freelancing, I'm bringing enough projects to be working mostly full time at it... and over the last year, I have brought in under $1000 per month. And even then, it's not $1000 a month. It might be nothing for 6-8 weeks, then a check for $1500 and then nothing for two weeks, then a check for $400, then nothing for another month or two. It just depends on what your individual contract reads, how fast your developer turns in the pay requests, how fast the payroll department processes them, etc.
Now, there are some full time development positions (White Wolf just hired three folks). But all of them had worked in the industry before, were willing to move to Atlanta, and at least two of them had considerable freelancing experience with the company.
If you're interested in eventually doing something like that, doing part time freelance work while working the day job may be your best option. Do good, and keep your ears out for when they're hiring
But I would also never advise anyone to start working in the industry for the money. Over the past few years (heck, even this last year when I've been really really busy) I think I could have made more per hour working at McDonalds (when you consider in research, revisions, etc.) than freelancing. But there are some perks that writing does have over other jobs (no one has ever gotten wide-eyed and said "Really? How cool!" when I told them I was a secretary...)
Re: related yet unrelated question
I think Wizards hires some full time RPG writers (but don't quote me on that.) I don't think that White Wolf has any on staff (salaried) who are just writers rather than developers, but I could be wrong. (I'm not sure what Justin Achilli is doing with the company right now, for example, and MMORGs are an entirely different matter, but again, aren't freelance.)
I would never advise someone with a finite amount of monthly expenses (rent/bills, etc) to quit a day job to take up freelancing full time. It's just too hard to work up to the point where you are making anywhere near what you need to pay basic expenses. Right now, after 3-4 years of freelancing, I'm bringing enough projects to be working mostly full time at it... and over the last year, I have brought in under $1000 per month. And even then, it's not $1000 a month. It might be nothing for 6-8 weeks, then a check for $1500 and then nothing for two weeks, then a check for $400, then nothing for another month or two. It just depends on what your individual contract reads, how fast your developer turns in the pay requests, how fast the payroll department processes them, etc.
Now, there are some full time development positions (White Wolf just hired three folks). But all of them had worked in the industry before, were willing to move to Atlanta, and at least two of them had considerable freelancing experience with the company.
If you're interested in eventually doing something like that, doing part time freelance work while working the day job may be your best option. Do good, and keep your ears out for when they're hiring
But I would also never advise anyone to start working in the industry for the money. Over the past few years (heck, even this last year when I've been really really busy) I think I could have made more per hour working at McDonalds (when you consider in research, revisions, etc.) than freelancing. But there are some perks that writing does have over other jobs (no one has ever gotten wide-eyed and said "Really? How cool!" when I told them I was a secretary...)