Janet Underwood

How Much Do Technical Writer Employees and Freelancers Make?

Many students ask me about the earning potential of technical writers. As I mention in my class, surveys indicate that technical writers are paid more than other types of writers.

How much can you make? The answer isn't simple. You can follow many different paths that can affect how much you're paid. For example, you can work in many different industries. Technical writers earn more in some industries than in others.

Additionally, how much you make depends on the type of documentation you want to write. You may choose to specialize in writing Web-based documentation, paper documentation, online help, proposals, manuals that are used in the workplace, manuals that have a marketing flair because they are distributed to the public, and on and on. While pay rates generally fall within a specific range for certain levels of expertise, the more demand there is for the type of documentation you do, the higher the pay rates will be (at least in the beginning).

Finally, how much you make can depend on what type of work you want to do. You can work as a writer, a proofreader, a copy editor, or an indexer. You could become a developer or a trainer. Again, your pay rate will fall within certain parameters based on your experience, but some job titles command more pay. For example, a person who writes and delivers highly technical training courses often makes more than a proofreader. However, even this can depend on the industry.

To get the best picture of what technical writers in your area earn, call the local chapter of the Society for Technical Communications. They often have a job line that lists current job openings in your area, and the folks there are most knowledgeable about the going rates for different kinds of technical writing. To find a chapter close to you, go to the main STC Web site at www.stc.org.

Another resource to check is Salary.com (www.salary.com). This company does extensive research on salaries for different jobs in different locations.

If you want to work as a freelance technical writer, check with your local STC chapter to find out what local rates are. Sometimes, these rates are a little harder to find out. That's why I suggest joining your local STC group and networking with other technical writers in your area.

As a general guideline, however, if you're simply editing existing technical documents, you can charge between $25 and $50 an hour, depending on your location and your marketing skills.

If you're writing the documentation as a freelancer, set your hourly rate anywhere from $30 to $80 an hour, depending on the complexity of the document you're being asked to write and your location.

If you're writing grants or proposals, you may be able to charge from $30 to $100 an hour.

These are guidelines only. The actual amount you make can be more or less, depending on current market conditions and your personal negotiating skills. The numbers presented here are no guarantee that you’ll be able to make this much.