Writer & Author
Median wage · national
$76,910
Range: $58K – $102K
Employed
48K
Openings/yr
12K
Typically: bachelor's degree
HUMANITIES
Technical Writers
Technical Writers earn $90,390 nationally at the median. The middle 50% of workers fall between $70,880 and $115,510. Where you land depends on specialization, employer, and experience.
About Technical Writers
This page sets out what the federal data says about working as a technical writers: what the job pays, how fast it is growing, and what it takes to get in. Most people arrive through a degree in Public Relations and what it leads to, though it is not the only route.
Write technical materials, such as equipment manuals, appendices, or operating and maintenance instructions. May assist in layout work.
- Median Wage
- $90,390
- Employed Nationally
- 46K
- Openings / Year
- 3,200
- Entry Education
- Bachelor's degree
- Job Zone
- Zone 4: Considerable Preparation
Also known as:
Assembly Instructions Writer
Clinical Writer
Contracts Writer
Document Specialist
Documentation Designer
How Much Do Technical Writers Make?
Most technical writers take home around $90,390 a year, well above what most college graduates make. Half earn somewhere between $70,880 and $115,510, so where you land depends a lot on employer, specialty and city. Worth weighing against how long the training takes. Source: BLS.
A wage on its own says nothing about whether the degree behind it pays for itself, which is a question of lifetime earnings set against the total cost of getting there.
$90,390
National Median (Annual)
Well above average for college graduates.
$71K–$116K
Middle 50% Range
25th to 75th percentile. Most workers earn within this band.
Earnings Range
$70,880
Entry-level
$90,390
Median
$115,510
Experienced
What Do Technical Writers Do?
This is what the job actually looks like on a Tuesday: 5 core activities and 5 skills the work depends on. Read it before the salary, because pay matters less than whether you would want to spend your days doing this. Source: O*NET.
What You'll Do
- 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.
Core Skills Employers Look For
Writing
Reading Comprehension
Active Listening
Speaking
Critical Thinking
Who Thrives Here
C
Conventional
Success depends on precision and structured processes, where detail-oriented people who work consistently within established systems perform best.
A
Artistic
Creative and original thinking matters in this field, where fresh approaches, design sensibility, or expressive work drives real outcomes.
I
Investigative
This career demands analytical thinking: researching problems, interpreting data, and applying logical reasoning to find practical solutions.
Where Do Technical Writers Work?
What the physical and mental conditions of this job actually look like day to day, based on O*NET Work Context data collected from people working in this occupation.
Work Setting
Mixed
Split between indoor and outdoor or field settings.
Physical Demands
Light
Mix of sitting and movement throughout the day.
Stress Level
Moderate
Moderate pressure. Regular deadlines exist but are generally manageable with experience.
What Is the Job Outlook for Technical Writers?
Through 2035 the BLS expects this field to change by +0.8%, meaning it is growing slowly, a little behind the average job. Around 3,200 roles open up each year, which is the number that matters most if you are starting out. Source: BLS.
Growth rates are only meaningful next to other occupations, and the full list of careers with their projected growth puts this one in context.
↗ +0.8%
10-Year Growth (2025–2035)
Slower than average.
3,200
Annual Openings
New positions plus replacements for retirees and career-changers.
46K
Currently Employed
Total US employment as of BLS May 2025.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025–2035 and Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025.
Where the Jobs Are
The five states below employ the most Technical Writers professionals nationwide. State-level wages can differ significantly from the $90,390 national median. Research your specific market before committing to a program.
| # | State | Jobs | Median Wage | vs. National |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 5,280 | $104,000 | +15.1% |
| 2 | Texas | 3,340 | $82,750 | -8.5% |
| 3 | North Carolina | 2,860 | $86,320 | -4.5% |
| 4 | Florida | 2,550 | $86,240 | -4.6% |
| 5 | Virginia | 2,280 | $93,600 | +3.6% |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Employment figures rounded. Read our methodology →
How to Get Here
To get hired here you will usually need a bachelor's degree. The 4 programs below are the most common routes in, ordered by how many people actually graduate from each one.
The next most common path is a Rhetoric & Composition program and the colleges offering it, which suits a different kind of applicant.
Typical Entry Education
Bachelor's degree
Job Zone
Zone 4: Considerable Preparation
These positions typically require a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience before advancing into senior roles.
Degree Programs That Lead Here
| # | Program | Graduates/yr | 4yr Median | Colleges |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Public Relations | 20,666 | $63,560 | 608 |
| 2 | Rhetoric & Composition | 13,176 | $48,471 | 766 |
| 3 | Business Operations Support | 837 | $65,784 | 80 |
| 4 | Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences Business | 560 | $64,926 | 26 |
Top Colleges for Aspiring Technical Writers
Colleges offering the degree programs that lead to this career, ranked by UCD Score. A strong program plus solid outcomes is a good place to begin your search.
| # | College | UCD Score | Net Price | Salary 10yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CUNY Bernard M Baruch College New York, NY | 93 | $3,033 | $75,971 |
| 2 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA | 93 | $13,481 | $92,446 |
| 3 | University of Florida Gainesville, FL | 93 | $6,541 | $71,588 |
| 4 | University of California-Irvine Irvine, CA | 92 | $14,251 | $80,735 |
| 5 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI | 91 | $13,138 | $83,648 |
| 6 | University of Chicago Chicago, IL | 91 | $14,860 | $91,885 |
Plan Your Path
Once you've sized up Technical Writers, these tools turn the numbers into a plan. Estimate the real cost of a degree that leads here, weigh the long-term payoff, compare specific colleges side-by-side, and find programs that match your profile.
College ROI Calculator
See if the degree that leads to Technical Writers pays off. Weighs each college's cost against the earnings graduates see.
College Cost Calculator
Enter a budget and see the colleges whose net price fits, with the out-of-pocket cost and likely loan load for each.
Compare Colleges
Put any 2–4 colleges side-by-side. Admissions, cost, outcomes, and earnings, all on one screen, no tab-hopping.
College Match Quiz
Answer six quick questions and see your best-fit colleges ranked by budget, field of study, and what matters most to you.
Technical Writers Pros & Cons
The data on Technical Writers shows 2 measurable strengths and 2 real trade-offs. All points are drawn from BLS wage data, employment projections, and IPEDS program completions.
PROS
- Very high median salary The national median of $90,390 places this career well above average for college graduates, with significant upside at the 75th percentile.
- High earning ceiling Top earners (75th percentile) reach $115,510 annually. Strong performers, specialists, and those in high-cost markets have significant upside beyond the median.
CONS
- Slow job growth At +0.8% projected growth, this career lags the national average. Limited expansion means stiffer competition for openings that do appear.
- Multi-year ramp before career-level pay This is a Job Zone 4 occupation, these positions typically require a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience before advancing into senior roles. Most workers in this field spend their first several years at entry-level pay well below the $90,390 median while building the experience employers require.
Technical Writers Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Technical Writers professionals earn?
Around $90,390 a year for the typical worker, above the national median for full-time workers. The middle 50% of earners fall between $70,880 and $115,510. Treat the national figure as a starting point rather than a promise: employer size, industry and city all move it.
Is Technical Writers a good career?
For people genuinely interested in the work, yes. At $90,390 median, though slow job growth means most openings come from workers leaving the field rather than new positions being created. Compare program net price against local salary outcomes (not just the national median) before committing.
How long does it take to work as Technical Writers?
Expect 4 years of undergraduate education followed by 2 or more years of field experience before most employers consider you qualified for career-level positions. A bachelor's degree is the typical minimum credential. Degree programs like Public Relations are typical entry paths. Early-career pay during this ramp-up period will be meaningfully below the $90,390 national median. Factor that gap into any program ROI calculation.
What is the job outlook for Technical Writers?
Employment is projected to change by +0.8% through 2035, slower than average compared with other occupations. Around 3,200 roles open each year once you count people retiring and moving on, which matters more to someone starting out than the growth rate does. 46K people do this job nationwide today, so it is an established field rather than a niche one. Source: BLS May 2025.
What skills do Technical Writers professionals need?
Mainly Writing, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Speaking, and Critical Thinking. Notice how many of those are habits rather than facts: they come from doing the work, not from a lecture. That is why programs with an internship or co-op requirement put you ahead of people who only studied the theory. Source: O*NET.
Related Findings
-
10 Six-Figure Careers That Do Not Need a Bachelor's Degree
Air traffic controllers earn more than the typical bachelor's-degree career, with an associate degree. The occupations that pay six figures without four years of college.
- No bachelor degree
- High paying careers
- Associate degree
- Trades
- Median wage
-
Does a Master's Degree Pay Off? Barely, on Average
Group every career by the degree it requires and master's-level jobs pay a median of about $91,000, statistically tied with bachelor's-level work. The premium hides in a few fields.
- Master's degree
- Bachelor's degree
- Median wage
- Graduate school
- Career outcomes
-
Growing and Paying $80K Plus: The Careers That Do Both
Only 106 of 393 federal careers both pay a median above $80,000 and grow faster than the typical job. Here is the rare set that clears both bars.
- Career growth
- Median wage
- High-paying careers
- Job outlook
- Career change
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