What is the Average Senior Technical Writer Salary?
The work environment and the pay scale are the most significant factors for any job position. However, as documentation, manual guides, and technical writing become integral to the sales funnel, senior technical writers gradually dominate the industry. And their senior technical writer salary directly reflects this increase in responsibility.
The job is progressive and offers great incentives. So people, especially software and data engineers or anyone with a technical or teaching background, are getting more inclined to become senior technical writers.
Certain factors, such as experience, location, education, and others, affect senior technical writer salaries. According to Glassdoor, the median annual wage for a senior technical writer is $134,000.
Keep reading for a useful senior technical writer’s salary insight and the factors that affect it.
Factors That Influence the Senior Technical Writer’s Salary
Senior technical writers are responsible for curating articles for online journals, magazines, and publications, writing and editing manuals, offering development services, creating user-friendly documentation, and other innovative projects. This senior-level designation also implies that they assign, supervise, review, and edit the work of junior technical writers for accuracy.
A senior technical writer possesses expertise in various fields, including computer software, hardware, engineering, and other professional or industrial disciplines. To earn more and reach the higher end of the writer’s salary, they must be well-versed in the subject matter and leverage creative technology. Additionally, technical writers must develop fluency and expertise in the terminology and jargon specific to their field.
A senior technical writer can work for software companies, publications, journals, and medical equipment specialists, ranging from entry-level to high-level roles.
Here are the major factors that affect the pay scale for senior technical writers.
Senior Technical Writer Salary by Education
The level of education of the candidates affects their average salaries as senior technical writers, as well as the additional cash compensation.
Salary.com reported a salary range of approximately $93,033 to $98,148 for a senior technical writer with a bachelor’s degree.
Senior Technical Writer Salary by Experience
The average salary for a senior technical writer increases exponentially with experience. By working for years with multinational teams in a dynamic, inclusive culture, creating innovative content, leveraging legal technology, and providing easy-to-understand documentation for commercial customers, a talented technical writer creates impactful experiences in the industry.
An experienced senior technical writer who has achieved unicorn status earns a higher average base salary than a recent senior technical writer who just joined the documentation team.
- A senior technical writer for a candidate with 1-3 years of experience with an average total compensation, including the bonus, overtime pay, and tips, is approximately $98,417 annually.
- In their mid-career, a senior technical writer with 3-5 years of experience can earn around $100,103 per year.
- With 5-7 years of experience, a senior technical writer earns a yearly salary of $117,162.
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Senior Technical Writer Salary by Location in the U.S.
The location of the employees also affects the average salary and compensation for a senior technical writer. If you are a part of the freelance or online community, you would not have to worry about it.
The bigger cities, or the leading global providers in the US, pay well to their employees, but the high living and transportation costs can be a downside.
You can check the top ten senior technical writer salaries by location in the US. The majority of cities are in California.
Senior Technical Writer Salary by Company Size
The average base salary and compensation for a senior technical writer also depend on the company’s size.
According to many reports, senior technical writers earn the most at small companies, typically with 11-50 employees. However, as the company grows and adds more members to teams such as the documentation and marketing teams, it tends to lower the pay scale to offset the additional salaries.
To understand the salary by company size, here is a breakdown:
- 1-10 employees: $116,269 annually
- 11-50 employees: $128,000 annually
- 51-200 employees: $94,683 annually
- 201-500 employees: $93,493 annually
- 501- 1,000 employees: $105,917 annually
- Above 1,000 employees: $93,067 annually
Senior Technical Writer Salary by Location, Globally
If you are not in the US, planning to immigrate, or working remotely, it is essential to know the global median salary of a senior technical writer.
- Australia– A$115,000 per year
- United Kingdom– £52,000 per year
- Ireland– €76,000 per year
- Germany – €67,000 per year
- Netherlands – €97,000 per year
- Japan– ¥6,520,000 per year
- France – €64,000 per year
- Brazil – R$120,000 per year
- Poland – zł133,000 per year
Senior Technical Writer Salary by Skills
The expertise of a passionate technical writer positively influences the industry. As they continue to learn, they can better enable commercial customers to achieve lucrative outcomes.
Specific mainstream skills positively affect senior technical writer salaries. The better skills a technical writer has, the more they can earn.
Some skills that you must acquire to land better jobs include:
- Content strategy
- Analytical research
- Editing and proofreading
- Basic prototyping
- Technical writing (for diverse and in-demand niches like molecular science and human health)
- Content marketing
- Agile product development
- SQL- Structure query language
With these skills up their sleeve, the senior technical writer reported earning 13.5% more than other technical writers.
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Advanced Career Path for Senior Technical Writers
Senior technical writers have opportunities to progress into higher-level specialized or leadership roles, which often come with increased salaries and broader responsibilities. By building on their expertise, they can grow into positions that influence not just documentation but organizational strategy.
Potential Career Progression:
- Documentation Manager: Oversee documentation teams, establish standards, and streamline processes to deliver high-quality content. This role often includes team management and collaboration with product, UX, and development teams.
- Content Strategist: Focus on aligning content strategy with business goals, ensuring cohesive messaging across all documentation and marketing materials.
- Director of Content or Knowledge Management: Lead content initiatives across multiple departments, oversee large teams, and ensure that content supports user experience and organizational objectives.
- Specialized Consultant: Work independently or with organizations as a subject matter expert in niche areas like regulatory documentation, medical writing, or API documentation.
Strategies for Advancement:
- Develop Leadership Skills: Taking on mentoring roles or managing small teams can help prepare for managerial positions.
- Expand Technical Expertise: Learning advanced tools or in-demand skills like API documentation, structured authoring, or SQL can set candidates apart.
- Network Within the Industry: Building connections with professionals across industries can open doors to new opportunities.
By pursuing these paths, senior technical writers can not only increase their earning potential but also contribute to larger organizational goals, positioning themselves as invaluable assets.
Salaries for Senior Technical Writer Career Path
The senior technical writer’s salaries can move up or down the ladder, depending on the factors discussed. Therefore, it is essential to understand the career path to avoid backtracking a level.
Here is the senior technical writer career path, alongside their average salaries:
Junior Technical Writer
The junior technical writer has a bachelor’s degree with no experience. Yet, they earn up to $99,000 per year.
Technical Product Documentation Manager
Technical product documentation writer IV with a bachelor’s degree and experience of 7+ years. For this job title, the median salary for technical writers is $110,000.
Senior Technical Writer Jobs in the US
If you are struggling to find startup jobs, here are some companies that offer both online and on-site positions (you can work as an anonymous senior technical writer as well).
With over 1,000 employees working remotely, these jobs offer a good average technical writer salary. You can also use the open search join log to hunt for a suitable job in the relevant industry.
Conclusion
It is important to understand the job title and pay scale before joining any industry as a senior technical writer.
To earn a good annual income, avoid underpaying yourself, build a rewarding career in the industry, and learn the total compensation for a Senior Technical Writer, the average base salary, and other pay elements. Next, understand how your salary is adjusted based on skills and experience. Lastly, acknowledge the salary you must get for a specific job title.
FAQs
What is the average salary of a senior technical writer?
According to Glassdoor, the median annual salary for a senior technical writer is $134,000. Salaries may vary based on factors such as experience, location, education, and company size.
How does experience impact a senior technical writer’s salary?
Experience significantly affects salary growth.
- 1-3 years of experience: $98,417 annually.
- 3-5 years of experience: $100,103 annually.
- 5-7 years of experience: $117,162 annually.
Do senior technical writers earn more in smaller companies?
Yes, smaller companies (11-50 employees) typically offer higher salaries, averaging $128,000 annually. Larger companies may offer lower wages because of their larger teams.
Which skills can help senior technical writers earn more?
Key skills include:
- Content strategy
- Editing and proofreading
- Agile product development
- SQL (Structured Query Language)
Senior technical writers with these skills report earning 13.5% more than their peers.
What are the top locations in the U.S. for senior technical writer salaries?
California offers some of the highest salaries for senior technical writers. Major cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles lead the way, but living and transportation costs are higher.
Can senior technical writers work remotely?
Yes, many senior technical writing roles offer remote or freelance opportunities, allowing professionals to work globally or independently.
What is the global salary range for senior technical writers?
Salaries vary across countries:
- Australia: A$115,000 per year
- United Kingdom: £52,000 per year
- Germany: €67,000 per year
What career paths are available after becoming a senior technical writer?
Senior technical writers can advance to roles like Documentation Manager, Content Strategist, or Director of Content. These positions typically come with increased salaries and expanded responsibilities.
If you are new to technical writing and looking to break in, we recommend taking our Technical Writing Certification Course, where you will learn the fundamentals of technical writing, how to dominate technical writer interviews, and how to stand out as a technical writing candidate.
