Technical Writer

October 30, 2016

Technical Writer Job Description

Technical Writers Write technical materials, such as equipment manuals, appendices, or operating and maintenance instructions. May assist in layout work.

Technical Writer Salary Statistics as of 2015

Average annual salary for a Technical Writer is $50681 based on statistics in the U.S. as of 2015. The highest salary recorded was $81292. The lowest salary reported was $32331. These figures will vary on a state to state basis as these are averages across all 50 states.

Median hourly wage for a Technical Writer is $18.115 based on statistics in the U.S. as of 2015. The highest hourly rate recorded was $28. The lowest hourly rate recorded was $8.23. These figures will vary on a state to state basis as these are averages across all 50 states.

Bonuses for a Technical Writer are based on the years of experience using statistics from the U.S. as of 2015. The average bonus recorded was $600 from people with 15+ years of experience. The average bonus recorded was $0 from people with under 1 year of experience.

These are the highest paying states for a Technical Writer. These numbers are based off the median annual salary as of 2015.
California – $40,147 – $89,977
Maryland – $39,305 – $82,020
New York – $31,042 – $92,662
Pennsylvania – $33,479 – $71,515
Texas – $35,117 – $65,763
Virginia – $36,665 – $76,556
Washington – $33,351 – $88,544

These are the highest paying cities for a Technical Writer. These numbers are based off the median annual salary as of 2015.
Houston, Texas –
Washington, District of Columbia –
Seattle, Washington –
Atlanta, Georgia –
San Diego, California –
New York, New York –
Chicago, Illinois –

This chart outlines the average annual salary of a Technical Writer from the past 5 years. In 2015 the average annual salary was $50681 while in 2007 it was just $47000.67

Work Enviornment

Many technical writers work with engineers, manufacturers and other people in the industry for which they are writing, so in these instances, most work will probably have to be done away from home. For those who are very curious about the world and the way things work, it’s a terrific field to pursue. Technical writers are always learning new things, and one never can tell what they will learn next.

Along with excellent writing and comprehension skills, it is imperative that technical writers be able to use the computer effectively. Good typing skills are a must, and since so many businesses now rely on the Internet to get the word out about them, a technical writer should also be proficient in navigating the web and building webpages. It is in the field of web design that layout skills are especially important.

Because technical writers generally have several projects to undertake and they involve working with other people, they may not have the most regular schedules, so someone going into this field must be flexible and willing to work on evenings and weekends if need me in order to complete the task at hand. In most cases, in order to get a degree in the field of technical writing, one must have a college degree in communications or some other related area of study.

The majority of technical writers work in computers, publishing and related fields, and job outlook is good for those who want to undertake this career. About 50,000 people in America work as technical writers, and the job opportunities are expected to expand in the future as there is more and more need for high quality content. Even those who are unable to secure a salaried position may be able to freelance, writing for technical journals and online publications. There are plenty of opportunities in this field for those willing to put in the effort.

Job Outlook

Gender Statistics

Related Jobs

55%

45%

Based on our stats gathered across the U.S. 55% of Technical Writers were females while 45% were males. These numbers are based on averages across all states combined. Some individual states may have a much different ratio however.

Past Jobs

Administrative Assistant
$21,316 – $43,536
Freelance Writer, Technical
$29,857 – $132,709
Customer Service Representative (CSR)
$19,504 – $41,565

Future Jobs

Senior Technical Writer
$52,402 – $104,313
Freelance Writer, Technical
$29,857 – $132,709
Instructional Designer (Training & Development)
$37,303 – $77,431