Technical writers held about 55,400 jobs in 2021. The largest employers of technical writers were as follows:
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 36% |
| Manufacturing | 13 |
| Administrative and support services | 9 |
| Publishing industries (except Internet) | 6 |
Most technical writers work full time. They routinely work with engineers and other technology experts to manage the flow of information throughout an organization.
Although most technical writers are employed directly by the companies that use their services, some freelance and are paid per assignment. Freelancers are either self-employed or work for a technical consulting firm and are given short-term or recurring assignments, such as writing about a new product.
Technical writing jobs are usually concentrated in locations with a multitude of information technology or scientific and technical research companies, such as ones in California and Texas.
Work Schedules
Technical writers may be expected to work evenings and weekends to meet deadlines.
Technical writers held about 55,400 jobs in 2021. The largest employers of technical writers were as follows:
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 36% |
| Manufacturing | 13 |
| Administrative and support services | 9 |
| Publishing industries (except Internet) | 6 |
Most technical writers work full time. They routinely work with engineers and other technology experts to manage the flow of information throughout an organization.
Although most technical writers are employed directly by the companies that use their services, some freelance and are paid per assignment. Freelancers are either self-employed or work for a technical consulting firm and are given short-term or recurring assignments, such as writing about a new product.
Technical writing jobs are usually concentrated in locations with a multitude of information technology or scientific and technical research companies, such as ones in California and Texas.
Work Schedules
Technical writers may be expected to work evenings and weekends to meet deadlines.
Technical writers typically have an interest in the Thinking, Creating and Organizing interest areas, according to the Holland Code framework. The Thinking interest area indicates a focus on researching, investigating, and increasing the understanding of natural laws. The Creating interest area indicates a focus on being original and imaginative, and working with artistic media. The Organizing interest area indicates a focus on working with information and processes to keep things arranged in orderly systems.
If you are not sure whether you have a Thinking or Creating or Organizing interest which might fit with a career as a technical writer, you can take a career test to measure your interests.
Technical writers should also possess the following specific qualities:
Communication skills. Technical writers must be able to take complex, technical information and translate it for colleagues and consumers who have nontechnical backgrounds.
Detail oriented. Technical writers create detailed instructions for others to follow. As a result, they must be detailed and precise at every step so that the instructions can be useful.
Imagination. Technical writers must be able to think about a procedure or product in the way that a person without technical experience would think about it.
Teamwork. Technical writers must be able to work well with others. They are almost always part of a team: with other writers; with designers, editors, and illustrators; and with the technical people whose information they are explaining.
Technical skills. Technical writers must be able to understand and then explain highly technical information. Many technical writers need a background in engineering or computer science in order to do this.
Writing skills. Technical communicators must have excellent writing skills to be able to explain technical information clearly.
The median annual wage for technical writers was $78,060 in May 2021. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $48,890, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $125,010.
In May 2021, the median annual wages for technical writers in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | $80,150 |
| Administrative and support services | 77,940 |
| Manufacturing | 77,390 |
| Publishing industries (except Internet) | 75,710 |
Technical writers may be expected to work evenings and weekends to meet deadlines. Most work full time.
Employment of technical writers is projected to grow 6 percent from 2021 to 2031, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
About 5,400 openings for technical writers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Employment
As product innovation continues, technical writers will be needed to convert complex information into a format that nontechnical users of these products understand. The continuing expansion of scientific and technical products and growth in digital product support needs will drive employment demand for these writers.
For more information about technical writers, visit
American Medical Writers Association
National Association of Science Writers
Society for Technical Communication