Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between contributing writers and senior technical writers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a contributing writer and a senior technical writer. Additionally, a senior technical writer has an average salary of $70,820, which is higher than the $51,372 average annual salary of a contributing writer.
The top three skills for a contributing writer include lifestyle, web content and SEO. The most important skills for a senior technical writer are technical documentation, subject matter experts, and API.
| Contributing Writer | Senior Technical Writer | |
| Yearly salary | $51,372 | $70,820 |
| Hourly rate | $24.70 | $34.05 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 10,292 | 80,897 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 81% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A contributing writer is responsible for contributing content to a publication or a specific client, typically on a freelance basis. Contributing writers must have a strong command of their language and extensive understanding of the topics assigned to them. They should be keen on details, perfecting grammar usage with proper writing elements. A contributing writer performs in-depth research to support content, ensuring the accuracy of information to release a high-quality article and serve a good read for the target audience. Contributing writers must have excellent time-management and communication skills, especially on meeting deadlines and doing revisions.
A senior technical writer's role is to oversee the progress within a team or department, ensuring quality and timeliness. It is their responsibility to delegate tasks, set deadlines, carry out corrective measures on any issues, and implement the company's regulations and policies. There are also instances when they participate in producing written content, even editing and reviewing materials of the staff. As someone with more experience, a senior technical writer must encourage and lead fellow writers, shaping them into valuable assets.
Contributing writers and senior technical writers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Contributing Writer | Senior Technical Writer | |
| Average salary | $51,372 | $70,820 |
| Salary range | Between $34,000 And $75,000 | Between $54,000 And $92,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | California |
| Best paying company | - | PayPal |
| Best paying industry | - | Technology |
There are a few differences between a contributing writer and a senior technical writer in terms of educational background:
| Contributing Writer | Senior Technical Writer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 81% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Journalism | English |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | University of Houston |
Here are the differences between contributing writers' and senior technical writers' demographics:
| Contributing Writer | Senior Technical Writer | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 44.6% Female, 55.4% | Male, 51.8% Female, 48.2% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 6.6% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 8.7% White, 71.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |