SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Write technical materials, such as equipment manuals, appendices, or operating and maintenance instructions. May assist in layout work.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 27-3042.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $57,440 | $4,787 | $1,105 | $27.62 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $70,880 | $5,907 | $1,363 | $34.08 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $90,390 | $7,532 | $1,738 | $43.46 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $115,510 | $9,626 | $2,221 | $55.53 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $145,270 | $12,106 | $2,794 | $69.84 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Technical Writers is $90,390, which is 77% higher. Among the 41 occupations of the field Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media, it ranks number 4 by median pay. With 45,500 jobs, it makes up about 2.9 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Technical Writers pay by state
The highest median pay was in New Jersey ($122,320), District of Columbia ($117,810) and Massachusetts ($109,200). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($46,950), Arkansas ($61,180) and South Dakota ($63,350). The most jobs were in California (5,280), Texas (3,340) and North Carolina (2,860). The occupation is most concentrated in Maryland, where its share of all jobs is 2.2 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | 1,550 | $122,320 | $116,550 | $58.81 |
| District of Columbia | 440 | $117,810 | $112,210 | $56.64 |
| Massachusetts | 1,850 | $109,200 | $114,610 | $52.50 |
| Washington | 1,620 | $104,070 | $109,840 | $50.03 |
| California | 5,280 | $104,000 | $117,060 | $50.00 |
| Rhode Island | 150 | $102,360 | $97,050 | $49.21 |
| Connecticut | 770 | $101,870 | $100,400 | $48.98 |
| Maryland | 1,780 | $100,990 | $104,800 | $48.55 |
| Colorado | 1,320 | $100,610 | $107,560 | $48.37 |
| New York | 1,610 | $98,310 | $100,460 | $47.26 |
| New Hampshire | 230 | $96,300 | $96,440 | $46.30 |
| New Mexico | 420 | $94,970 | $99,160 | $45.66 |
| Virginia | 2,280 | $93,600 | $97,090 | $45.00 |
| Delaware | 80 | $90,370 | $89,480 | $43.45 |
| Nevada | 230 | $88,750 | $91,130 | $42.67 |
| Illinois | 1,040 | $88,700 | $92,610 | $42.65 |
| Vermont | 60 | $87,860 | $101,220 | $42.24 |
| Pennsylvania | 1,330 | $87,620 | $95,660 | $42.12 |
| North Carolina | 2,860 | $86,320 | $91,620 | $41.50 |
| Florida | 2,550 | $86,240 | $92,090 | $41.46 |
| Alabama | 630 | $85,840 | $92,180 | $41.27 |
| Michigan | 970 | $85,270 | $90,780 | $40.99 |
| Oregon | 590 | $84,000 | $95,890 | $40.38 |
| Minnesota | 910 | $83,270 | $88,770 | $40.03 |
| Alaska | 130 | $83,200 | $80,420 | $40.00 |
| Texas | 3,340 | $82,750 | $88,140 | $39.78 |
| South Carolina | 700 | $82,540 | $85,310 | $39.68 |
| Kentucky | 340 | $81,070 | $83,190 | $38.97 |
| Missouri | 500 | $80,840 | $92,480 | $38.86 |
| Utah | 570 | $80,270 | $85,950 | $38.59 |
| Wisconsin | 910 | $80,030 | $84,910 | $38.48 |
| Arizona | 730 | $79,780 | $86,510 | $38.36 |
| Tennessee | 480 | $79,550 | $82,580 | $38.24 |
| Ohio | 1,350 | $76,480 | $82,920 | $36.77 |
| Indiana | 540 | $75,510 | $78,400 | $36.30 |
| Montana | 160 | $75,070 | $76,000 | $36.09 |
| Kansas | 480 | $73,550 | $74,930 | $35.36 |
| Georgia | 1,680 | $73,070 | $82,400 | $35.13 |
| North Dakota | 70 | $72,990 | $79,690 | $35.09 |
| Oklahoma | 600 | $69,760 | $72,660 | $33.54 |
| Iowa | 640 | $66,520 | $72,130 | $31.98 |
| Mississippi | 70 | $65,220 | $69,480 | $31.36 |
| Louisiana | 320 | $63,790 | $72,730 | $30.67 |
| South Dakota | 70 | $63,350 | $65,090 | $30.46 |
| Arkansas | 150 | $61,180 | $63,460 | $29.41 |
| Puerto Rico | 60 | $46,950 | $52,070 | $22.57 |
| Hawaii | 30 | not published | not published | not published |
| Idaho | 430 | not published | not published | not published |
| Maine | 310 | not published | not published | not published |
| Nebraska | 190 | not published | not published | not published |
| West Virginia | 130 | not published | not published | not published |
| Wyoming | 30 | not published | not published | not published |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Art Directors$114,850 a year
- Special Effects Artists and Animators$102,030 a year
- Musicians and Singers$47.80 an hour
- Producers and Directors$90,360 a year
- Commercial and Industrial Designers$83,910 a year
- Fashion Designers$80,960 a year
Common questions
How much do Technical Writers earn in the United States?
The median pay was $90,390 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $57,440 and the highest-paid 10% more than $145,270.
How many people work as Technical Writers?
About 45,500 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.
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