Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between medical writers and technical editors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a medical writer, becoming a technical editor takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a medical writer has an average salary of $93,842, which is higher than the $61,717 average annual salary of a technical editor.
The top three skills for a medical writer include medical writing, patients and clinical research. The most important skills for a technical editor are powerpoint, english language, and proofreading.
| Medical Writer | Technical Editor | |
| Yearly salary | $93,842 | $61,717 |
| Hourly rate | $45.12 | $29.67 |
| Growth rate | 6% | -5% |
| Number of jobs | 59,516 | 78,423 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Average age | 46 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
As the name entails, medical writers produce technical, educational, promotional, and technical content. They typically work with physicians, scientists, and subject matter experts to produce documentation that defines product usage and research results. Their duties and responsibilities may vary, but they perform some common tasks, including developing documentation related to clinical trials, creating monographs, and developing promotional materials. Medical writers are also responsible for creating grant proposals, writing newspaper and magazine articles, and creating presentations for conferences.
A technical editor is someone who proofreads, revises, and edits technical documents. He/She or she checks for grammar, punctuation, and style to ensure that the technical content meets company standards. Some of the qualifications to become a technical editor include knowledge of technical concepts, prior experience in print or online publishing, a keen eye for details, and strong verbal and written communication skills. Someone having a bachelor's degree in English or journalism could qualify for the position.
Medical writers and technical editors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Medical Writer | Technical Editor | |
| Average salary | $93,842 | $61,717 |
| Salary range | Between $63,000 And $137,000 | Between $47,000 And $80,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Oakland, CA |
| Highest paying state | Virginia | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | Biogen | Apple |
| Best paying industry | - | Technology |
There are a few differences between a medical writer and a technical editor in terms of educational background:
| Medical Writer | Technical Editor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Most common major | Biology | English |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between medical writers' and technical editors' demographics:
| Medical Writer | Technical Editor | |
| Average age | 46 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 33.6% Female, 66.4% | Male, 42.6% Female, 57.4% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 3.6% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 7.3% White, 76.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 12% |