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Explanation of What Technical Writers are Paid in the United States - Strategies to Succeed in Technical Writing. Also refer to hourly wage, salary, pay rate, writing, technical communication, documentation, locations, states, independent contractors, temp agencies, consulting, supply and demand, attitude, experience, Ron Kurtus, School for Champions. Copyright © Restrictions
What Technical Writers are Paid in the United States
by Ron Kurtus (revised 22 December 2006)
The amount of money paid technical writers for their services in the United States varies considerably with location. Writers in Northern California top the list with an average of $95,000 per year, while writers in Utah are at the bottom at an average salary of around $44,000 per year. Utah's wages have actually dropped in the past four years, indicating an economic downturn in that state. The wages or earning of independent contractors varies widely according to area and amount of hours put in. People interested in making technical communication as a career can use this information as a guide in for what to expect in this industry. Present writers can use the information to see where they stand in comparison to the norm.
Questions you may have include:
- What are the salaries in my location?
- What are independent contractors paid?
- Why is there such a difference in location?
This lesson will answer those questions. There is a mini-quiz near the end of the lesson.
Salaries
The mean or midway salary for a technical writer in the United States in 2002 is $55,000 per year and the average is $65,000 per year. This is considering all levels of experience and locations.
By location
The yearly median salary increased between 2002 and 2006 about $2,000 per year. New York had the biggest increase of an average of $4,000 per year. Wages in New Hampshire, Florida, South Carolina and Utah actually went down in the past four years. Recorded wages in South Carolina dropped a whopping $17,500 in four years. That may have been an anomaly, due to a fewer number of writers reporting their wages.
The state-by-state wage changes are a good indication of the economy in the various states.
The median salaries by location in the United States in 2006 are:
State or Area |
Yearly Salary |
Change |
|
2002 |
2006 |
||
| Northern California | $86,000 | $95,000 | +$9,000 |
| Massachusetts | $74,000 | $83,000 | +$9,000 |
| New York | $64,000 | $80,000 | +$16,000 |
| Southern California | $67,000 | $76,000 | +$9,000 |
| Illinois | $60,000 | $73,000 | +$7,000 |
| Colorado | $64,000 | $72,000 | +$8,000 |
| Virginia, DC | $65,000 | $72,000 | +$7,000 |
| Maryland | $62,000 | $72,000 | +$10,000 |
| Washington | $65,000 | $71,000 | +$6,000 |
| Georgia | $63,000 | $70,000 | +$7,000 |
| New Jersey | $67,000 | $69,000 | +$2,000 |
| Connecticut | $69,000 | $69,000 | $0000 |
| Texas | $64,000 | $69,000 | +$5,000 |
| New Hampshire | $68,000 | $67,000 | -$1,000 |
| Oregon | $65,000 | $67,000 | +$2,000 |
| Arizona | $60,000 | $66,000 | +$6,000 |
| North Carolina | $53,000 | $65,000 | +$12,000 |
| Michigan | $52,000 | $65,000 | +$13,000 |
| Pennsylvania | $58,000 | $64,000 | +$6,000 |
| Arizona | $53,000 | $63,000 | +$10,000 |
| Ohio | $54,000 | $62,000 | +$8,000 |
| Florida | $62,000 | $61,000 | -$1,000 |
| Minnesota | $52,000 | $61,000 | +$9,000 |
| Missouri | $52,000 | $56,000 | +$4,000 |
| Indiana | $54,000 | $55,000 | +$1,000 |
| Wisconsin | $48,000 | $52,000 | +$4,000 |
| South Carolina | $63,000 | $45,500 | -$17,500 |
| Utah | $47,000 | $44,000 | -$3,000 |
This chart is a compilation of surveys taken by WinWriters
and the Society for Technical Communications
By years of experience
The median salaries by experience for the United States are:
Years |
Yearly Salary |
Less than 2 years |
$42,000 |
2 to 5 years |
$52,600 |
6 to 10 years |
$64,500 |
Over 11 years |
$75,300 |
Independent contractors
Writers who are in business for themselves are paid at a higher rate, but they must also pay for their own health insurance and benefits out of their wages, as well as paying extra business taxes. Many such independents establish themselves as a limited liability company (LLC) or as a corporation.
Other independents work through consulting agencies that "hire" them on a per-job basis. They often get health insurance and have their taxes deducted, but they usually get less money per hour of work.
The reason the mean yearly wage is higher for those who are temp agency employees, while the hourly rate is lower, is because temp workers have less down time than the true independent contractors.
Hourly rate
The mean hourly rates for these writers are:
|
Hourly rate |
Range of rates |
Independent contractors |
$51 |
$30 - $74 |
Working through an agency |
$43 |
$29 - $60 |
Yearly earnings
The mean yearly earnings before deductions are:
|
Yearly wages |
Range of earnings |
Independent contractors |
$72,000 |
$36,000 - $124,000 |
Working through an agency |
$78,000 |
$36,000 - $120,000 |
Difference in location
A major factor on wages is supply and demand, although a subtler factor concerning technical writing is the attitude toward technology and the value of writers.
Northern California is the home of Silicon Valley and thus has a large number of software and technology companies that need good technical writers. On the down side is that the cost of living is high, finding affordable housing is difficult, and commute times are long. Also, with the recent dot-com and technology downturn, jobs may not be as stable in that area.
The Boston area has many software companies and is booming in the high-tech industries. There is also a positive attitude toward technology people, as opposed to lower end states such as Wisconsin.
States near the bottom of the rung typically emphasize agriculture or heavy industry and often don't need or use writers. Companies that do use technical writers in those states have a greater supply of local writers than demand and thus do not need to pay very much compared to the rest of the nation.
Summary
Pay varies considerably according to location. Knowing the typical salaries in your area can help you negotiate a reasonable salary.
Be valuable to your customers
Resources
The following resources provide information on a writing career.
Websites
Society for Technical Communication
(STC) 2005 Salary Survey
(Note that you must be a member to see the information)
STC Independent Contractor
2003 Salary Survey
(Note that you must be a member to see the information)
WinWriters 2006 Salary Survey - By location
Society for Technical Communication
Books
Top-rated
books on Technical Writing
Mini-quiz to check your understanding
If you got all three correct, you are on your way to becoming a Champion in Technical Writing. If you had problems, you had better look over the material again.
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What Technical Writers are Paid in the United States