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Job outlook for engineering writers in the United States
Are engineering writer jobs in demand?
Engineering writer job and salary trends over time
Engineering writer jobs over time
Engineering writer job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 117 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 120 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 125 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 124 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 123 | 0.00% |
Average engineering writer salary over time
Engineering writer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $78,642 | $37.81 | +2.5% |
| 2024 | $76,746 | $36.90 | +1.4% |
| 2023 | $75,692 | $36.39 | +1.3% |
| 2022 | $74,723 | $35.92 | +1.5% |
| 2021 | $73,585 | $35.38 | --0.6% |
Engineering writer jobs by state
Most common states for engineering writers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 336 | 48% |
| 2 | Delaware | 961,939 | 178 | 19% |
| 3 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,255 | 18% |
| 4 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 759 | 18% |
| 5 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 188 | 18% |
| 6 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 106 | 18% |
| 7 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 130 | 17% |
| 8 | Alaska | 739,795 | 126 | 17% |
| 9 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,337 | 16% |
| 10 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 506 | 16% |
| 11 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 1,138 | 15% |
| 12 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 895 | 15% |
| 13 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 204 | 15% |
| 14 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 803 | 14% |
| 15 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 146 | 14% |
| 16 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 225 | 13% |
| 17 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 667 | 12% |
| 18 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 434 | 12% |
| 19 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 155 | 12% |
| 20 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 105 | 12% |
Most common cities for engineering writers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles | 1 | 0% | $89,632 |
Engineering Writer job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of engineering writer experts
University of Cincinnati Clermont College
Utah State University
University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
University of Baltimore
Ohio Wesleyan University
Tusculum University
Colorado Mesa University
Berry College
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Kean University
Pepperdine University
University of Rhode Island
Milwaukee Area Technical College
Ohio Northern University
University of Pittsburgh
University of South Florida
Illinois Wesleyan University
Bucknell University
What will help Engineering Writers increase their earning potential?
Laura Wilson: Encourage majors to explore certificates that will make them more marketable. Combine soft skills with hard skills. Knowing all the tech platforms will likely earn more money out of the gate.
What Engineering Writer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Shane Graham: All the skills I mentioned above. Humanities degrees, and the kinds of thinking they encourage, will only become more important in the years to come. AI chatbots can only regurgitate and mimic thinking that already exists in the world; the well-trained human brain can create something new.
Liam Callanan
professor, EnglishUniversity of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
English Language And Literature
What Engineering Writer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Liam Callanan: Writing, writing, writing. And in whole sentences. Not like these. Communication will be key in every field, and people who are trained to be critical thinkers, who practice good listening, who write clearly, concisely, and thoughtfully, will be highly valued.
Dr. Arthur Garrison LP.D.
ProfessorKutztown University of Pennsylvania
Criminal Justice And Corrections
What Engineering Writer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Arthur Garrison LP.D.: Don’t chase salary. Seek a job that will point you in the direction you want to go. Your first job is not your last. You have your whole life ahead of you. You don’t need to have all the answers to your life’s plans. You still have time to learn what you want in life and what you can achieve.
What Engineering Writer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Betsy Boyd: Become the best writer and communicator you can possibly be. By reading and writing as often as possible. By taking notes. By staying excited about your own perspective and the good work of others. Going back to school can be a good way to strengthen your abilities, gain community support, and earn an advanced degree that commands a higher salary.
What general advice would you give to an Engineering Writer?
Anna Mae Duane: The idea that English majors are not in demand is a myth—don’t harm your own chances by buying into it! There are numerous studies—and countless employer testimonies—that indicate how valuable your skills as an English major are. English majors consistently find work in a variety of fields, and perhaps even more important, alumni of English departments report that they find their jobs and lives rewarding. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, 'what sets two equally qualified job candidates apart can be as simple as who has the better communication skills.' You are, in many ways, ahead of the game in comparison to others in your cohort. I’d also urge English majors to think broadly about their career options. Yes, fields like journalism, publishing and advertising all rely on the skills developed in English departments. But other employers, particularly in tech companies, have realized how valuable English majors can be to their organization. As a recent report in Fortune indicates, top executives in AI at IBM and elsewhere realize that having expertise in the Humanities is an essential component for success in their field.
What general advice would you give to an Engineering Writer?
Sarah Graves Ph.D.: Many wrongly assume that a degree in English is a dead end. But that's only because the career potential isn't as immediately obvious as something like, say, a degree in computer science or accounting. The truth is that English majors can do almost anything. Of course, they can become teachers or enter writing-related fields, such as journalism, editing, or publishing. But tons of CEOs are English majors, as are those in business-related fields, such as marketing, brand strategy, and social media management. Even most tech companies hire English majors. That's because computer science majors might be experts in coding, but English majors excel at humanizing the end product, like making chatbots sound more human. In fact, the areas where English majors excel are those most in-demand by employers: communication, creativity, critical thinking, and empathy.
Vicky Johnson Bós
Associate Professor of EnglishTusculum University
English Language And Literature
What will help Engineering Writers increase their earning potential?
Vicky Johnson Bós: Have practical experience in that field through a summer job, internship, or access to expertise. Getting a Master's Degree or even a PhD can greatly influence salary potential. Be aware that you may have to take a 'starting' job at less of a good salary to get practical experience to make the leap to a better paying job.
What Engineering Writer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Vicky Johnson Bós: Students should be very familiar with using AI in responsible, informed ways to further their writing and research. Having people-skills will never go unused. Good writing and technological skills will become even more in demand with the growth of new, unexplored job markets.
Dr. Tiffany Kinney PhD
Associate Professor of EnglishColorado Mesa University
English Language And Literature
What Engineering Writer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Tiffany Kinney PhD: In terms of general advice, students just entering the career field after graduating should apply far and wide. In other words, I would suggest that students not limit themselves because they might be surprised where they can land a job. With that said, they should still tailor their application materials for the job that they want, instead of just sending out the same materials again/again.
What will help Engineering Writers increase their earning potential?
Dr. Tiffany Kinney PhD: Skills that are becoming important and prevalent over the next 3-5 years would include an ability to work with artificial intelligence, an ability to collaborate, and the ability to communicate.
Whitney Adams
Visiting Assistant Professor of Rhetoric and WritingBerry College
Rhetoric And Composition/Writing Studies
What general advice would you give to an Engineering Writer?
Whitney Adams: An individual entering the writing field may do the following tasks daily:
1. Researching and brainstorming ideas for new articles, stories, or projects
2. Writing and editing content for various platforms, including websites, blogs,
newspapers, magazines, or social media
3. Pitching ideas and articles to editors or clients
4. Conducting interviews with sources for articles or stories
5. Collaborating with other writers, editors, and team members
6. Reviewing and editing drafts of their work
7. Engaging with readers and followers on social media
8. Marketing and promoting their work
9. Attending writing workshops, events, or networking opportunities
10.Keeping up to date with industry trends and news in the writing field
What Engineering Writer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Whitney Adams: 1. Demand for content: With the rise of digital marketing, social media, and online
publications, there is a high demand for content creators and writers. Companies need
quality written content to attract and engage their audience.
2. Remote work opportunities: Writing is a flexible profession that can often be done
remotely. This allows writers to work from anywhere in the world, making it a great
profession for those who value freedom and flexibility.
3. Growth potential: As a writer, there are many opportunities for growth and
advancement. Writers can specialize in different niches, such as copywriting, technical
writing, or content marketing, and can continue to develop their skills and expertise over
time.
4. Passive income potential: Writers can also generate passive income through
avenues such as self-publishing books, creating online courses, or starting a blog. This
allows writers to earn money even when they are not actively working.
5. Creative fulfillment: For many people, writing is a fulfilling and rewarding profession
that allows them to express their creativity and share their ideas with others. Writing can
be a way to inspire, educate, and connect with others on a deeper level.
Overall, writing is a good profession to enter now because of the high demand for
content, remote work opportunities, growth potential, passive income potential, and
creative fulfillment it can provide.
What do people dislike about being a writer?
1. Writer's block: Writer's block is a common challenge that many writers face,
where they struggle to come up with new ideas or find inspiration.
2. Criticism and rejection: Writing can be a vulnerable and subjective art form, and
writers may face criticism or rejection from publishers, readers, or reviewers.
3. Isolation: Writing can be a solitary pursuit, and some writers may find the
isolation challenging.
4. Inconsistency: Writing can often be unpredictable in terms of income and
success, with some writers facing financial
What will help Engineering Writers increase their earning potential?
Whitney Adams: The day-to-day activities of a writer can vary depending on the type of writing they are
engaged in (e.g., fiction, non-fiction, journalism, technical writing, blogging, copywriting,
etc.). However, some common tasks that writers may engage in daily include:
1. Researching and brainstorming ideas for writing projects
2. Writing and drafting content
3. Editing and revising drafts
4. Collaborating with editors, clients, or other team members
5. Conducting interviews or gathering information for articles or stories
6. Pitching ideas to publications or clients
7. Managing deadlines and keeping track of assignments
8. Promoting their work through social media
9. Networking with other writers, editors, or industry professionals
10.Reading and staying current on industry trends and developments
11.Creating and editing project manuals
12.Creating and editing instructional guides
Randall Auxier
Professor of Philosophy and Communication StudiesSouthern Illinois University Edwardsville
Rhetoric And Composition/Writing Studies
What Engineering Writer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Randall Auxier: Writers have to be patient about this. The fields that were once supporting writers (e.g., journalism) have dried up. No one gets paid much for this kind of work any more. The best strategy is to seek a position that has upward mobility and become a writer in the fashion described above. You have to be good at it, of course, to increase your value to a company. Being sure that you are credited for everything you do, in the text, is very important, in creating a portfolio that makes you mobile. People will let you go uncredited unless you insist on being credited. Here you really must be bold. You are not moving your career forward unless you are credited for everything you do. No one can reasonably deny your request to be credited, so insist on it.
What Engineering Writer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Frank Argote-Freyre: It is important to take part in a variety of internships prior to entering the workplace. You need to invest in yourself. Many of these internships might provide no pay or low pay but they are essential to gaining experience. This will allow a candidate to begin their career search with experience in the field. This makes them a more valuable asset to an employer. Language acquisition is also important. US society is diverse so the ability to reach more diverse language communities is a big plus.
What will help Engineering Writers increase their earning potential?
Lisa Smith Ph.D.: Highlight the skills you are already proficient in, such as critical thinking, creating engaging content, or working with others. Be open to writing in fields you may not have originally envisioned as a potential avenue of work for you, such as business writing or technical writing. Emphasize any writing you have done for the web and social media that has engaged a diverse or extensive audience. Highlight how a writing degree allows you to develop a range of communication skills during an undergraduate program, and share any experience you have with using AI for crafting the best text possible.
What's a good job out of college for Engineering Writers?
John Pantalone: At this point, at the risk of being sarcastic, any job is a good job. The real answer is that it depends on the field you plan to go into and what you consider a good job. A livable wage with reasonable benefits is part of the equation; the other part is whether you genuinely enjoy the work.
Kevin Pulz
Academic Department Chair/Senior Producer-Director, Milwaukee PBSMilwaukee Area Technical College
Television and Video Production/eProduction- Milwaukee PBS
What's a good job out of college for Engineering Writers?
Kevin Pulz: Broadcasting is still, strangely, considered a glamor field in so many ways. Little do people realize that cable wrapping and happily executed grunt work are essential talents that often separate the job recipient from the 5 interviewees and 95 applicants for a gig that pays less than fast-food work, even with a college degree.
So a good job out of college is ANY job in the field. Being 'in' and demonstrating one's ability in a professional environment remains key to opportunity in the future.
That said, it's clear that an area of media that's ripe for growth is multiplatform content delivery. It's in the wheelhouse of recent graduates based upon age and media consumption habits and, with traditional broadcast audiences growing older, an aspect of content creation that promises to grow even more legs as distribution methodologies develop and mature.
What's a day at work look like for an Engineering Writer?
Shane Tilton Ph.D.: This line of evidence is pointing to one central truth. Those that practiced multimedia journalism techniques before the pandemic will find success now. Also, organizations are looking for those graduates that can be a "one-stop-shop" for producing stories from home. I don't believe that trend will change. This trend also addresses the third question. Graduates are leaving colleges better prepared to use computer-mediated communication tools to complete their jobs' essential tasks. They understand how to be engaging and communicate effectively via their more contemporary communication tools.
What technical skills for an Engineering Writer stand out to employers?
Gayle Rogers: Many employers tell me that they seek graduates who can bridge the stereotypical-yet very real-divide in the technical world between the more rote elements of coding and the more creative elements of narrative that departments like my own (English) have traditionally taught. Creative coding and the ability to mesh what computer scientists and poets do-employers have consistently told me that there is great promise in that, now and going forward.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Engineering Writers to find work opportunities?
Dr. Wilma Davidson: All businesses need good writers. You can work remotely as a freelancer or an employee without concern about where your employer is located. Technology makes it easy for an excellent writer to write productively from anywhere. Naturally, if you wish to enter a field like PR or Advertising or Editing/Publishing, you might want to live in a large city where major firms are located. However, right that advice might have been a decade ago, it no longer applies. If you'd like to be a technical writer, there is an advantage to being close to the engineers you may be working with as you write their manuals, but that can be handled-and already is-being handled remotely.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Engineering Writers to find work opportunities?
Joanne Diaz Ph.D.: Quite often, people assume that teaching is the only professional path available to students who major in English. While we are delighted when English majors pursue careers in education, our graduates go on to a wide range of careers in law, journalism, public relations, marketing, information technology, library science, public policy, museum curation, and publishing.
English, like all of the humanities disciplines (Philosophy, Religion, History, and Classics), prepares students to read, write, listen, and persuade well; in addition, these disciplines help students to create habits of mind. These are the graduates who are flexible, resilient, and adaptable. Those last three descriptors are incredibly important for students who are entering the workforce in the twenty-first century.
Sarah Bell
Senior Associate Director, CounselingBucknell University
Center for Career Advancement
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Engineering Writers to find work opportunities?
Sarah Bell: Majors in English successfully pursue work in all types of industries and career fields. Their skills in writing, critical thinking, verbal communication, analysis, working in groups, editing, and reading/research makes them quite marketable in a variety of occupations. There are some locations that are more known for certain industries, i.e., upper West Coast for technology, NYC metro area for finance, I-95 corridor for pharmaceuticals and biotech, but many corporations hire in locations all over the country. And with the pandemic, more employers have remote opportunities that don't require a move, at least not until the time we might move out of remote work when possible. We tell our students to talk to professionals in the industries in which they are interested to learn what areas are growing right now and what are not. For example, video and sharing software is growing, food manufacturing, shipping, and sales are growing, certain sectors of healthcare and medical research are growing, etc.