Technical Writer Salary


How Much Does a Technical Writer Make?

On average, a Technical Writer make $86,620 a year. The lowest-paid 10 percent made $48,630, while the top-paid 10 percent made $129,440.

Annually National Average Salary: $86,620

$48K
$62K
$86K
$102K
$129K
10%
25%
50%
75%
90%

* Based on information from the May 2023 salary report from the BLS.




Salary by State

  • Annually
  • Monthly
  • Hourly

Annual Salary by State

State 10% Annual 25% Annual Avg. Annual 75% Annual 90% Annual
Alabama$50,600$60,870$81,000$97,020$112,490
Alaska$52,000$62,400$77,150$89,800$93,870
Arizona$39,920$39,920$58,030$77,190$98,680
Arkansas$37,660$40,020$70,970$72,700$103,430
California$59,790$69,950$109,380$132,010$166,660
Colorado$54,150$65,450$93,530$106,300$129,580
Connecticut$60,620$65,320$92,180$113,780$127,640
Delaware$66,520$82,830$106,400$129,100$156,000
District of Columbia$70,910$83,820$102,070$115,730$132,970
Florida$52,370$60,710$78,130$87,530$108,810
Georgia$54,070$64,220$82,780$96,810$120,830
Idaho$50,700$58,890$81,440$89,030$128,020
Illinois$48,180$61,100$88,620$104,470$127,620
Indiana$46,780$56,980$72,660$86,360$103,370
Iowa$41,600$60,620$69,580$80,670$86,820
Kansas$42,800$50,620$70,050$79,400$97,210
Kentucky$53,200$61,510$79,160$93,110$99,980
Louisiana$40,420$51,980$69,350$82,370$100,280
Maine$53,000$61,340$74,950$84,430$111,000
Maryland$64,950$78,820$97,400$113,030$132,600
Massachusetts$66,240$79,110$104,960$127,200$137,710
Michigan$43,330$57,100$77,660$93,610$112,550
Minnesota$55,300$63,310$78,540$91,640$106,600
Mississippi$37,440$46,630$68,280$78,730$96,110
Missouri$46,400$57,510$75,610$89,230$106,540
Montana$48,640$56,180$70,430$87,740$88,340
Nebraska$48,660$57,520$76,130$99,550$105,550
Nevada$51,590$64,750$83,970$99,480$115,400
New Hampshire$49,720$65,720$91,770$118,990$132,860
New Jersey$62,330$75,530$98,840$112,510$136,170
New Mexico$51,110$59,370$76,640$89,430$100,000
New York$37,440$60,160$94,020$117,570$165,840
North Carolina$52,420$66,550$87,990$104,660$122,320
Ohio$44,240$52,020$70,570$84,480$101,850
Oklahoma$42,260$49,370$65,810$80,000$91,080
Oregon$55,640$63,810$82,500$97,750$111,600
Pennsylvania$45,760$57,270$77,310$94,400$116,770
Rhode Island$58,280$65,790$85,750$95,780$101,910
South Carolina$59,210$65,000$79,060$91,710$107,360
South Dakota$47,070$50,300$55,810$60,890$65,410
Tennessee$38,640$50,230$71,060$87,450$105,790
Texas$45,990$57,880$75,950$93,360$108,410
Utah$42,380$59,600$79,120$99,560$124,170
Vermont$53,560$60,010$75,530$92,610$102,090
Virginia$60,620$71,900$91,510$103,530$127,850
Washington$62,730$79,290$104,440$121,610$157,100
West Virginia- NA -- NA -- NA -- NA -- NA -
Wisconsin$49,560$58,130$73,070$83,910$101,960
Puerto Rico$32,910$40,900$45,090$46,630$49,400

Annual Average Salary: Top 5 States

The top earning state in the field is California, where the average salary is $109,380.

These are the top 5 earning states in the field:

California - $109,380
Delaware - $106,400
Massachusetts - $104,960
Washington - $104,440
District of Columbia - $102,070

Technical Writers: Salary Overview

Technical writers prepare instruction manuals, journal articles, how-to guides, and other documentation that communicate complex information in an easy-to-understand manner.

Their job duties typically include determining the type of users that will read the documentation, studying product samples, working with technical staff to make the instructions and the products easier to read/use, incorporating graphs, illustrations, photographs, and other graphics that may help the readers understand the information.

Some technical writers also work with scientists to write grant proposals for institutions and research projects.

As a technical writer, you will translate the industry jargon in prose for non-technical readers.

You will prepare a wide range of materials from instruction manuals and how-to-guides to content for training, presentations, and other corporate material.

You can expect to be asked to create diagrams to show how a product works, so having some graphic design skills is a plus.

Your job is to make sense of content and to make it clear and accessible for the public; you have to reorganize and simplify the content, make it easy to understand.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for technical writers was $72,850 in May 2019, which means that half of all workers in this occupation earned less than this sum and half earned more.

The median hourly wage for technical writers was $35.03 but rates range between $20-$55 an hour, depending on the writer’s education, expertise, and the industry of employment.

Annual salaries vary based on a wide range of factors and the lowest 10 percent earned less than $44,320 while the top 10 percent made more than $117,250.

However, most technical writers earn a salary that is between $45,000 and $120,000.

Technical Writer Salary by Industry

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, technical writers held approximately 55,700 jobs in the United States in 2018, most of them working in the field of professional, scientific, and technical services or in the manufacturing field.

According to BLS, the average annual wage reported by technical writers who worked in the field of computer system design and related services was $79,060.

Technical writers in the field of management, scientific, and technical consulting services reported an average annual wage of $74,980 while those who worked in the field of employment services earned, on average, $79,920 per year.

The average annual wage was $74,360 for technical writers who worked in the field of scientific research and development services and $84,980 for those employed in the field of scientific research and development services.

The highest average annual wage was reported by technical writers hired by computer and peripheral equipment manufacturers and by those who worked in the field of electric power generation, transmission, and distribution.

The average annual wage earned by technical writers who specialized in writing about computers and peripheral equipment was $109,580 while those who worked in the field of electric power generation, transmission, and distribution reported a mean annual wage of $94,320.

There are many other factors that determine how much a technical writer makes, including his/her education and area of expertise.

If you have a bachelor’s degree in English or a communication-related subject and technical background in the topics you want to cover, your earning prospects may increase.

Applying from certification offered by the Society of Technical Communication or the American Medical Writers may also help you earn a higher salary.

Job Prospects

Job prospects for technical writers are expected to be good over the next decade.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, overall employment for technical writers is projected to grow 8 percent from 2018 to 2028.

This growth is explained, in part, by the development of high-technology and electronics industries which results in a greater need for writers who can create instruction manuals and translate complex technical information to an user-friendly language.

* Based on information from the May 2023 salary report from the BLS. The figures represent accumulated data for all states of employment for Technical Writers. BLS data represents averages and medians for workers at all levels of education and experience. This data doesn't represent starting salaries.

* Employment conditions in your area may vary.


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