Program writer vs writer

The differences between program writers and writers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a program writer and a writer. Additionally, a program writer has an average salary of $78,147, which is higher than the $66,143 average annual salary of a writer.

The top three skills for a program writer include technical documentation, code samples and API. The most important skills for a writer are work ethic, customer service, and web content.

Program writer vs writer overview

	Program Writer	Writer
Yearly salary	$78,147	$66,143
Hourly rate	$37.57	$31.80
Growth rate	4%	4%
Number of jobs	67,545	13,931
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 72%	Bachelor's Degree, 74%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	4	4

Program writer vs writer salary

Program writers and writers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Program Writer	Writer
Average salary	$78,147	$66,143
Salary range	Between $50,000 And $121,000	Between $40,000 And $107,000
Highest paying City	-	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	-	Massachusetts
Best paying company	-	Apple
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between program writer and writer education

There are a few differences between a program writer and a writer in terms of educational background:

	Program Writer	Writer
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 72%	Bachelor's Degree, 74%
Most common major	English	English
Most common college	Harvard University	Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Program writer vs writer demographics

Here are the differences between program writers' and writers' demographics:

	Program Writer	Writer
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 57.7% Female, 42.3%	Male, 46.2% Female, 53.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 5.9% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 7.6% Asian, 4.9% White, 75.6% 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	16%	16%

Differences between program writer and writer duties and responsibilities

Program writer example responsibilities.

Manage and implement MSN adCenter API SDK project.
Manage projects diligently under aggressive deadlines while maintaining editorial integrity and ensuring stories have entertainment and/or educational value.
Contribute to API design review, and security review meetings with developers and PMs.
Serve as lead administrator for the team's SharePoint site.
Coordinate logistics management for signal elements, including securing training sites, movement of personnel, communications, and equipment.
Apply developmental edit to 'how-to' content from SMEs, re-wrote, and deliver as MSDN blog posts.

Writer example responsibilities.

Operate AP NEWSCENTER/ENPS and manage CNN feed services.
Manage the Instagram account, which mean publishing and keeping up to date with the articles.
Manage projects diligently under aggressive deadlines while maintaining editorial integrity and ensuring stories have entertainment and/or educational value.
Participate in roundtable discussions offering hot takes and opinions on NBA and NFL teams, players, and coaches.
Train all staff on using the CMS.
Place stories into CS3 InDesign pages.

Program writer vs writer skills

Common program writer skills

Technical Documentation, 29%
Code Samples, 27%
API, 20%
Developer Documentation, 7%
SDK, 5%
C++, 4%

Common writer skills

Work Ethic, 18%
Customer Service, 14%
Web Content, 8%
Math, 7%
SEO, 5%
SQL, 3%

Program Writer vs. similar jobs

Program Writer related careers

Program Writer related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Arts, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Industry
Program Writer
Program Writer vs Writer

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse arts, entertainment, sports, and media jobs