At a glance
Median pay for Technical Writers runs from $61,860 in Little Rock to $140,700 in San Jose across 72 curated metros; the middle value is $86,260.
After the BEA 2024 price adjustment, the top three are San Jose ($127,419), San Francisco ($117,175), Knoxville ($109,572).
These are workforce estimates from published medians, not job offers or expected hiring pay.
Sources: BLS wages (May 2025) · BEA price parity (2024) · Census ACS (2020–2024) · metro areas, not city limits · How we calculate
Technical Writers salary comparison
Technical writer pay depends on subject area, and software and engineering employers differ from other industries. Contract roles may be priced differently. 72 of 75 curated metros have a reported occupation median. The table is sorted by the site-calculated adjusted metric, not by predicted hiring demand.
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| Metropolitan area | Median annual wage | Adjusted median* | Median gross rent / month |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $140,700 | $127,419 | $2,840 |
| San Francisco, CA | $135,470 | $117,175 | $2,474 |
| Knoxville, TN | $101,430 | $109,572 | $1,145 |
| Boston, MA–NH | $111,750 | $103,218 | $2,023 |
| Bridgeport, CT | $106,900 | $100,034 | $1,875 |
| Hartford, CT | $102,470 | $99,731 | $1,416 |
| New York, NY–NJ | $111,050 | $98,656 | $1,830 |
| Memphis, TN–MS–AR | $90,710 | $98,406 | $1,220 |
| Baltimore, MD | $102,140 | $97,754 | $1,611 |
| Denver, CO | $103,360 | $97,710 | $1,874 |
| Durham, NC | $94,520 | $96,872 | $1,466 |
| Seattle, WA | $107,580 | $96,803 | $2,000 |
| Louisville, KY–IN | $89,260 | $95,902 | $1,116 |
| Greensboro, NC | $88,840 | $95,666 | $1,093 |
| Worcester, MA | $98,020 | $95,608 | $1,426 |
| Raleigh, NC | $93,580 | $95,337 | $1,573 |
| North Port, FL | $94,750 | $92,514 | $1,747 |
| Detroit, MI | $92,390 | $92,115 | $1,207 |
| Washington, DC–VA–MD–WV | $99,910 | $91,758 | $2,027 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $104,000 | $91,577 | $2,063 |
Show all 72 metros with a reported median
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| Metropolitan area | Median annual wage | Adjusted median* | Median gross rent / month |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $140,700 | $127,419 | $2,840 |
| San Francisco, CA | $135,470 | $117,175 | $2,474 |
| Knoxville, TN | $101,430 | $109,572 | $1,145 |
| Boston, MA–NH | $111,750 | $103,218 | $2,023 |
| Bridgeport, CT | $106,900 | $100,034 | $1,875 |
| Hartford, CT | $102,470 | $99,731 | $1,416 |
| New York, NY–NJ | $111,050 | $98,656 | $1,830 |
| Memphis, TN–MS–AR | $90,710 | $98,406 | $1,220 |
| Baltimore, MD | $102,140 | $97,754 | $1,611 |
| Denver, CO | $103,360 | $97,710 | $1,874 |
| Durham, NC | $94,520 | $96,872 | $1,466 |
| Seattle, WA | $107,580 | $96,803 | $2,000 |
| Louisville, KY–IN | $89,260 | $95,902 | $1,116 |
| Greensboro, NC | $88,840 | $95,666 | $1,093 |
| Worcester, MA | $98,020 | $95,608 | $1,426 |
| Raleigh, NC | $93,580 | $95,337 | $1,573 |
| North Port, FL | $94,750 | $92,514 | $1,747 |
| Detroit, MI | $92,390 | $92,115 | $1,207 |
| Washington, DC–VA–MD–WV | $99,910 | $91,758 | $2,027 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $104,000 | $91,577 | $2,063 |
| San Diego, CA | $101,750 | $90,940 | $2,246 |
| Albany, NY | $90,500 | $90,894 | $1,280 |
| Albuquerque, NM | $86,790 | $90,836 | $1,156 |
| Providence, RI–MA | $92,240 | $90,633 | $1,307 |
| Birmingham, AL | $82,870 | $90,426 | $1,172 |
| Allentown, PA–NJ | $90,230 | $90,259 | $1,365 |
| Austin, TX | $88,360 | $90,103 | $1,726 |
| Philadelphia, PA–NJ–DE–MD | $92,330 | $90,031 | $1,480 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $89,440 | $89,904 | $1,513 |
| Madison, WI | $86,180 | $88,583 | $1,354 |
| Houston, TX | $87,360 | $88,574 | $1,430 |
| Sacramento, CA | $94,400 | $88,497 | $1,819 |
| Tampa, FL | $89,210 | $88,423 | $1,628 |
| Charleston, SC | $88,610 | $87,766 | $1,605 |
| San Antonio, TX | $82,520 | $87,124 | $1,363 |
| Chicago, IL–IN | $89,960 | $86,838 | $1,430 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $82,970 | $86,702 | $1,191 |
| Orlando, FL | $86,600 | $85,389 | $1,760 |
| St. Louis, MO–IL | $80,840 | $85,016 | $1,113 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $82,370 | $84,973 | $1,139 |
| Charlotte, NC–SC | $82,610 | $84,861 | $1,473 |
| Dallas, TX | $86,520 | $83,927 | $1,614 |
| Cincinnati, OH–KY–IN | $79,140 | $82,982 | $1,105 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $75,310 | $82,959 | $1,135 |
| Columbia, SC | $77,640 | $82,894 | $1,193 |
| Grand Rapids, MI | $79,080 | $82,766 | $1,202 |
| Kansas City, MO–KS | $76,590 | $82,762 | $1,249 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $82,860 | $82,682 | $1,626 |
| Columbus, OH | $78,870 | $82,613 | $1,274 |
| Nashville, TN | $79,550 | $82,574 | $1,528 |
| Minneapolis, MN–WI | $86,340 | $82,368 | $1,440 |
| Buffalo, NY | $78,300 | $81,695 | $1,057 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $82,050 | $81,344 | $1,583 |
| Virginia Beach, VA–NC | $79,340 | $81,008 | $1,478 |
| Richmond, VA | $79,200 | $80,934 | $1,447 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $83,480 | $80,801 | $1,702 |
| Rochester, NY | $78,370 | $80,765 | $1,143 |
| Cleveland, OH | $75,810 | $80,715 | $1,050 |
| Riverside, CA | $85,500 | $80,325 | $1,846 |
| Tulsa, OK | $70,910 | $79,483 | $1,078 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $71,210 | $78,765 | $1,124 |
| Tucson, AZ | $75,070 | $77,475 | $1,212 |
| Portland, OR–WA | $81,540 | $77,347 | $1,724 |
| Boise City, ID | $75,210 | $76,440 | $1,487 |
| Des Moines, IA | $69,450 | $75,735 | $1,150 |
| Atlanta, GA | $75,140 | $75,096 | $1,672 |
| Fresno, CA | $76,030 | $74,424 | $1,392 |
| Miami, FL | $84,750 | $74,241 | $1,869 |
| Greenville, SC | $67,910 | $72,818 | $1,150 |
| Dayton, OH | $64,380 | $69,454 | $1,039 |
| Little Rock, AR | $61,860 | $69,223 | $1,055 |
| New Orleans, LA | $62,990 | $68,026 | $1,217 |
The table shows the 20 highest adjusted medians; the full list of 72 metros is expandable above. The price-adjusted wage equals the BLS May 2025 annual occupational median × 100 ÷ the BEA 2024 all-items regional price parity. Census rent, household income and commuting figures are ACS 2020–2024 five-year estimates. They describe different populations and do not determine take-home pay, employment prospects or individual rent. ACS gross rent includes contract rent plus estimated utility and fuel costs.
How pay for Technical Writers varies across metros
Across the 72 curated metros with a reported median, the nominal annual median for Technical Writers runs from $61,860 in Little Rock to $140,700 in San Jose, a 2.27× difference. After dividing each median by its metro’s BEA price parity, the range is $68,026 in New Orleans to $127,419 in San Jose, a 1.87× difference. The middle value across these metros is $86,260 nominal and $86,770 adjusted.
The price adjustment changes the order. Out of 72 metros, Baton Rouge moves from 62nd on nominal pay to 44th on adjusted pay while Miami moves from 39th to 68th. These ranks compare published medians only, not openings or offers.
Beyond the median: published wage percentiles
The following six metros lead this curated set on the price-adjusted median measure. The five annual wage statistics are the original BLS estimates; they have not been price-adjusted. They illustrate the estimated wage distribution for the same occupation and geographic unit.
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| Metropolitan area | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $75,310 | $87,350 | $140,700 | $172,740 | $211,860 |
| San Francisco, CA | $78,810 | $93,920 | $135,470 | $169,550 | $207,360 |
| Knoxville, TN | $52,750 | $63,780 | $101,430 | $102,430 | $121,310 |
| Boston, MA–NH | $70,040 | $86,060 | $111,750 | $135,600 | $165,670 |
| Bridgeport, CT | $62,460 | $81,820 | $106,900 | $109,870 | $125,760 |
| Hartford, CT | $63,800 | $77,890 | $102,470 | $117,110 | $138,230 |
Percentiles describe a distribution, not an individual’s pay; suppressed values are marked Unavailable.
National career outlook and entry requirements
The BLS projects national employment for Technical writers from 2025 to 2035. These occupational projections are national; they do not forecast openings in any particular metro area.
Among the 80 occupations curated on this site, projected 2025–2035 growth of +0.8% ranks 66th (the middle value is +5.0%), and about 3,200 projected annual openings rank 79th. This compares only the occupations on this site and does not predict hiring in any one metro.
The BLS lists less than 5 years of related work experience as typical for entry. Its typical training category is short-term on-the-job training. National employment base: 46,400 workers in 2025; projected 46,700 in 2035.
Openings are projected national totals, including replacements, not job ads or local vacancies. Education and training categories are typical patterns; licensing varies by role. BLS 2025–2035 Occupational Projections, Table 1.2. Read the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
What to check for this occupation before moving
How roles can differ: Technical writers create manuals, help content and documentation for software, hardware and regulated industries. Some work is contract rather than employee.
Questions to ask about a real offer: Ask about the documentation tools and subject matter, and whether you would work directly with engineers. If the role is contract, compare it with employee benefits.
This is editorial guidance, not a claim that every employer or state follows these practices; verify terms with the employer and relevant authorities.
What this occupation median does—and does not—tell you
BLS OEWS wages are employer-reported estimates for wage-and-salary jobs, so self-employment income is not included. Annual figures assume a 2,080-hour year. Wages include commissions and tips but exclude overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and benefits. A median is neither a new-hire salary nor a vacancy count.
Regional price parities compare overall price levels with the U.S. average; housing data come from a different survey and are not subtracted again from the wage. Missing wages and suppressed percentiles stay unavailable. See the methodology for details.
Salary for Technical Writers in Boston, MA–NH
Boston is shown as a worked example (one of the larger metros on this site); it is not a recommendation, and the table above lists every metro with a reported median. Of 72 metros, it ranks 3rd on nominal median and 4th on price-adjusted median.
For the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro, the May 2025 BLS annual occupational median is $111,750. The published 25th-to-75th-percentile wage interval is $86,060 to $135,600. The price-adjusted median of $103,218 applies the BEA 2024 all-items index of 108.3 (U.S. = 100). It does not reflect an employer offer, taxes or your individual household costs.
The ACS metro-wide gross-rent median is $2,023 per month; with an ACS margin of error of ±$11. Gross rent includes estimated utilities and covers renters generally, not workers in this occupation. For a data-driven contrast, Bridgeport has a published BLS median of $106,900 and adjusted median of $100,034. This comparison metro has the closest observed adjusted median in our curated set. This does not establish similar rents or local job conditions. Compare Boston with Bridgeport in the interactive tool, or review the Boston metro profile for income, housing uncertainty and commute context.
Before relying on a quoted salary, confirm that the job matches this BLS occupation and that pay period, hours and benefits are comparable.