Technical Writers Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for technical writers is $90,390, or $43.46 per hour. About 45,500 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $122,320 in New Jersey to $61,180 in Arkansas.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 45 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $122,320 | $58.81 | 1,550 | 1.24 |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $117,810 | $56.64 | 440 | 2.15 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $109,200 | $52.50 | 1,850 | 1.74 |
| 4 | Washington | $104,070 | $50.03 | 1,620 | 1.56 |
| 5 | California | $104,000 | $50.00 | 5,280 | 0.99 |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $102,360 | $49.21 | 150 | 1.04 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $101,870 | $48.98 | 770 | 1.54 |
| 8 | Maryland | $100,990 | $48.55 | 1,780 | 2.20 |
| 9 | Colorado | $100,610 | $48.37 | 1,320 | 1.57 |
| 10 | New York | $98,310 | $47.26 | 1,610 | 0.57 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $96,300 | $46.30 | 230 | 1.16 |
| 12 | New Mexico | $94,970 | $45.66 | 420 | 1.66 |
| 13 | Virginia | $93,600 | $45.00 | 2,280 | 1.90 |
| 14 | Delaware | $90,370 | $43.45 | 80 | 0.54 |
| 15 | Nevada | $88,750 | $42.67 | 230 | 0.51 |
| 16 | Illinois | $88,700 | $42.65 | 1,040 | 0.58 |
| 17 | Vermont | $87,860 | $42.24 | 60 | 0.72 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $87,620 | $42.12 | 1,330 | 0.75 |
| 19 | North Carolina | $86,320 | $41.50 | 2,860 | 1.98 |
| 20 | Florida | $86,240 | $41.46 | 2,550 | 0.88 |
| 21 | Alabama | $85,840 | $41.27 | 630 | 1.01 |
| 22 | Michigan | $85,270 | $40.99 | 970 | 0.75 |
| 23 | Oregon | $84,000 | $40.38 | 590 | 1.02 |
| 24 | Minnesota | $83,270 | $40.03 | 910 | 1.05 |
| 25 | Alaska | $83,200 | $40.00 | 130 | 1.35 |
| 26 | Texas | $82,750 | $39.78 | 3,340 | 0.81 |
| 27 | South Carolina | $82,540 | $39.68 | 700 | 1.04 |
| 28 | Kentucky | $81,070 | $38.97 | 340 | 0.59 |
| 29 | Missouri | $80,840 | $38.86 | 500 | 0.58 |
| 30 | Utah | $80,270 | $38.59 | 570 | 1.12 |
| 31 | Wisconsin | $80,030 | $38.48 | 910 | 1.05 |
| 32 | Arizona | $79,780 | $38.36 | 730 | 0.77 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $79,550 | $38.24 | 480 | 0.50 |
| 34 | Ohio | $76,480 | $36.77 | 1,350 | 0.83 |
| 35 | Indiana | $75,510 | $36.30 | 540 | 0.58 |
| 36 | Montana | $75,070 | $36.09 | 160 | 1.07 |
| 37 | Kansas | $73,550 | $35.36 | 480 | 1.13 |
| 38 | Georgia | $73,070 | $35.13 | 1,680 | 1.17 |
| 39 | North Dakota | $72,990 | $35.09 | 70 | 0.59 |
| 40 | Oklahoma | $69,760 | $33.54 | 600 | 1.21 |
| 41 | Iowa | $66,520 | $31.98 | 640 | 1.40 |
| 42 | Mississippi | $65,220 | $31.36 | 70 | 0.21 |
| 43 | Louisiana | $63,790 | $30.67 | 320 | 0.57 |
| 44 | South Dakota | $63,350 | $30.46 | 70 | 0.49 |
| 45 | Arkansas | $61,180 | $29.41 | 150 | 0.39 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do technical writers make?
The median annual wage for technical writers in the United States is $90,390, or $43.46 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $57,440, and the top 10% earn $145,270.
How many technical writers are employed in the U.S.?
About 45,500 people work as technical writers nationwide.
Which state pays technical writers the most?
New Jersey pays the most at a median of $122,320, followed by District of Columbia ($117,810) and Massachusetts ($109,200).
Which state pays technical writers the least?
Arkansas has the lowest median at $61,180.
Where are technical writers jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Maryland at 2.20×.