Technical Writers
SOC 27-3042 • View wages by state
The median annual wage for Technical Writers is $80,050, based on BLS OEWS 2023 data. The mean annual wage is $86,620, and an estimated 47,970 workers are employed in this occupation nationally. Between 2020 and 2023, pay rose +7.2% while consumer prices rose 17.7% — a real change of -8.9% (pay did not keep up with inflation). BLS projects employment will grow 0.9% between 2024 and 2034.
Wage Trend & Inflation Adjustment
How the national median wage for Technical Writers has moved across BLS OEWS release years, and what each year's wage is worth in 2023 dollars after adjusting for CPI inflation. "Real" change strips out inflation — the truest measure of whether pay is actually rising.
| Year | Median (nominal) | In 2023 $ (real) | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $80,050 | $80,050 | 47,970 |
| 2022 | $79,960 | $83,252 | 48,620 |
| 2021 | $78,060 | $87,777 | 47,620 |
| 2020 | $74,650 | $87,887 | 48,880 |
Nominal change
+7.2%
Inflation (CPI)
+17.7%
Real change
-8.9%
Job Outlook (2024–2034 BLS projection)
The BLS Employment Projections program estimates how each occupation's employment will change over the coming decade, and how many job openings to expect each year (from both growth and the need to replace workers who leave).
Projected Growth
+0.9%
About average
Employment 2024
56,400
Projected 2034
56,900
Annual Openings
4,500
Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
Highest-Paying Areas (2023)
Where Technical Writers earn the most, and how each area's median compares to the national median of $80,050. A positive premium means the area pays above the national rate.
| Area | Median Annual | vs National | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $102,970 | +28.6% | 410 |
| Delaware | $101,030 | +26.2% | 110 |
| Massachusetts | $100,860 | +26% | 1,980 |
| California | $100,370 | +25.4% | 5,990 |
| Washington | $99,900 | +24.8% | 1,490 |
| Rhode Island | $95,520 | +19.3% | — |
| Maryland | $94,990 | +18.7% | 1,770 |
| Connecticut | $92,260 | +15.3% | 670 |
| New Jersey | $90,160 | +12.6% | 1,140 |
| Colorado | $87,930 | +9.8% | 1,570 |
Wage Distribution (National, 2023)
10th, 25th, 50th (median), 75th, and 90th percentile annual wages from BLS OEWS — the full spread, not just an average.
10th Pct
$48,630
25th Pct
$62,060
Median
$80,050
75th Pct
$102,260
90th Pct
$129,440
H-1B Employer Filings
Employer-certified wages from DOL H-1B LCA filings — competitive market benchmark, not approved visas.
| Employer | State | Filings | Median Wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| ButcherBox OpCo, LLC | MA | 2 | $140,000 |
| Moore & Van Allen PLLC | NC | 2 | $140,005 |
| COGNIZANT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS US CORP | TX | 1 | $67,496 |
| SPECTRO CLOUD, INC. | CA | 1 | $130,000 |
| Mobility Special Home Care Services LLC | NJ | 1 | $83,533 |
| Cardinal Intellectual Property Inc | TX | 1 | $54,725 |
| Cardinal Intellectual Property Inc | MA | 1 | $71,469 |
| Kennedy International Software Inc | NJ | 1 | $93,600 |
| Johns Hopkins University | OH | 1 | $71,275 |
| Microsoft Corporation | NC | 1 | $148,296 |
| Palo Alto Networks, Inc. | CA | 1 | $178,846 |
| Microsoft Corporation | WA | 1 | $233,680 |
| Rivian Automotive, LLC | NJ | 1 | $163,000 |
| Latham & Watkins, LLP | CA | 1 | $155,000 |
| Navisiontech, Inc. | FL | 1 | $67,246 |
| MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY | MI | 1 | $85,000 |
| AFFIRM, INC. | CA | 1 | $235,000 |
| Cyient, Inc. | CA | 1 | $76,840 |
| FLYR, Inc. | NY | 1 | $175,000 |
| ADVANCED WAREHOUSE INC | NJ | 1 | $66,362 |
Source: DOL Office of Foreign Labor Certification, H-1B LCA data.
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