National Salary Info » Technical Writers

Highest Paying Industries for Technical Writers

The top 100 highest paying industries for technical writers (ranked by average annual salary) are listed in Table 1. The entry level salary (as measured by the salary of the lowest 10% paid earners) and the number of employment in those industries are also shown. As shown in the table, with an average annual salary of $86,990, specialized design services is the highest paying industry for technical writers. It is followed by real estate and rental and leasing industry (average annual salary $85,030). The salary and employment information is computed from data published by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2015 [1]. For more information about salaries of technical writers in a specific industry, use the links in the table.

Table 1. 100 Highest Paying Industries for Technical Writers

Rank	Industry	Average Salary i	Entry Level Salary i	# of Empl. i
1	Specialized Design Services	$86,990	$59,080	90
2	Real Estate and Rental and Leasing	$85,030	$51,030	90
3	Manufacturing and Reproducing Magnetic and Optical Media	$84,120	$52,380	60
4	Utilities	$82,710	$55,740	160
5	Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing	$81,640	$49,960	600
6	Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution	$81,250	$54,670	n/a
7	Other Information Services	$80,480	$41,720	970
8	Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation)	$78,440	$57,500	1,040
9	Federal government, including USPS	$78,420	$57,500	1,050
10	Household Appliances and Electrical and Electronic Goods Merchant Wholesalers	$77,300	$47,920	190
11	Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences	$76,910	$47,510	1,990
12	Other Financial Investment Activities	$76,850	$56,540	70
13	Scientific Research and Development Services	$76,090	$46,040	2,110
14	General Medical and Surgical Hospitals - Privately owned	$75,810	$50,350	350
15	Hospitals - Privately owned	$75,630	$49,870	380
16	Wholesale Electronic Markets and Agents and Brokers	$74,770	$46,630	610
17	Business schools and computer and management training - Privately owned	$74,670	$49,630	210
18	General Medical and Surgical Hospitals	$74,580	$48,580	380
19	Business Schools and Computer and Management Training	$74,580	$49,420	210
20	Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing	$74,390	$51,250	1,000
21	Hospitals (including private, state, and local government hospitals)	$74,350	$48,150	410
22	Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing	$74,130	$45,010	2,920
23	Drugs and Druggists' Sundries Merchant Wholesalers	$74,110	$44,150	180
24	Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing	$73,920	$45,770	1,300
25	Computer Systems Design and Related Services	$73,830	$43,810	8,480
26	Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories	$73,400	$44,310	40
27	Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing	$72,740	$40,440	580
28	Transportation Equipment Manufacturing	$72,690	$49,250	1,270
29	Software Publishers	$72,420	$39,210	2,290
30	Waste Treatment and Disposal	$71,930	$37,680	120
31	Cable and Other Subscription Programming	$71,920	$37,500	160
32	Broadcasting (except Internet)	$71,910	$38,540	180
33	Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities	$71,440	$53,410	100
34	Wholesale Trade	$71,290	$42,870	1,760
35	Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	$71,040	$43,150	19,680
36	Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods	$70,880	$40,430	210
37	Testing Laboratories	$70,650	$42,980	850
38	Employment Services	$70,380	$42,860	3,680
39	Temporary Help Services	$70,060	$42,940	3,200
40	Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers	$69,840	$42,860	550
41	Administrative and Support Services	$69,750	$42,500	4,140
42	Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services	$69,600	$41,870	4,380
43	Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services	$69,580	$41,930	3,960
44	Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities	$69,540	$36,690	n/a
45	Federal, State, and Local Government (OES Designation)	$69,460	$43,520	1,540
46	Federal, State, and Local Government	$69,460	$43,520	1,540
47	Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing	$69,450	$45,050	860
48	Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods	$69,290	$42,260	940
49	Information	$69,150	$38,180	6,220
50	Other Telecommunications	$69,090	$50,940	40
51	Insurance Agencies and Brokerages	$68,940	$41,680	30
52	Chemical Manufacturing	$68,610	$43,680	920
53	Publishing Industries (except Internet)	$68,250	$37,170	3,910
54	Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing	$68,200	$40,260	230
55	Manufacturing	$68,100	$41,550	7,660
56	Waste Management and Remediation Services	$68,070	$33,020	240
57	Construction of Buildings	$67,260	$53,440	40
58	Nonresidential Building Construction	$67,130	$53,230	30
59	Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services	$66,960	$37,510	70
60	Other Support Services	$66,890	$38,570	70
61	Machinery, Equipment, and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers	$66,880	$50,220	80
62	Data Processing, Hosting, and Related Services	$66,710	$40,570	810
63	Grantmaking and Giving Services	$66,220	$35,710	160
64	Office Administrative Services	$66,130	$38,620	150
65	Public sector -- Federal, state, and local government, including government owned schools and hospit	$65,710	$42,320	2,030
66	Health Care and Social Assistance	$65,690	$40,330	820
67	Legal Services	$65,560	$45,990	n/a
68	Educational Services - Privately owned	$65,470	$43,550	700
69	Management of Companies and Enterprises	$65,470	$38,240	1,500
70	Communications Equipment Manufacturing	$65,440	$43,550	360
71	Business Support Services	$65,420	$40,440	150
72	Miscellaneous Manufacturing	$65,320	$37,590	330
73	Telecommunications	$65,080	$29,580	200
74	Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services	$65,000	$42,840	4,140
75	Activities Related to Credit Intermediation	$64,660	$36,330	250
76	Industrial Machinery Manufacturing	$64,280	$37,200	220
77	Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	$64,220	$42,810	490
78	Securities and Commodity Contracts Intermediation and Brokerage	$63,990	$50,510	40
79	Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities	$63,780	$31,600	120
80	Construction	$63,710	$37,310	90
81	Repair and Maintenance	$63,480	$32,340	50
82	Direct Insurance (except Life, Health, and Medical) Carriers	$63,460	$40,890	70
83	Engineering Services	$63,450	$43,390	2,970
84	Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing	$63,440	$43,340	160
85	Credit Intermediation and Related Activities	$63,200	$38,900	510
86	Colleges, universities, and professional schools - Privately owned	$62,630	$41,050	200
87	Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers	$62,500	$28,750	540
88	Finance and Insurance	$62,500	$40,940	1,420
89	Other Services (except Federal, State, and Local Government)	$62,470	$38,380	640
90	Nondepository Credit Intermediation	$62,440	$41,090	100
91	Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations	$62,180	$38,940	580
92	Electrical Equipment Manufacturing	$62,150	$41,560	110
93	Support Activities for Air Transportation	$62,140	$39,070	130
94	Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing	$61,990	$37,870	150
95	Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers	$61,790	$35,020	1,620
96	Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries	$61,740	$28,750	560
97	Educational Support Services - Privately owned	$61,600	$43,230	230
98	Direct Health and Medical Insurance Carriers	$61,550	$41,030	420
99	Educational Support Services	$61,360	$43,190	230
100	Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities	$61,280	$41,730	180