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The differences between engineering technical writers and editors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become an engineering technical writer, becoming an editor takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, an engineering technical writer has an average salary of $64,966, which is higher than the $52,107 average annual salary of an editor.
The top three skills for an engineering technical writer include API, technical documentation and java. The most important skills for an editor are web content, video content, and SEO.
| Engineering Technical Writer | Editor | |
| Yearly salary | $64,966 | $52,107 |
| Hourly rate | $31.23 | $25.05 |
| Growth rate | 6% | -5% |
| Number of jobs | 128,393 | 15,115 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Average age | 46 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
An engineering technical writer specializes in producing engineering reports and documentation. They primarily communicate and coordinate with engineering teams to gather and analyze different forms of data, using the findings as a basis for writing materials. They may also liaise with clients, identifying the documents that they need, and submitting them to them while adhering to the company's policies and regulations. Furthermore, there are instances when an engineering technical writer must develop presentations and graphs, presenting reports to clients or company officials.
An editor is the one responsible for polishing and refining a story, article, and any material for publication in newspapers, magazines, books, or websites. Editors have the power to either accept or reject a material as they need to ensure that every manuscript which will be offered for publishing is at the best version as it can be. There are several types of editors, from copy editors, books to managing editors, but they have few skills in common, like strong writing skills, good judgment, and leadership abilities to help guide the whole editorial team. Most of them work in the office, but it is quite becoming more regular for them to work remotely.
Engineering technical writers and editors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Engineering Technical Writer | Editor | |
| Average salary | $64,966 | $52,107 |
| Salary range | Between $47,000 And $89,000 | Between $34,000 And $78,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Virginia | New York |
| Best paying company | Meta | Microsoft |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Technology |
There are a few differences between an engineering technical writer and an editor in terms of educational background:
| Engineering Technical Writer | Editor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Most common major | Business | English |
| Most common college | University of Houston | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between engineering technical writers' and editors' demographics:
| Engineering Technical Writer | Editor | |
| Average age | 46 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 64.0% Female, 36.0% | Male, 46.4% Female, 53.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.5% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 7.7% Asian, 8.6% White, 71.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 3.6% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 7.3% White, 76.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 12% |