Technical Writers Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for technical writers in the U.S. is $90,390 ($43.46 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $90,390
- Mean annual wage
- $96,970
- Median hourly wage
- $43.46
- Employment
- 45,500
45,500 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $57,440 | $27.62 |
| 25th percentile | $70,880 | $34.08 |
| Median (50th) | $90,390 | $43.46 |
| 75th percentile | $115,510 | $55.53 |
| 90th percentile | $145,270 | $69.84 |
Highest-paying states for technical writers
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | $122,320 | 1,550 |
| District of Columbia | $117,810 | 440 |
| Massachusetts | $109,200 | 1,850 |
| Washington | $104,070 | 1,620 |
| California | $104,000 | 5,280 |
| Rhode Island | $102,360 | 150 |
| Connecticut | $101,870 | 770 |
| Maryland | $100,990 | 1,780 |
| Colorado | $100,610 | 1,320 |
| New York | $98,310 | 1,610 |
Lowest-paying states
- Arkansas: $61,180 median annual wage
- South Dakota: $63,350 median annual wage
- Louisiana: $63,790 median annual wage
- Mississippi: $65,220 median annual wage
- Iowa: $66,520 median annual wage
About this occupation
Write technical materials, such as equipment manuals, appendices, or operating and maintenance instructions. May assist in layout work.
Typical tasks
- Organize material and complete writing assignment according to set standards regarding order, clarity, conciseness, style, and terminology.
- Arrange for typing, duplication, and distribution of material.
- Edit, standardize, or make changes to material prepared by other writers or establishment personnel.
- Assist in laying out material for publication.
- Maintain records and files of work and revisions.
- Select photographs, drawings, sketches, diagrams, and charts to illustrate material.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: Bachelor's degree
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 0.9% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 2.7% |
| Some college, no degree | 10.4% |
| Associate's degree | 5.2% |
| Bachelor's degree | 48.8% |
| Master's degree | 21.8% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 10.1% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
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About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.