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The differences between research writers 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 research writer and a technical writer. Additionally, a technical writer has an average salary of $65,329, which is higher than the $50,741 average annual salary of a research writer.
The top three skills for a research writer include research topics, press releases and editorials. The most important skills for a technical writer are technical documentation, subject matter experts, and powerpoint.
| Research Writer | Technical Writer | |
| Yearly salary | $50,741 | $65,329 |
| Hourly rate | $24.39 | $31.41 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 60,595 | 75,090 |
| Job satisfaction | 4.5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Research writers are professionals who conduct extensive research by taking complex information and then explaining it in lay terminology. These writers are required to conduct extensive research on various topics based on the requests of their clients to write keyword articles for search engine optimization (SEO). They must work with a wide variety of clients who specialize in web content to complete strategic research and content creation projects. Research writers must also manage research projects for companies, local and overseas.
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.
Research writers and technical writers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Research Writer | Technical Writer | |
| Average salary | $50,741 | $65,329 |
| Salary range | Between $32,000 And $80,000 | Between $48,000 And $87,000 |
| Highest paying City | Brookline, MA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Virginia | California |
| Best paying company | St. Jude Children's Research Hospital | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Non Profits | Finance |
There are a few differences between a research writer and a technical writer in terms of educational background:
| Research Writer | Technical Writer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | English | English |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | University of Houston |
Here are the differences between research writers' and technical writers' demographics:
| Research Writer | Technical Writer | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 41.4% Female, 58.6% | Male, 49.7% Female, 50.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 7.6% Asian, 8.6% White, 72.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | 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 | 11% | 11% |