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The differences between principal technical writers and proposal 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 principal technical writer and a proposal writer. Additionally, a proposal writer has an average salary of $68,706, which is higher than the $66,896 average annual salary of a principal technical writer.
The top three skills for a principal technical writer include java, develop user and XML. The most important skills for a proposal writer are subject matter experts, powerpoint, and business development.
| Principal Technical Writer | Proposal Writer | |
| Yearly salary | $66,896 | $68,706 |
| Hourly rate | $32.16 | $33.03 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 118,883 | 18,125 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A Principal Technical Writer creates useful tutorials, videos, and product documentation in fast-paced environments. Besides writing highly technical content describing the product functionality, Principal Technical Writers also develop project programs, maintain specific project schedules and update the documentation manager about the documentation status. They put together and offer online help and enhance the first-user experience by developing tutorials. Moreover, a Principal Technical Writer delivers meaningful UI strings and useful error-free messages by working hand-in-hand with user experience team members.
Proposal Writers help clients win contracts, grants from the government, or even permission to perform a consulting service. They must ensure that all important information is included in the paperwork and documents.
Principal technical writers and proposal writers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Principal Technical Writer | Proposal Writer | |
| Average salary | $66,896 | $68,706 |
| Salary range | Between $50,000 And $88,000 | Between $48,000 And $97,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | - | Virginia |
| Best paying company | - | Precise Software Solutions |
| Best paying industry | - | Insurance |
There are a few differences between a principal technical writer and a proposal writer in terms of educational background:
| Principal Technical Writer | Proposal Writer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Most common major | English | English |
| Most common college | University of Houston | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between principal technical writers' and proposal writers' demographics:
| Principal Technical Writer | Proposal Writer | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 51.9% Female, 48.1% | Male, 38.5% Female, 61.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.7% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 8.8% White, 71.3% 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% |