Technical writers
Write technical materials, such as equipment manuals, appendices, or operating and maintenance instructions. May assist in layout work.
Technical writers write technical materials, such as equipment manuals, appendices, or operating and maintenance instructions. May assist in layout work. The role reports a median annual salary of $91,670 in the US. Entry typically requires a Bachelor's degree, and shows high AI exposure (0.78 on a 0-1 scale) — significant portions of core tasks are already being automated. The most in-demand skills for the role include cognitive psychology, documentation types, visual presentation techniques, knowledge base, product usage risks analysis.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £39,459 a year for Authors, writers and translators (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 3412). ONS rates this estimate reasonably precise. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)
Pay in India (occupation group)
Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Professionals” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only Technical writers, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.
Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 2. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report
2 open listings on our jobs board → Recent listings whose job title matches this career. Some jobs in this career are advertised under other titles.
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- English Language
- Computers and Electronics
- Administrative
- Communications and Media
- Administration and Management
- Public Safety and Security
- Education and Training
- Production and Processing
A day in the life
You start the morning reading engineering notes on a new product feature, then sit down with a developer to understand how it actually works and where users are likely to get confused. Back at your desk you draft a step-by-step guide, choosing plain words, short sentences and consistent terms so nothing can be misread. Mid-morning you pick screenshots and sketch a simple diagram to explain a tricky setting. After lunch you edit a colleague's installation manual, standardising headings and fixing steps that were in the wrong order. You then update the online help pages, checking every link and search keyword. Later a product manager asks for a last-minute change, so you revise a section and note the change in your version records. The work needs patience and attention to detail, and few readers ever notice it. But when a user completes a task without needing to call for help, you know you did your job well.
Illustrative: one typical day, written from the O*NET task statements for this occupation. Real days vary by employer and seniority.
What you'd actually do
- 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.
Tools & technology you'd use
Frequently asked questions
What does Technical writers do?
Write technical materials, such as equipment manuals, appendices, or operating and maintenance instructions. May assist in layout work.
What does a typical day look like in Technical writers?
You start the morning reading engineering notes on a new product feature, then sit down with a developer to understand how it actually works and where users are likely to get confused. Back at your desk you draft a step-by-step guide, choosing plain words, short sentences and consistent terms so nothing can be misread. Mid-morning you pick screenshots and sketch a simple diagram to explain a tricky setting.
How much does Technical writers earn?
The median annual salary for Technical writers in the US is $91,670.
How do I become technical writers?
The typical entry education is a Bachelor's degree. Building a foundation in the top skills below will strengthen your application.
What skills does Technical writers need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include cognitive psychology, documentation types, visual presentation techniques, knowledge base, product usage risks analysis, ICT software specifications. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace Technical writers?
Our AI-durability model gives Technical writers a score of 0.78 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at high AI risk — many core tasks are already being automated by generative AI and workflow tools. Focus on AI-adjacent skills or plan a pivot to an AI-durable adjacent role.
How hard is it to enter this field?
Technical writers has moderate barrier to entry — moderately gated — a bachelor's degree or equivalent training is typically required.