SOC 27-3042 · Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations
Technical Writers wages by metro
National median annual wage
$90,390
- 10th percentile
- $57,440
- 25th percentile
- $70,880
- Median
- $90,390
- 75th percentile
- $115,510
- 90th percentile
- $145,270
- Mean
- $96,970
Annual wage from the May 2025 OEWS estimates.
National employment in May 2025: 45,500.
That median is 77.3% higher than the all-occupations national median of $50,980.
The metro and state figures below are the same May 2025 release. A blank wage means BLS did not publish it. See when a wage is not published.
Highest published medians
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 920 | $75,310 | $140,700 | $211,860 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 1,020 | $78,810 | $135,470 | $207,360 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | 40 | $82,860 | $129,590 | $168,030 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | 80 | $67,030 | $119,160 | $141,100 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | 100 | $69,760 | $117,130 | $158,480 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 1,590 | $70,040 | $111,750 | $165,670 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 2,170 | $63,980 | $111,050 | $158,280 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 1,220 | $60,900 | $107,580 | $175,010 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | 160 | $62,460 | $106,900 | $125,760 |
| Boulder, CO | 140 | $72,880 | $105,840 | $169,520 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | 60 | $71,160 | $104,450 | $149,090 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 1,460 | $66,580 | $104,000 | $137,250 |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | 160 | $64,990 | $103,730 | $128,940 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 800 | $71,460 | $103,360 | $165,880 |
| Savannah, GA | 120 | $76,080 | $103,000 | $136,460 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | 250 | $63,800 | $102,470 | $138,230 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 820 | $78,610 | $102,140 | $162,210 |
| Idaho Falls, ID | 70 | $53,600 | $101,790 | $159,000 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 520 | $66,280 | $101,750 | $157,650 |
| Knoxville, TN | 100 | $52,750 | $101,430 | $121,310 |
Where employment is largest
States and territories
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | 1,550 | $69,400 | $122,320 | $163,390 |
| District of Columbia | 440 | $74,720 | $117,810 | $148,770 |
| Massachusetts | 1,850 | $71,120 | $109,200 | $165,060 |
| Washington | 1,620 | $60,420 | $104,070 | $169,810 |
| California | 5,280 | $69,630 | $104,000 | $175,510 |
| Rhode Island | 150 | $77,480 | $102,360 | $115,380 |
| Connecticut | 770 | $63,710 | $101,870 | $127,830 |
| Maryland | 1,780 | $72,880 | $100,990 | $149,740 |
| Colorado | 1,320 | $69,730 | $100,610 | $160,950 |
| New York | 1,610 | $53,560 | $98,310 | $152,570 |
| New Hampshire | 230 | $63,500 | $96,300 | $130,970 |
| New Mexico | 420 | $53,280 | $94,970 | $130,260 |
| Virginia | 2,280 | $60,930 | $93,600 | $139,470 |
| Delaware | 80 | $60,990 | $90,370 | $117,210 |
| Nevada | 230 | $56,710 | $88,750 | $124,800 |
| Illinois | 1,040 | $58,800 | $88,700 | $130,890 |
| Vermont | 60 | $61,220 | $87,860 | $223,650 |
| Pennsylvania | 1,330 | $54,220 | $87,620 | $158,180 |
| North Carolina | 2,860 | $53,790 | $86,320 | $139,950 |
| Florida | 2,550 | $59,520 | $86,240 | $132,380 |
| Alabama | 630 | $60,700 | $85,840 | $123,140 |
| Michigan | 970 | $57,600 | $85,270 | $127,070 |
| Oregon | 590 | $58,990 | $84,000 | $150,220 |
| Minnesota | 910 | $58,670 | $83,270 | $127,390 |
| Alaska | 130 | $61,020 | $83,200 | $102,120 |
| Texas | 3,340 | $50,590 | $82,750 | $127,920 |
| South Carolina | 700 | $57,360 | $82,540 | $120,930 |
| Kentucky | 340 | $54,300 | $81,070 | $120,350 |
| Missouri | 500 | $51,170 | $80,840 | $192,040 |
| Utah | 570 | $50,610 | $80,270 | $132,590 |
| Wisconsin | 910 | $56,460 | $80,030 | $119,930 |
| Arizona | 730 | $60,100 | $79,780 | $119,930 |
| Tennessee | 480 | $50,430 | $79,550 | $108,890 |
| Ohio | 1,350 | $48,970 | $76,480 | $125,150 |
| Indiana | 540 | $52,350 | $75,510 | $106,680 |
| Montana | 160 | $65,630 | $75,070 | $89,280 |
| Kansas | 480 | $49,250 | $73,550 | $102,440 |
| Georgia | 1,680 | $57,970 | $73,070 | $122,290 |
| North Dakota | 70 | $50,460 | $72,990 | $110,150 |
| Oklahoma | 600 | $48,130 | $69,760 | $103,440 |
| Iowa | 640 | $52,750 | $66,520 | $98,970 |
| Mississippi | 70 | $45,740 | $65,220 | $85,980 |
| Louisiana | 320 | $53,220 | $63,790 | $94,680 |
| South Dakota | 70 | $49,490 | $63,350 | $84,090 |
| Arkansas | 150 | $45,170 | $61,180 | $81,330 |
| Puerto Rico | 60 | $28,440 | $46,950 | $97,070 |
| Hawaii | 30 | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| Idaho | 430 | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| Maine | 310 | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| Nebraska | 190 | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| West Virginia | 130 | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| Wyoming | 30 | Not available | Not available | Not available |
Other arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations
- Public Relations Specialists
- Coaches and Scouts
- Graphic Designers
- Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers
- Producers and Directors
- Editors
- Interior Designers
- Audio and Video Technicians
Questions this page answers
What is the national median wage for Technical Writers?
In the May 2025 OEWS estimates, the national median annual wage for Technical Writers is $90,390. Employment is 45,500.
How does Technical Writers pay compare with all occupations?
The national median for Technical Writers is 77.3% higher than the all-occupations median of $50,980.
Which metro has the highest published median for Technical Writers?
Among metros with a published annual median in the May 2025 tables, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA is highest on this page's list at $140,700.