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Procedure writer vs technical editor

The differences between procedure 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 procedure writer, becoming a technical editor takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a procedure writer has an average salary of $70,744, which is higher than the $61,717 average annual salary of a technical editor.

The top three skills for a procedure writer include subject matter experts, sharepoint and technical procedures. The most important skills for a technical editor are powerpoint, english language, and proofreading.

Procedure writer vs technical editor overview

Procedure WriterTechnical Editor
Yearly salary$70,744$61,717
Hourly rate$34.01$29.67
Growth rate6%-5%
Number of jobs15,77978,423
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 64%Bachelor's Degree, 76%
Average age4644
Years of experience24

What does a procedure writer do?

Procedure writers will require general business knowledge, including accounting, HR, sales, and marketing, including industry familiarity, writing, composition, and editing. Those who choose this career are called on to compose technical procedures for policy manuals by collaborating with HR, management, and department heads. Writers gain an understanding of each area's operations in order to ensure a solid understanding of company policies, rules, and regulations.

What does a technical editor do?

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.

Procedure writer vs technical editor salary

Procedure writers and technical editors have different pay scales, as shown below.

Procedure WriterTechnical Editor
Average salary$70,744$61,717
Salary rangeBetween $49,000 And $101,000Between $47,000 And $80,000
Highest paying City-Oakland, CA
Highest paying state-Connecticut
Best paying company-Apple
Best paying industry-Technology

Differences between procedure writer and technical editor education

There are a few differences between a procedure writer and a technical editor in terms of educational background:

Procedure WriterTechnical Editor
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 64%Bachelor's Degree, 76%
Most common majorBusinessEnglish
Most common collegeNorthwestern UniversityNorthwestern University

Procedure writer vs technical editor demographics

Here are the differences between procedure writers' and technical editors' demographics:

Procedure WriterTechnical Editor
Average age4644
Gender ratioMale, 64.7% Female, 35.3%Male, 42.6% Female, 57.4%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 6.7% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 8.6% White, 71.4% 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 Percentage11%12%

Differences between procedure writer and technical editor duties and responsibilities

Procedure writer example responsibilities.

  • Lead, coordinate and train off-site team during QA revision.
  • Help company achieve ISO registration by determining best practices, writing ISO compliant manufacturing instructions and teaching best manufacturing processes.
  • Pass 10 CFR 50.59 qualification training.
  • Meet on-line and outage procedure scheduling milestones.
  • Review raw lab data for GMP compliance.
  • Assist SMEs to develop content, compile data, and set schedule.
  • Show more

Technical editor example responsibilities.

  • Identify and initiate wholesale computer upgrade to accommodate new CMS while allocating and managing staff resources devote to developing the software.
  • Train course developers in advance features of FrameMaker and PowerPoint.
  • Remove PDF security from each document.
  • Update PDF variables for online help.
  • Research science, military, and historical-relate topics for DOD.
  • Create or obtain all necessary screen shots using SnagIt and Photoshop.
  • Show more

Procedure writer vs technical editor skills

Common procedure writer skills
  • Subject Matter Experts, 17%
  • SharePoint, 7%
  • Technical Procedures, 6%
  • Training Materials, 5%
  • SMEs, 5%
  • Procedure Development, 4%
Common technical editor skills
  • PowerPoint, 16%
  • English Language, 11%
  • Proofreading, 6%
  • Subject Matter Experts, 5%
  • Training Materials, 5%
  • XML, 4%

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