The average salary for a technical writer in the United States is $86,620, but the range typically falls between $62,060 and $102,260. This corresponds to an average hourly wage of $41.64, with a range between $29.84 and $49.17.
There are approximately 47,970 people employed as a technical writer in the United States. With California, Texas, Florida employing the highest number of technical writers.The state with the best pay for a technical writer is District of Columbia, with an average annual salary of $102,070, while Arizona has the lowest average annual salary of $58,030.
| Annual Salary | Hourly Wage | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile | $48,630 | $23.38 |
| 25th Percentile | $62,060 | $29.84 |
| Median | $80,050 | $38.49 |
| 75th Percentile | $102,260 | $49.17 |
| 90th Percentile | $129,440 | $62.23 |
The salary of a technical writer can vary depending on the state. Below is a map of the United States showing the average annual salary for a technical writer in each state. The darker the color, the higher the salary. The best states for technical writers are District of Columbia, Delaware, Massachusetts, California, Washington while the worst states are Arizona, Arkansas, South Dakota, Mississippi, Oklahoma.
| State | Low-end | Average | High-end |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $50,600 | $81,000 | $112,490 |
| Alaska | $52,000 | $77,150 | $93,870 |
| Arizona | $39,920 | $58,030 | $98,680 |
| Arkansas | $37,660 | $70,970 | $103,430 |
| California | $59,790 | $109,380 | $166,660 |
| Colorado | $54,150 | $93,530 | $129,580 |
| Connecticut | $60,620 | $92,180 | $127,640 |
| Delaware | $66,520 | $106,400 | $156,000 |
| District of Columbia | $70,910 | $102,070 | $132,970 |
| Florida | $52,370 | $78,130 | $108,810 |
| Georgia | $54,070 | $82,780 | $120,830 |
| Idaho | $50,700 | $81,440 | $128,020 |
| Illinois | $48,180 | $88,620 | $127,620 |
| Indiana | $46,780 | $72,660 | $103,370 |
| Iowa | $41,600 | $69,580 | $86,820 |
| Kansas | $42,800 | $70,050 | $97,210 |
| Kentucky | $53,200 | $79,160 | $99,980 |
| Louisiana | $40,420 | $69,350 | $100,280 |
| Maine | $53,000 | $74,950 | $111,000 |
| Maryland | $64,950 | $97,400 | $132,600 |
| Massachusetts | $66,240 | $104,960 | $137,710 |
| Michigan | $43,330 | $77,660 | $112,550 |
| Minnesota | $55,300 | $78,540 | $106,600 |
| Mississippi | $37,440 | $68,280 | $96,110 |
| Missouri | $46,400 | $75,610 | $106,540 |
| Montana | $48,640 | $70,430 | $88,340 |
| Nebraska | $48,660 | $76,130 | $105,550 |
| Nevada | $51,590 | $83,970 | $115,400 |
| New Hampshire | $49,720 | $91,770 | $132,860 |
| New Jersey | $62,330 | $98,840 | $136,170 |
| New Mexico | $51,110 | $76,640 | $100,000 |
| New York | $37,440 | $94,020 | $165,840 |
| North Carolina | $52,420 | $87,990 | $122,320 |
| Ohio | $44,240 | $70,570 | $101,850 |
| Oklahoma | $42,260 | $65,810 | $91,080 |
| Oregon | $55,640 | $82,500 | $111,600 |
| Pennsylvania | $45,760 | $77,310 | $116,770 |
| Rhode Island | $58,280 | $85,750 | $101,910 |
| South Carolina | $59,210 | $79,060 | $107,360 |
| South Dakota | $47,070 | $55,810 | $65,410 |
| Tennessee | $38,640 | $71,060 | $105,790 |
| Texas | $45,990 | $75,950 | $108,410 |
| Utah | $42,380 | $79,120 | $124,170 |
| Vermont | $53,560 | $75,530 | $102,090 |
| Virginia | $60,620 | $91,510 | $127,850 |
| Washington | $62,730 | $104,440 | $157,100 |
| Wisconsin | $49,560 | $73,070 | $101,960 |
Even between cities, the salary of a technical writer can vary. For example, the areas with the highest average salary for technical writers is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara area, CA with an average salary of $136,990.The city with the lowest average salary for technical writers is East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area, SD with an average salary of $52,370.
Areas with highest average salaries for technical writers
Areas with lowest average salaries for technical writers
The number of technical writers in the United States has been decreasing over the years. Since 2020, the number of technical writers has decreased by -910. On average, the number of technical writers has been increasing by -0.5% each year. The salary of technical writers has been increasing. Since 2020, the salary of technical writers has increased by $8,030. On average, the salary of technical writers has been increasing by 2.6% each year.
Technical Writers are part of the arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations group. Below is a comparison of the average annual salary for technical writers compared to other jobs in the same occupation group. View all arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations jobs here.
$73,250 per year
$87,840 per year
$59,090 per year
$77,720 per year
$63,080 per year
$85,110 per year
