Arts, Design & Media

Technical Writers

SOC 27-3042

Explain complex systems and products in plain, accurate language.

The job

Median pay

$90k

$71k to $116k typical range

Outlook, 2025 to 2035

Stable

+0.8% projected

Openings a year

BLS projection

Typical education

Bachelor's

Our model

AI displacement risk

Very high

How much of this job AI may do instead of the person

Works with AI

3/100

AI alongside the person rather than instead of them

AI exposure

99th pct

More exposed than 99% of occupations · modeled estimate · 98th pct in Microsoft's data

Future-proof

36/100

Take the next step

Weigh it against Graphic DesignersPay, outlook, entry and AI exposure side by side See where it pays mostNew Jersey leads at $122k; every state is below Find careers like itOpen the map at Technical Writers and explore its neighbours See open jobsTechnical Writers roles hiring now Learn the skillsCourses for Technical Writers, who lean most on writing Real pay & reviewsWhat Technical Writers say they actually earn

Key skills

Writing
Reading Comprehension
Active Listening
Speaking
Critical Thinking
Active Learning

Pay and jobs by state

BLS OEWS May 2025, 51 states. Sorted by jobs; per 1,000 is jobs per thousand workers in the state; vs national compares that rate with the country's. A tilde marks a figure estimated from the parent occupation group where BLS publishes none.

State	Jobs	Per 1,000	vs national	Median pay
California	5,280	0.3	1.0×	$104k
Texas	3,340	0.2	0.8×	$83k
North Carolina	2,860	0.6	2.0×	$86k
Florida	2,550	0.3	0.9×	$86k
Virginia	2,280	0.6	1.9×	$94k
Massachusetts	1,850	0.5	1.7×	$109k
Maryland	1,780	0.6	2.2×	$101k
Georgia	1,680	0.3	1.2×	$73k
Washington	1,620	0.5	1.6×	$104k
New York	1,610	0.2	0.6×	$98k

All 51 states

State	Jobs	Per 1,000	vs national	Median pay
New Jersey	1,550	0.4	1.2×	$122k
Ohio	1,350	0.2	0.8×	$76k
Pennsylvania	1,330	0.2	0.8×	$88k
Colorado	1,320	0.5	1.6×	$101k
Illinois	1,040	0.2	0.6×	$89k
Michigan	970	0.2	0.8×	$85k
Minnesota	910	0.3	1.1×	$83k
Wisconsin	910	0.3	1.1×	$80k
Connecticut	770	0.5	1.6×	$102k
Arizona	730	0.2	0.8×	$80k
South Carolina	700	0.3	1.0×	$83k
Iowa	640	0.4	1.4×	$67k
Alabama	630	0.3	1.0×	$86k
Oklahoma	600	0.4	1.2×	$70k
Oregon	590	0.3	1.0×	$84k
Utah	570	0.3	1.1×	$80k
Indiana	540	0.2	0.6×	$76k
Missouri	500	0.2	0.6×	$81k
Kansas	480	0.3	1.1×	$74k
Tennessee	480	0.1	0.5×	$80k
Washington DC	440	0.6	2.1×	$118k
Idaho	430	0.5	1.7×	$71k~
New Mexico	420	0.5	1.6×	$95k
Kentucky	340	0.2	0.6×	$81k
Louisiana	320	0.2	0.6×	$64k
Maine	310	0.5	1.6×	$77k~
Nevada	230	0.1	0.5×	$89k
New Hampshire	230	0.3	1.1×	$96k
Nebraska	190	0.2	0.6×	$73k~
Montana	160	0.3	1.1×	$75k
Arkansas	150	0.1	0.4×	$61k
Rhode Island	150	0.3	1.0×	$102k
Alaska	130	0.4	1.4×	$83k
West Virginia	130	0.2	0.6×	$66k~
Delaware	80	0.2	0.6×	$90k
Mississippi	70	0.1	0.2×	$65k
North Dakota	70	0.2	0.6×	$73k
South Dakota	70	0.2	0.5×	$63k
Vermont	60	0.2	0.7×	$88k
Hawaii	30	0.0	0.2×	$83k~
Wyoming	30	0.1	0.4×	$72k~

Top metro areas

Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV2,370 jobs · $100k median
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ2,170 jobs · $111k median
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH1,590 jobs · $112k median
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA1,460 jobs · $104k median
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA1,220 jobs · $108k median
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX1,030 jobs · $87k median
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA1,020 jobs · $135k median
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA920 jobs · $141k median

Where this ranks

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Pay and outlook from BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills and work activities from O*NET 30.3. AI exposure and future-proof scores are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.