Technical Writer salary
From 387 certified H-1B filings (FY2025–FY2026). Base salary only.
- Occupation code 27-3042: Technical Writers
- Also filed as: Technical Writer Technical
At a glance
- Mostly Level II (mid-level). 34% of Technical Writer filings are Level II, compared with 42% across all H-1B filings.
- Top filer: Amazon. 24 filings (6% of the total), median $119,294.
- Median up 26% since FY2020. From $82,000 in FY2020 to $103,150 in FY2026 (Q1–Q3). Nominal, not adjusted for inflation.
Technical Writer H-1B salary overview
Employers filed 387 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications for Technical Writer jobs in FY2025–FY2026 (occupation code 27-3042, Technical Writers). The median base salary is $100,000, 18% below the median for all H-1B filings ($122,699), and half of the filings fall between $76,045 and $130,478. The most common wage level is Level II (mid-level), at 34% of filings. New York, NY has the most filings (69), and Amazon is the employer that files the most (24).
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Percentiles from certified H-1B filings, base salary only. Metro areas with at least 10 filings.
Top employers for Technical Writer
Amazon
Google
The MathWorksEmployers with the most Technical Writer filings. Bar: share of all Technical Writer filings. Figure: median base salary.
Pay by level
Entry-level · 18% of filings
Mid-level · 34% of filings
Senior · 22% of filings
Expert · 25% of filings
Show the table
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Level I · Entry | $60,000 | 67 |
| Level II · Qualified | $85,925 | 130 |
| Level III · Experienced | $106,730 | 84 |
| Level IV · Fully competent | $146,296 | 96 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Technical Writer pay by city
Median base salary in each metro area. Rent: HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027.
Show all 8 metro areas
| Metro area | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | $95,000 | 69 |
| San Francisco, CA | $148,164 | 31 |
| Seattle, WA | $121,189 | 31 |
| San Jose, CA | $165,000 | 30 |
| Boston, MA | $111,665 | 25 |
| Dallas, TX | $69,576 | 19 |
| Washington, DC | $99,500 | 19 |
| Chicago, IL | $91,520 | 12 |
Metro areas with at least 10 filings for this occupation.
What a Technical Writer does
Write technical materials, such as equipment manuals, appendices, or operating and maintenance instructions. May assist in layout work.
Typical tasks
- 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.
- Analyze developments in specific field to determine need for revisions in previously published materials and development of new material.
- Review published materials and recommend revisions or changes in scope, format, content, and methods of reproduction and binding.
- Select photographs, drawings, sketches, diagrams, and charts to illustrate material.
Preparation
Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed. Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
O*NET occupation: Technical Writers (27-3042.00). This section includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
H-1B pay vs. all U.S. workers
Across all U.S. workers in this occupation (Technical Writers), the median annual wage was $90,390 in May 2025, with 45,500 people employed. The median H-1B base salary in FY2025–FY2026 is $100,000, 11% higher.
| H-1B filings | All U.S. workers (BLS, May 2025) | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $62,167 | $57,440 |
| 25th percentile | $76,045 | $70,880 |
| Median | $100,000 | $90,390 |
| 75th percentile | $130,478 | $115,510 |
| 90th percentile | $168,000 | $145,270 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). BLS wages cover all wage and salary workers and include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are the base salary offered on certified LCAs. The two sources cover different periods. BLS reports wages of $239,200 or more as a single top value.
Salary details
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $62,167 |
| 25th | $76,045 |
| 50th (median) | $100,000 |
| 75th | $130,478 |
| 90th | $168,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $82,000 | $69,659 | $101,816 | 205 |
| FY2021 | $93,527 | $76,767 | $130,000 | 188 |
| FY2022 | $94,120 | $73,343 | $121,149 | 219 |
| FY2023 | $90,540 | $75,941 | $132,000 | 167 |
| FY2024 | $95,784 | $78,042 | $129,820 | 190 |
| FY2025 | $98,754 | $73,379 | $127,750 | 227 |
| FY2026 | $103,150 | $80,750 | $143,125 | 160 |
Questions
How much does an H-1B Technical Writer make?
The median base salary in certified H-1B filings for Technical Writer jobs is $100,000 (387 filings, FY2025–FY2026). Half of the filings are between $76,045 and $130,478.
What does an entry-level Technical Writer earn on an H-1B?
Level I (entry-level) filings have a median of $60,000. Level I accounts for 18% of Technical Writer filings.
Which employers file the most H-1B applications for Technical Writers?
Amazon (24), Google (16) and The MathWorks (11) filed the most Technical Writer LCAs in FY2025–FY2026.
Do H-1B Technical Writers earn more than other U.S. workers in the same job?
The H-1B median base salary ($100,000) is 11% higher than the median wage of all U.S. workers in this occupation ($90,390, BLS May 2025). The sources measure pay differently, so treat this as a rough comparison.