Tech Writers: Job, Salary, and School Information from The Riley Guide

Job Numbers and Growth

Across the US there are 49,000 tech writers. This occupation has an unemployment level that is very high.

Part-Time Work and Self-Employment

Employees may end up working less than full time; 7% of those in the career did so in 2008. 6% of the time tech writers are self employed.

Training and Education

Finding jobs is easier for workers with a bachelor's degree. Recent government surveys (2008) show that 74% of employees have received at least a 4 year degree. Tech writers who attended college, but do not have a degree make up 18% of the total. A high school diploma was all the education obtained by 7% of workers. Recommended schools are shown in the column to the right; request information from them to help you decide which, if any, could help you with this career.

Area Job Conditions

The fewest jobs (per capita) are found in Columbia (South Carolina), Greensboro (North Carolina), and Nashville (Tennessee), and the most jobs are found in Warner Robins (Georgia), Framingham (Massachusetts), and Lowell (Massachusetts).

The earnings potential (not adjusted for cost of living) is highest in San Jose (California), Framingham (Massachusetts), and San Francisco (California). However, the potential is lowest in Springfield (Missouri), Missoula (Montana), and Port St. Lucie (Florida).

Career Overview Video About Tech Writers

Tech Writers: Job and Salary Data by Metropolitan Area

The table below shows data for Tech Writers, as of 2008. The Popularity in Area number tells you how common jobs for Tech Writers are in the area, compared to other US metro areas. A value of 1.0 means an average number of people in the position for area population. Lower numbers mean fewer of these positions in the metro area. The most popular areas for Tech Writers are starred .

State	Area	Positions	Typical Pay	Popularity in Area
Alabama	Birmingham	80	$48,370	0.4
Alabama	Huntsville	300	$54,210	4.2
Alabama	Montgomery	80	$48,300	1.4
Alaska	Anchorage	50	$61,570	0.9
Alaska	Fairbanks	40	$51,070	4.1
Arizona	Phoenix	630	$64,990	0.9
Arizona	Tucson	120	$55,720	0.9
Arkansas	Fayetteville	70	$40,130	1
Arkansas	Little Rock	70	$53,250	0.6
California	Bakersfield	70	$60,400	0.8
California	Fresno	80	$68,450	0.7
California	Oakland	510	$76,740	1.4
California	Oxnard	230	$80,930	2.2
California	Riverside	180	$71,760	0.4
California	Sacramento	230	$62,090	0.7
California	San Diego	720	$72,200	1.5
California	San Francisco	650	$80,280	1.8
California	San Jose	1,350	$91,350	4.1
California	Santa Ana	720	$63,130	1.3
California	Santa Barbara	70	$69,420	1.2
California	Santa Cruz	40	$54,720	1.4
California	Santa Rosa	70	$76,860	1.1
Colorado	Boulder	160	$73,330	2.9
Colorado	Colorado Springs	270	$63,030	3.1
Colorado	Denver	670	$66,800	1.5
Colorado	Fort Collins	60	$65,560	1.5
Connecticut	Hartford	200	$57,610	1
Connecticut	New Haven	50	$68,610	0.5
Connecticut	Norwich	110		2.6
Delaware	Wilmington	90	$56,200	0.8
District of Columbia	Washington	2,400	$69,750	2.9
Florida	Fort Lauderdale	150	$57,860	0.6
Florida	Fort Walton Beach	50	$57,450	2
Florida	Jacksonville	90	$45,820	0.4
Florida	Miami	140	$47,710	0.4
Florida	Naples	40	$61,260	1
Florida	Orlando	390	$57,010	1
Florida	Palm Bay	120	$61,130	1.8
Florida	Pensacola	40	$44,600	0.8
Florida	Port St Lucie	40	$33,780	0.9
Florida	Sarasota	30	$61,890	0.3
Florida	Tampa	290	$61,970	0.7
Florida	West Palm Beach	90	$67,440	0.5
Georgia	Atlanta	870	$62,550	1
Georgia	Augusta	80	$65,760	1.1
Georgia	Columbus	80	$49,650	2.2
Georgia	Warner Robins	120	$44,960	7.8
Idaho	Boise	180	$58,510	1.9
Illinois	Chicago	880	$67,690	0.6
Indiana	Indianapolis	510	$65,150	1.6
Iowa	Cedar Rapids	100	$55,640	2.2
Iowa	Davenport	90	$61,160	1.4
Iowa	Des Moines	120	$46,640	1
Iowa	Dubuque	40	$45,620	2.5
Iowa	Iowa City	40	$45,230	1.7
Kansas	Wichita	410	$53,390	3.8
Louisiana	New Orleans	80	$49,970	0.4
Maryland	Baltimore	770	$65,430	1.6
Maryland	Bethesda	890	$69,330	4.4
Massachusetts	Boston	1,490	$78,790	2.4
Massachusetts	Framingham	420	$86,280	7.6
Massachusetts	Lowell	190	$79,660	4.7
Massachusetts	Springfield	50	$53,140	0.5
Massachusetts	Worcester	100	$73,340	1.2
Michigan	Ann Arbor	150	$57,540	2.6
Michigan	Detroit	430	$66,290	1.7
Michigan	Flint	90	$72,750	1.9
Michigan	Kalamazoo	80	$64,390	1.7
Michigan	Lansing	120	$48,250	1.8
Michigan	Niles	50	$58,910	2.5
Michigan	Warren	550	$66,650	1.3
Minnesota	Minneapolis	940	$64,910	1.5
Mississippi	Gulfport	60	$44,250	1.7
Missouri	Kansas City	350	$52,220	0.9
Missouri	Springfield	70	$38,340	1
Missouri	St Louis	440	$59,820	0.9
Montana	Missoula	40	$39,690	2.5
Nebraska	Lincoln	100	$42,360	1.8
Nebraska	Omaha	130	$50,530	0.8
Nevada	Las Vegas	210	$50,710	0.6
Nevada	Reno	40	$68,230	0.6
New Hampshire	Manchester	40	$75,330	1.2
New Hampshire	Nashua	90	$82,240	1.9
New Hampshire	Portsmouth	30	$68,660	1.7
New Jersey	Atlantic City	50	$61,510	1
New Jersey	Camden	140	$62,770	0.7
New Jersey	Edison	640	$62,760	1.7
New Jersey	Newark	370	$68,780	1
New Jersey	Trenton	170	$70,980	2.3
New Mexico	Albuquerque	290	$65,310	2.1
New York	Albany	180	$61,360	1.2
New York	Binghamton	60	$54,160	1.7
New York	Buffalo	120	$56,110	0.6
New York	Nassau	180	$63,830	0.4
New York	New York	1,320	$69,310	0.7
New York	Rochester	170	$54,670	1
New York	Syracuse	80	$52,460	0.7
New York	Utica	40	$54,680	0.9
North Carolina	Charlotte	190	$60,520	0.6
North Carolina	Durham	250	$65,500	2.6
North Carolina	Greensboro	40	$55,420	0.3
North Carolina	Raleigh	290	$69,920	1.6
North Dakota	Fargo	30	$43,310	0.8
Ohio	Akron	90	$55,280	0.8
Ohio	Cincinnati	390	$55,310	1
Ohio	Cleveland	250	$56,580	0.7
Ohio	Columbus	230	$70,000	0.7
Ohio	Dayton	280	$43,360	2
Ohio	Toledo	40	$54,490	0.4
Oklahoma	Oklahoma City	140	$43,930	0.7
Oklahoma	Tulsa	100	$44,340	0.6
Oregon	Portland	570	$67,410	1.5
Pennsylvania	Allentown	40	$52,080	0.3
Pennsylvania	Harrisburg	120	$60,180	1.1
Pennsylvania	Philadelphia	820	$63,850	1.2
Pennsylvania	Pittsburgh	360	$52,730	0.9
Rhode Island	Providence	140	$60,480	0.7
South Carolina	Charleston	90	$55,270	0.9
South Carolina	Columbia	40	$52,760	0.3
South Carolina	Greenville	100	$43,180	0.9
South Dakota	Sioux Falls	50	$43,070	1.1
Tennessee	Chattanooga	30	$45,240	0.4
Tennessee	Knoxville	110	$61,310	0.9
Tennessee	Memphis	120	$57,160	0.5
Tennessee	Nashville	70	$48,650	0.3
Texas	Austin	460	$58,670	1.7
Texas	Dallas	1,020	$62,450	1.4
Texas	El Paso	60	$54,850	0.7
Texas	Fort Worth	390	$60,850	1.3
Texas	Houston	710	$59,040	0.8
Texas	San Antonio	450	$51,140	1.5
Utah	Ogden	130	$51,230	1.9
Utah	Provo	130	$45,810	2.3
Utah	Salt Lake City	360	$54,550	1.6
Vermont	Burlington	90	$49,060	2.5
Virginia	Charlottesville	70	$60,130	2.3
Virginia	Harrisonburg	40	$45,080	2.4
Virginia	Richmond	180	$64,160	0.8
Virginia	Virginia Beach	420	$73,250	1.6
Washington	Kennewick	90	$68,330	3.1
Washington	Seattle	1,310	$77,420	2.5
Washington	Spokane	40	$54,810	0.6
Washington	Tacoma	40	$48,860	0.4
Wisconsin	Appleton	40	$50,620	1.1
Wisconsin	Madison	170	$58,980	1.5
Wisconsin	Milwaukee	310	$52,870	1
Wisconsin	Racine	30	$64,580	1.2

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