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Principal technical writer education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a principal technical writer. Principal technical writers usually study english, writing, or journalism. 73% of principal technical writers hold a bachelor's degree, and 16% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 496 real principal technical writer resumes to see exactly what principal technical writer education sections show.
The most common colleges for principal technical writers are the Northeastern University and the Northeastern University.
There are also many online principal technical writer courses to help get the education required to be a principal technical writer.
There are certain principal technical writer certifications that you should consider. These principal technical writer certifications include Certified Technical Professional (CTP) and Certified Professional Technical Communicator - Expert (CPTC).
What education do you need to become a principal technical writer?
What degree do you need to be a principal technical writer?
- Bachelor's, 73%
- Master's, 16%
- Associate, 7%
- Doctorate, 1%
- Other Degrees, 3%
What should I major in to become a principal technical writer?
- English, 24%
- Writing, 11%
- Journalism, 8%
- Business, 7%
- Other Majors, 50%
Most common colleges for principal technical writers
| Principal technical writer common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Northeastern University | 19.23% |
| University of Massachusetts Boston | 12.50% |
| Boston University | 10.58% |
| San Jose State University | 7.69% |
| Salem State University | 4.81% |
Best majors for principal technical writers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | 24.0% |
| 2 | Writing | 11.0% |
| 3 | Journalism | 7.9% |
| 4 | Business | 7.1% |
| 5 | Psychology | 6.7% |
Best colleges for principal technical writers
The best colleges for principal technical writers are Northwestern University, Washington University in St Louis, and Northeastern University.
A principal technical writer with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for principal technical writers. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become principal technical writers.
1. University of Houston
Houston, TX ⢠Private
In-state tuition
$8,913
Enrollment
37,291
2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA ⢠Private
In-state tuition
$51,832
Enrollment
4,550
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL ⢠Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
4. Stanford University
Stanford, CA ⢠Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
5. University of Georgia
Athens, GA ⢠Private
In-state tuition
$11,830
Enrollment
29,474
6. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA ⢠Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
7. Texas State University
San Marcos, TX ⢠Private
In-state tuition
$10,280
Enrollment
34,187
8. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO ⢠Private
In-state tuition
$53,399
Enrollment
7,356
9. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA ⢠Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
10. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX ⢠Private
In-state tuition
$10,610
Enrollment
40,329
20 best online courses for principal technical writers
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Top 10 most affordable universities for principal technical writers
The most affordable schools for principal technical writers are Baruch College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and brigham young university.
If the best universities for principal technical writers are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for principal technical writers.
1. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY ⢠Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
2. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL ⢠Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
3. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT ⢠Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
4. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL ⢠Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
5. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL ⢠Private
In-state tuition
$5,587
Cost of attendance
13,043
6. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY ⢠Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
7. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY ⢠Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
8. City College of New York of the City University of New York, The
New York, NY ⢠Private
In-state tuition
$7,140
Cost of attendance
14,430
9. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN ⢠Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Cost of attendance
22,430
10. University of Central Florida
Orlando, FL ⢠Private
In-state tuition
$6,368
Cost of attendance
21,034
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for principal technical writers
The hardest universities for principal technical writers to get into are Northwestern University, Washington University in St Louis, and Northeastern University.
Some great schools for principal technical writers are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for principal technical writers based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL ⢠Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO ⢠Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
3. Northeastern University
Boston, MA ⢠Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
4. Boston University
Boston, MA ⢠Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
5. Stanford University
Stanford, CA ⢠Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
6. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA ⢠Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
7. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN ⢠Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
8. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD ⢠Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
9. Southern Methodist University
Dallas, TX ⢠Private
Admissions rate
51%
SAT average
1,395
10. University of Miami
Coral Gables, FL ⢠Private
Admissions rate
32%
SAT average
1,365
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for principal technical writers
The easiest schools for principal technical writers to get into are Notre Dame de Namur University, mount saint mary's university, and holy names university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a principal technical writer without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for principal technical writers.
1. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA ⢠Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
2. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA ⢠Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
3. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA ⢠Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
4. Barry University
Miami, FL ⢠Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
5. Saint Joseph's College of Maine
Standish, ME ⢠Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,069
6. Kean University
Union, NJ ⢠Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
7. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI ⢠Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
8. William Paterson University of New Jersey
Wayne, NJ ⢠Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
994
9. Our Lady of the Lake University
San Antonio, TX ⢠Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,002
10. Rochester University
Rochester Hills, MI ⢠Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,002
Average principal technical writer salary by education level
| Principal technical writer education level | Principal technical writer salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $69,459 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $69,822 |
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025