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Job outlook for program writers in the United States
Are program writer jobs in demand?
Program writer job and salary trends over time
Program writer jobs over time
Program writer job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 103 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 92 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 95 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 94 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 94 | 0.00% |
Average program writer salary over time
Program writer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $78,147 | $37.57 | +6.2% |
| 2024 | $73,583 | $35.38 | +1.7% |
| 2023 | $72,384 | $34.80 | +0.6% |
| 2022 | $71,976 | $34.60 | +0.9% |
| 2021 | $71,301 | $34.28 | +1.6% |
Program writer jobs by state
Most common states for program writers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vermont | 623,657 | 135 | 22% |
| 2 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 151 | 20% |
| 3 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 117 | 20% |
| 4 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 135 | 19% |
| 5 | Delaware | 961,939 | 177 | 18% |
| 6 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 213 | 16% |
| 7 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 158 | 15% |
| 8 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 153 | 15% |
| 9 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 767 | 14% |
| 10 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 580 | 14% |
| 11 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 432 | 14% |
| 12 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 465 | 13% |
| 13 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 658 | 12% |
| 14 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 227 | 12% |
| 15 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 108 | 12% |
| 16 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 181 | 11% |
| 17 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 142 | 11% |
| 18 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 722 | 10% |
| 19 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 214 | 10% |
| 20 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 815 | 9% |
Program Writer job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of program writer experts
Kean University
Indiana University Northwest
Illinois Wesleyan University
DePaul University
Cal Poly
Bates College
University of Minnesota
University of Oregon
Sam Houston State University
Azusa Pacific University
Independence Community College
Morgan State University
Misericordia University
Colorado Mountain College
What Program Writer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Frank Argote-Freyre: It is important to take part in a variety of internships prior to entering the workplace. You need to invest in yourself. Many of these internships might provide no pay or low pay but they are essential to gaining experience. This will allow a candidate to begin their career search with experience in the field. This makes them a more valuable asset to an employer. Language acquisition is also important. US society is diverse so the ability to reach more diverse language communities is a big plus.
Brian O'Camb Ph.D.
Associate Professor and Chair in EnglishIndiana University Northwest
English Department
What experience really stands out on Program Writer resumes?
Brian O'Camb Ph.D.: Honestly, I am not qualified to respond to that question because I don't hire recent graduates, so I don't see resumes from them. However, as a professor, I recommend that all my students get as much writing experience as possible, ideally through an internship, so they can lean on that experience in their job materials.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Program Writers to find work opportunities?
Joanne Diaz Ph.D.: Quite often, people assume that teaching is the only professional path available to students who major in English. While we are delighted when English majors pursue careers in education, our graduates go on to a wide range of careers in law, journalism, public relations, marketing, information technology, library science, public policy, museum curation, and publishing.
English, like all of the humanities disciplines (Philosophy, Religion, History, and Classics), prepares students to read, write, listen, and persuade well; in addition, these disciplines help students to create habits of mind. These are the graduates who are flexible, resilient, and adaptable. Those last three descriptors are incredibly important for students who are entering the workforce in the twenty-first century.
What type of skills will young Program Writers need?
Ted Anton: They will need to know how to understand and communicate complex information, often contradictory, in a catchy and understandable way. They will have to read professional data online, in business, medicine, health, you name it and then create a sales or summary pitch for investors. So, reading, writing, communication skills will continue to be important. Math, of course, is a big plus, but up to the advanced algebra level... Statistical skills will be helpful. Overall, employers are seeking curious, adventurous, bold, and creative thinkers and communicators for an ever-changing world.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Program Writers?
Eileen Buecher: I believe there will be an impact on all of us. Work will look differently as I see some of the creative initiatives higher education and industries have taken to keep people safe and support the economy flowing may be integrated into how we provide services and do our jobs long-term. COVID teaches new graduates how to be resourceful, resilient, and flexible for both individual and uncertain times.
How do you envision technology impacting Program Writers in the next 5 years?
Dr. Daniel Sanford: I don't think there's going to be anyone tool, or app, or piece of software that changes how people write, but I do think that the impact of cloud computing on how people write in professional spheres will become even more pervasive. The ability to work together on shared documents, intelligently critique collaborators' writing, and comment in ways that move a draft forward are all going to become, even more than today, highly valued in writing.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Program Writers?
Thomas Reynolds: Technology is constantly changing, and the pandemic has put a wrinkle on innovations that will have an impact on the field of TWC. Yet technical writing and communication have always involved changing technologies -- it is one of the hallmarks of the field. In addition, remote work is common in technical communication, and many scholars have written about the phenomenon, including global virtual teams and distributed workplaces. In any case, technical writers and communicators learn to think about the intersection of technology with the audience.
I think that traditional notions of communication such as establishing a friendly, businesslike ethos and considering the very real material circumstances of audiences, will remain uppermost as graduates adapt to the technological changes. Part of this work will also involve recognizing and working to improve social injustices that employers are increasingly in need of addressing. New technologies that emerge will also be part of the landscape for graduates, and they will be eager to learn these new tools.
Cristina Calhoon
Senior Career Instructor, Undergraduate AdvisorUniversity of Oregon
Department of Classics
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Program Writers to find work opportunities?
Cristina Calhoon: The skills that Classics graduates learn (good communication skills, careful, clear, and well organized oral and written presentation; research, comparison, and analysis of ancient sources; linguistic proficiency in more than one language) make them flexible and adaptable. Graduate school is the goal of many of our graduates, who complete law and medical degrees in prestigious programs throughout the nation.
Some also do very well in business school, where the breadth of their academic background, the adaptability of their skills, and their analytical and communication proficiency make them highly competitive with respect to graduates from strictly pre-professional programs.
In addition to occupations in all levels of education, academic research, and archeology, some Classics graduates have also established careers in management, public relations, fundraising, administration, as well as a library, archival, and museum work, while some have also created opportunities for themselves in computer occupations, arts, and media.
Brian Blackburne
Director of Technical CommunicationSam Houston State University
Department of English
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Program Writers?
Brian Blackburne: I think that the coronavirus pandemic is going to have enduring impacts on nearly all sectors of the workplace, but these changes won't necessarily be bad. For example, graduates who are entering the technical/professional-writing market will probably find more opportunities for remote working, so opportunities will be potentially more available for people who want to remain in Texas but who want to work in industries that are typically associated with other regions of the country (or world). Some fields, such as oil and gas, may see declines, but others will blossom-as we've seen in recent months. Technical writers have opportunities to choose-or change-fields based on market forces or desires to try new things.
What general advice would you give to a Program Writer?
Emily Griesinger Ph.D.: I would say "don't give up" because your literacy gifts are especially needed right now. Those who have done excellent critical thinking and writing as English majors can make persuasive arguments and discern the credibility of arguments being consumed by others, who may not be so discerning. Based on years of reading and interpreting great literature, you can "read" characters, why people do what they do, and the capacity to imagine the joys and sorrows of other human beings. So, my general advice would be to consider how to market such skills in creative ways for the common good.
Bridget Carson
Associate Professor of Developmental EnglishIndependence Community College
History
What general advice would you give to a Program Writer?
Bridget Carson: To graduating English Majors: What's different for you entering this economy? It's you. You bring to the fore skills that you have cultivated in writing and analysis in your dive into the human condition through literature. Employers need people who can manage the sensitivity and connection of their written communications. That's you. They need people with your attention to detail. That's you. They need people with your ability to learn the world of their business culture as quickly as you do a dystopian future novel. Also, you. In a world physically distanced by an illness, you are on the front lines of connecting us with language. Suppose you want to teach or be a professional writer, excellent. But, don't shy away from learning on the job in either the Private or Public sectors, and studying English taught you how to learn and how to connect. The job title is just what you put on your taxes. Help us connect better.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Program Writers?
Bridget Carson: Yes. I think many of the economic markers are false idols that don't indicate the value of life, just when you bought a dishwasher. They may buy one later, but that isn't an indication of success. An enduring impact on this set of graduates, I think, will be in their planning and reaction to disappointment. I hope they embrace uncertainty. I hope they become people who prepare several variations of plans that can achieve the same outcomes by different means. I hope they are people who can mourn unfulfilled expectations and learn to release them like fall leaves, shed to be renewed.
Tristan Abbott Ph.D.
Assistant Professor and Writing Center DirectorMorgan State University
English Department
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Program Writers?
Tristan Abbott Ph.D.: I would hesitate to venture a guess as to what the next several months will look like, let alone the next several years. Studies have repeatedly shown, however, that people who enter into the job market during economic downturns suffer for the rest of their lives-their pay is lower, their positions are less secure, and this never changes for those particular graduates even as the economy inevitably recovers. We had just started, very belatedly, to overcome the '08 economic crash's adverse effects when COVID hit. There's little sign of any political will to provide relief to workers and small business owners. Things do not look good for any workers right now, especially those just entering the job market.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Program Writers to find work opportunities?
Tristan Abbott Ph.D.: Are you referring to specific academic disciplines or geographic areas? Hiring appears to be at a standstill for everyone, everywhere.
What general advice would you give to a Program Writer?
Dr. Scott Blanchard Ph.D.: Keep an open mind, and realize that the business world can have some quite exciting opportunities.
Evan Schulte
Assistant Professor, English as a Second LanguageColorado Mountain College
Legal Support Services
What general advice would you give to a Program Writer?
Evan Schulte: Graduating with a degree in English and Literature gives the graduate an excellent opportunity to teach online. I would recommend getting TEFL or TESOL certified. It is a great chance to gain teaching experience, and there is always the option to teach abroad when the pandemic lets up.