27 Series · SOC 27-3042
Technical Writers Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $90,390
- Median / year
- $145,270
- Top 10% earn
- +0.9%
- Growth '23–'33
- 45,500
- US workers
Technical Writers earn a median of $90,390 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $90,390, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $57,440 (10th percentile) to $145,270 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 45,500 US workers. New Jersey pays the most ($122,320), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Technical Writers earn a median of $90,390, putting them among the better-paid US occupations and higher than 78% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media, it ranks #3 of 36 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 0.9% by 2033.
- $90,390
- Median annual wage
- Top 22%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #3 of 36
- in Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
- 2.5×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: New Jersey at $122,320. Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
Technical Writers (SOC 27-3042) pays a national median of $90,390 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $57,440 at the 10th percentile to $145,270 at the 90th, with a mean of $96,970 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 45,500 Americans work in this occupation across 46 reporting states and 151 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +0.9% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as slower than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 4,500 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is Bachelor's degree, with less than 5 years of prior experience generally required and short-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of A for this role, with a fatality rate of 0.6 per 100,000 and injury rate of 0.5 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. New Jersey pays the highest state median at $122,320, which is +35% above the national figure. The top metro is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $140,700 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$90,390
per year
Median Hourly
$43.46/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$96,970
average
Employment
45,500
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Technical Writers pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$90,390 Top 22% higher than 78% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 27-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Technical Writers; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 24 27-series occupations with growth data, Technical Writers sits on the slower-growing side at +0.9% growth and $90,390 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+0.9%
Slower than average
Annual Openings
4,500
per year (projected)
Typical Education
Bachelor's degree
Work Experience
Less than 5 years
On-the-Job Training
Short-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Very Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
0.6/100K
Injury Rate
0.5/100
Danger Index
2.3/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Technical Writers roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Organize material and complete writing assignment according to set standards regarding order, clarity, conciseness, style, and terminology.
- ▸ Maintain records and files of work and revisions.
- ▸ Edit, standardize, or make changes to material prepared by other writers or establishment personnel.
- ▸ Select photographs, drawings, sketches, diagrams, and charts to illustrate material.
- ▸ Interview production and engineering personnel and read journals and other material to become familiar with product technologies and production methods.
- ▸ Develop or maintain online help documentation.
- ▸ Assist in laying out material for publication.
- ▸ Study drawings, specifications, mockups, and product samples to integrate and delineate technology, operating procedure, and production sequence and detail.
- ▸ Arrange for typing, duplication, and distribution of material.
- ▸ Observe production, developmental, and experimental activities to determine operating procedure and detail.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$57,440
25th Percentile
$70,880
Median
$90,390
75th Percentile
$115,510
90th Percentile
$145,270
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 46 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $122,320 | +35% above national |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $117,810 | +30% above national |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $109,200 | +21% above national |
| 4 | Washington | $104,070 | +15% above national |
| 5 | California | $104,000 | +15% above national |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $102,360 | +13% above national |
| 7 | Connecticut | $101,870 | +13% above national |
| 8 | Maryland | $100,990 | +12% above national |
| 9 | Colorado | $100,610 | +11% above national |
| 10 | New York | $98,310 | +9% above national |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $96,300 | +7% above national |
| 12 | New Mexico | $94,970 | +5% above national |
| 13 | Virginia | $93,600 | +4% above national |
| 14 | Delaware | $90,370 | same as national |
| 15 | Nevada | $88,750 | 2% below national |
| 16 | Illinois | $88,700 | 2% below national |
| 17 | Vermont | $87,860 | 3% below national |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $87,620 | 3% below national |
| 19 | North Carolina | $86,320 | 5% below national |
| 20 | Florida | $86,240 | 5% below national |
| 21 | Alabama | $85,840 | 5% below national |
| 22 | Michigan | $85,270 | 6% below national |
| 23 | Oregon | $84,000 | 7% below national |
| 24 | Minnesota | $83,270 | 8% below national |
| 25 | Alaska | $83,200 | 8% below national |
| 26 | Texas | $82,750 | 8% below national |
| 27 | South Carolina | $82,540 | 9% below national |
| 28 | Kentucky | $81,070 | 10% below national |
| 29 | Missouri | $80,840 | 11% below national |
| 30 | Utah | $80,270 | 11% below national |
| 31 | Wisconsin | $80,030 | 11% below national |
| 32 | Arizona | $79,780 | 12% below national |
| 33 | Tennessee | $79,550 | 12% below national |
| 34 | Ohio | $76,480 | 15% below national |
| 35 | Indiana | $75,510 | 16% below national |
| 36 | Montana | $75,070 | 17% below national |
| 37 | Kansas | $73,550 | 19% below national |
| 38 | Georgia | $73,070 | 19% below national |
| 39 | North Dakota | $72,990 | 19% below national |
| 40 | Oklahoma | $69,760 | 23% below national |
| 41 | Iowa | $66,520 | 26% below national |
| 42 | Mississippi | $65,220 | 28% below national |
| 43 | Louisiana | $63,790 | 29% below national |
| 44 | South Dakota | $63,350 | 30% below national |
| 45 | Arkansas | $61,180 | 32% below national |
| 46 | Puerto Rico | $46,950 | 48% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 151 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $140,700 | +56% above national |
| 2 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $135,470 | +50% above national |
| 3 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $129,590 | +43% above national |
| 4 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $119,160 | +32% above national |
| 5 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $117,130 | +30% above national |
| 6 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $111,750 | +24% above national |
| 7 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $111,050 | +23% above national |
| 8 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $107,580 | +19% above national |
| 9 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $106,900 | +18% above national |
| 10 | Boulder, CO | $105,840 | +17% above national |
| 11 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $104,450 | +16% above national |
| 12 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $104,000 | +15% above national |
| 13 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $103,730 | +15% above national |
| 14 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $103,360 | +14% above national |
| 15 | Savannah, GA | $103,000 | +14% above national |
| 16 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $102,470 | +13% above national |
| 17 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $102,140 | +13% above national |
| 18 | Idaho Falls, ID | $101,790 | +13% above national |
| 19 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $101,750 | +13% above national |
| 20 | Knoxville, TN | $101,430 | +12% above national |
| 21 | Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | $100,650 | +11% above national |
| 22 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $99,910 | +11% above national |
| 23 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $98,800 | +9% above national |
| 24 | Worcester, MA | $98,020 | +8% above national |
| 25 | Lexington Park, MD | $97,810 | +8% above national |
| 26 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $97,360 | +8% above national |
| 27 | Huntsville, AL | $96,470 | +7% above national |
| 28 | Colorado Springs, CO | $96,100 | +6% above national |
| 29 | Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | $95,690 | +6% above national |
| 30 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $94,750 | +5% above national |
| 31 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $94,520 | +5% above national |
| 32 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $94,400 | +4% above national |
| 33 | Wilmington, NC | $93,750 | +4% above national |
| 34 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $93,700 | +4% above national |
| 35 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $93,580 | +4% above national |
| 36 | Charlottesville, VA | $93,530 | +3% above national |
| 37 | Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $92,880 | +3% above national |
| 38 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $92,390 | +2% above national |
| 39 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $92,330 | +2% above national |
| 40 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $92,240 | +2% above national |
| 41 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $90,710 | same as national |
| 42 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $90,500 | same as national |
| 43 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $90,230 | same as national |
| 44 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $89,960 | same as national |
| 45 | Ann Arbor, MI | $89,840 | 1% below national |
| 46 | Jacksonville, FL | $89,440 | 1% below national |
| 47 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $89,260 | 1% below national |
| 48 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $89,210 | 1% below national |
| 49 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $89,140 | 1% below national |
| 50 | Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $88,990 | 2% below national |
| 51 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $88,840 | 2% below national |
| 52 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $88,610 | 2% below national |
| 53 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $88,360 | 2% below national |
| 54 | Winston-Salem, NC | $87,940 | 3% below national |
| 55 | Warner Robins, GA | $87,810 | 3% below national |
| 56 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $87,360 | 3% below national |
| 57 | Montgomery, AL | $87,270 | 3% below national |
| 58 | Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $87,250 | 3% below national |
| 59 | Peoria, IL | $87,090 | 4% below national |
| 60 | Albuquerque, NM | $86,790 | 4% below national |
| 61 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $86,600 | 4% below national |
| 62 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $86,520 | 4% below national |
| 63 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $86,340 | 4% below national |
| 64 | Madison, WI | $86,180 | 5% below national |
| 65 | Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $86,110 | 5% below national |
| 66 | Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $86,100 | 5% below national |
| 67 | Ogden, UT | $85,780 | 5% below national |
| 68 | Northeast Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $85,610 | 5% below national |
| 69 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $85,500 | 5% below national |
| 70 | Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $85,050 | 6% below national |
| 71 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $84,750 | 6% below national |
| 72 | Syracuse, NY | $84,520 | 6% below national |
| 73 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $84,300 | 7% below national |
| 74 | Salem, OR | $84,000 | 7% below national |
| 75 | Reno, NV | $83,920 | 7% below national |
| 76 | Alaska nonmetropolitan area | $83,670 | 7% below national |
| 77 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $83,480 | 8% below national |
| 78 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $82,970 | 8% below national |
| 79 | Birmingham, AL | $82,870 | 8% below national |
| 80 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $82,860 | 8% below national |
| 81 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $82,670 | 9% below national |
| 82 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $82,610 | 9% below national |
| 83 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $82,520 | 9% below national |
| 84 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $82,370 | 9% below national |
| 85 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $82,050 | 9% below national |
| 86 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $81,540 | 10% below national |
| 87 | Anchorage, AK | $81,110 | 10% below national |
| 88 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $80,840 | 11% below national |
| 89 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $80,640 | 11% below national |
| 90 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $80,610 | 11% below national |
| 91 | Mobile, AL | $79,980 | 12% below national |
| 92 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $79,550 | 12% below national |
| 93 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $79,340 | 12% below national |
| 94 | Richmond, VA | $79,200 | 12% below national |
| 95 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $79,140 | 12% below national |
| 96 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $79,080 | 13% below national |
| 97 | Northwestern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $79,010 | 13% below national |
| 98 | Columbus, OH | $78,870 | 13% below national |
| 99 | Rochester, NY | $78,370 | 13% below national |
| 100 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $78,310 | 13% below national |
| 101 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $78,300 | 13% below national |
| 102 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $78,160 | 14% below national |
| 103 | Columbia, SC | $77,640 | 14% below national |
| 104 | Eugene-Springfield, OR | $77,210 | 15% below national |
| 105 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $77,170 | 15% below national |
| 106 | Wichita, KS | $76,820 | 15% below national |
| 107 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $76,590 | 15% below national |
| 108 | Logan, UT-ID | $76,540 | 15% below national |
| 109 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $76,170 | 16% below national |
| 110 | Fresno, CA | $76,030 | 16% below national |
| 111 | Tallahassee, FL | $75,990 | 16% below national |
| 112 | Cleveland, OH | $75,810 | 16% below national |
| 113 | Billings, MT | $75,330 | 17% below national |
| 114 | Baton Rouge, LA | $75,310 | 17% below national |
| 115 | Boise City, ID | $75,210 | 17% below national |
| 116 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $75,140 | 17% below national |
| 117 | Tucson, AZ | $75,070 | 17% below national |
| 118 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $74,890 | 17% below national |
| 119 | Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | $74,360 | 18% below national |
| 120 | Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $73,720 | 18% below national |
| 121 | Fargo, ND-MN | $72,990 | 19% below national |
| 122 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $71,580 | 21% below national |
| 123 | Oklahoma City, OK | $71,210 | 21% below national |
| 124 | Tulsa, OK | $70,910 | 22% below national |
| 125 | Akron, OH | $70,790 | 22% below national |
| 126 | Lafayette, LA | $70,140 | 22% below national |
| 127 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $69,450 | 23% below national |
| 128 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $69,410 | 23% below national |
| 129 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $68,900 | 24% below national |
| 130 | Asheville, NC | $68,180 | 25% below national |
| 131 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $67,910 | 25% below national |
| 132 | Lincoln, NE | $66,610 | 26% below national |
| 133 | Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $65,990 | 27% below national |
| 134 | Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $65,860 | 27% below national |
| 135 | Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $65,680 | 27% below national |
| 136 | Southeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $65,370 | 28% below national |
| 137 | Toledo, OH | $65,310 | 28% below national |
| 138 | Northwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $65,100 | 28% below national |
| 139 | Kansas nonmetropolitan area | $64,690 | 28% below national |
| 140 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $64,380 | 29% below national |
| 141 | Gainesville, FL | $63,730 | 29% below national |
| 142 | Elkhart-Goshen, IN | $63,570 | 30% below national |
| 143 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $62,990 | 30% below national |
| 144 | El Paso, TX | $62,830 | 30% below national |
| 145 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $61,860 | 32% below national |
| 146 | North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) | $61,280 | 32% below national |
| 147 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $61,180 | 32% below national |
| 148 | Fort Wayne, IN | $60,480 | 33% below national |
| 149 | Dubuque, IA | $57,400 | 36% below national |
| 150 | Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $49,290 | 45% below national |
| 151 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $46,950 | 48% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 27 (arts design entertainment sports and media) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Technical Writers make? ▼
What state pays Technical Writers the most? ▼
What education do you need to become a Technical Writers? ▼
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Is Technical Writers a good career? ▼
How does Technical Writers pay vary by state? ▼
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What to do with this data
How to use Technical Writers pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $115,510/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: New Jersey leads at $122,320/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.