Arts & Media27-3042.00Specialization

Technical Writers

Write technical materials, such as equipment manuals, appendices, or operating and maintenance instructions. May assist in layout work.

$80,050
Median Pay
2 to 4 years
Training
🟠
In Transition

This is a specialization of

Media & Communication Workers

Career Overview Video

AI Impact Assessment

AI Resilience Score

Score 2/6: high AI task exposure indicates this career is being transformed by AI

🟠In Transition

How we calculated this:

AI Exposure
High+0

70% of tasks can be accelerated by AI

Job Growth
Stable+1

+1% projected (2024-2034)

Human Advantage
Moderate+1

EPOCH score: 16/25

Total Score2/6
Methodology: v2.0 - GPTs are GPTs / BLS / EPOCH Additive ScoringUpdated: 2026-01-09

Key Responsibilities

  • Organize material and complete writing assignment according to set standards regarding order, clarity, conciseness, style, and terminology.
  • Maintain records and files of work and revisions.
  • Edit, standardize, or make changes to material prepared by other writers or establishment personnel.
  • Select photographs, drawings, sketches, diagrams, and charts to illustrate material.
  • Interview production and engineering personnel and read journals and other material to become familiar with product technologies and production methods.
  • Develop or maintain online help documentation.
  • Assist in laying out material for publication.
  • Study drawings, specifications, mockups, and product samples to integrate and delineate technology, operating procedure, and production sequence and detail.
  • Arrange for typing, duplication, and distribution of material.
  • Observe production, developmental, and experimental activities to determine operating procedure and detail.

Education & Training

Typical Entry Education

Associate's degree

Time to Job Ready

4-6 years

Based on Job Zone 4. For formal education duration only, see education_duration.

Technology Skills

Technical authoring tools (MadCap Flare, FrameMaker)Microsoft OfficeContent management systemsScreen capture toolsVersion controlGraphics software

Key Abilities

Written ExpressionWritten ComprehensionNear VisionOral ComprehensionOral ExpressionDeductive ReasoningInformation OrderingProblem SensitivityInductive ReasoningSpeech Clarity

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Find jobs and training programs for technical writers- Median salary: $80K/year

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Compensation Details

$48,630
10th Percentile
$80,050
Median
$129,440
90th Percentile

Based on 47,970 employed workers

Also Known As

Assembly Instructions WriterClinical WriterContracts WriterDocument SpecialistDocumentation DesignerDocumentation SpecialistDocumentation WriterEngineering Documentation SpecialistEngineering WriterGrant Writer

Data from O*NET 30.1 and BLS Occupational Employment Statistics

O*NET Code: 27-3042.00