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The differences between reporters and technical 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 reporter and a technical writer. Additionally, a technical writer has an average salary of $65,329, which is higher than the $46,667 average annual salary of a reporter.
The top three skills for a reporter include news stories, digital marketing and facebook. The most important skills for a technical writer are technical documentation, subject matter experts, and powerpoint.
| Reporter | Technical Writer | |
| Yearly salary | $46,667 | $65,329 |
| Hourly rate | $22.44 | $31.41 |
| Growth rate | -10% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 11,179 | 75,090 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 81% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 40 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
In journalism, a reporter is responsible for relaying truthful and reliable information to the public audience through various mediums such as print and media. A reporter must ensure to gather necessary and factual data that are supported by interviews and comments of those involved, remain unbiased in all aspects, produce a concise and comprehensive informational material within an allotted time, and efficiently coordinate with every staff. Furthermore, a reporter must remain professional at all times and adhere to the policies and regulations set by the company or network.
Technical Writers specialize in producing easy-to-understand instructional or informational written materials, such as media and journal articles, assessments and guidelines, and legal forms of documentation. For Technical Writers to develop well-versed content, one must conduct thorough research on the topic or idea to ensure factual legitimacy and communicate with those whose expertise aligns with the subject. Aside from producing, Technical Writers can also improve or convert complex written materials such as operating manuals or documents into one that can be easily understood by the general public.
Reporters and technical writers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Reporter | Technical Writer | |
| Average salary | $46,667 | $65,329 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $73,000 | Between $48,000 And $87,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | California |
| Best paying company | Citi | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Media | Finance |
There are a few differences between a reporter and a technical writer in terms of educational background:
| Reporter | Technical Writer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 81% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Journalism | English |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | University of Houston |
Here are the differences between reporters' and technical writers' demographics:
| Reporter | Technical Writer | |
| Average age | 40 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 44.8% Female, 55.2% | Male, 49.7% Female, 50.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.7% Asian, 9.7% White, 66.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 6.6% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 8.7% White, 71.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 11% |