Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between science 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 science writer and a technical writer. Additionally, a science writer has an average salary of $69,214, which is higher than the $65,329 average annual salary of a technical writer.
The top three skills for a science writer include biomedical, NIH and scientific content. The most important skills for a technical writer are technical documentation, subject matter experts, and powerpoint.
| Science Writer | Technical Writer | |
| Yearly salary | $69,214 | $65,329 |
| Hourly rate | $33.28 | $31.41 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 20,214 | 75,090 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A science writer specializes in producing written materials that aim to inform and educate. There are many employment opportunities for a science writer, such as in publishing, education, film and TV, and government agencies. Although their duties vary on their place of employment, it typically includes conducting studies and scientific research, observing subjects and gathering samples, coordinating with experts, and collecting evidence. They must also produce content while adhering to deadlines and guidelines, including the employer's policies and regulations.
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.
Science writers and technical writers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Science Writer | Technical Writer | |
| Average salary | $69,214 | $65,329 |
| Salary range | Between $43,000 And $110,000 | Between $48,000 And $87,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Fred Hutch | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Finance |
There are a few differences between a science writer and a technical writer in terms of educational background:
| Science Writer | Technical Writer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Biology | English |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | University of Houston |
Here are the differences between science writers' and technical writers' demographics:
| Science Writer | Technical Writer | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 37.4% Female, 62.6% | Male, 49.7% Female, 50.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.7% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 8.8% White, 71.3% 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% |