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The differences between assignment editors and technical writers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become an assignment editor, becoming a technical writer takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a technical writer has an average salary of $65,329, which is higher than the $48,582 average annual salary of an assignment editor.
The top three skills for an assignment editor include twitter, assignment desk and phone calls. The most important skills for a technical writer are technical documentation, subject matter experts, and powerpoint.
| Assignment Editor | Technical Writer | |
| Yearly salary | $48,582 | $65,329 |
| Hourly rate | $23.36 | $31.41 |
| Growth rate | -5% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 11,919 | 75,090 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 85% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 44 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 2 |
An assignment editor is responsible for handling and delegating tasks to news staff, identifying news sources, and developing accurate and efficient news articles for media and publishing companies. Assignment editors monitor situations for the public's awareness, requiring them to work at the office and conduct field investigations alternately. They also manage the scope and limitation of news coverage, finalizing scripts for television airings, and ensuring that all details are factual-based. An assignment editor should be highly communicative and organizational, as well as attentive, having the ability to finish newsworthy stories within strict deadlines.
Technical Writers specialize in producing easy-to-understand instructional or informational written materials, such as media and journal articles, assessments and guidelines, and legal forms of documentation. For Technical Writers to develop well-versed content, one must conduct thorough research on the topic or idea to ensure factual legitimacy and communicate with those whose expertise aligns with the subject. Aside from producing, Technical Writers can also improve or convert complex written materials such as operating manuals or documents into one that can be easily understood by the general public.
Assignment editors and technical writers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Assignment Editor | Technical Writer | |
| Average salary | $48,582 | $65,329 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $74,000 | Between $48,000 And $87,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New York | California |
| Best paying company | The Washington Post | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Media | Finance |
There are a few differences between an assignment editor and a technical writer in terms of educational background:
| Assignment Editor | Technical Writer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 85% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Communication | English |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | University of Houston |
Here are the differences between assignment editors' and technical writers' demographics:
| Assignment Editor | Technical Writer | |
| Average age | 44 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 48.9% Female, 51.1% | Male, 49.7% Female, 50.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.6% Asian, 6.3% White, 76.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 6.6% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 8.7% White, 71.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 11% |