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The differences between principal technical writers and writers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a principal technical writer, becoming a writer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a principal technical writer has an average salary of $66,896, which is higher than the $66,143 average annual salary of a writer.
The top three skills for a principal technical writer include java, develop user and XML. The most important skills for a writer are work ethic, customer service, and web content.
| Principal Technical Writer | Writer | |
| Yearly salary | $66,896 | $66,143 |
| Hourly rate | $32.16 | $31.80 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 118,883 | 13,931 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Average age | 46 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
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.
A writer can have different responsibilities depending on which industry or line of work they are involved. There are writers assigned in a corporate setting, some in journalism, while there are also writers in the entertainment Industry. Although they focus on varying types of writing, they all function to inform. Among the typical duties of writers involve producing content within allotted time or deadline, gather information and verify to ensure accuracy, proofread, and undergo review and revisions.
Principal technical writers and writers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Principal Technical Writer | Writer | |
| Average salary | $66,896 | $66,143 |
| Salary range | Between $50,000 And $88,000 | Between $40,000 And $107,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | - | Apple |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between a principal technical writer and a writer in terms of educational background:
| Principal Technical Writer | Writer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | English | English |
| Most common college | University of Houston | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between principal technical writers' and writers' demographics:
| Principal Technical Writer | Writer | |
| Average age | 46 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 51.9% Female, 48.1% | Male, 46.2% Female, 53.8% |
| 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, 6.1% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 5.0% White, 75.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 16% |