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The differences between senior technical writers and publishers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a senior technical writer, becoming a publisher takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a publisher has an average salary of $71,539, which is higher than the $70,820 average annual salary of a senior technical writer.
The top three skills for a senior technical writer include technical documentation, subject matter experts and API. The most important skills for a publisher are press releases, customer satisfaction, and strategic thinking.
| Senior Technical Writer | Publisher | |
| Yearly salary | $70,820 | $71,539 |
| Hourly rate | $34.05 | $34.39 |
| Growth rate | 6% | -5% |
| Number of jobs | 80,897 | 10,303 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 46 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
A senior technical writer's role is to oversee the progress within a team or department, ensuring quality and timeliness. It is their responsibility to delegate tasks, set deadlines, carry out corrective measures on any issues, and implement the company's regulations and policies. There are also instances when they participate in producing written content, even editing and reviewing materials of the staff. As someone with more experience, a senior technical writer must encourage and lead fellow writers, shaping them into valuable assets.
A publisher manages the design, editing, and production process with the help of proofreaders, printers, and editors. Publishers make schedules for every stage of the process and work backward from the planned date for publication. They distribute promotional catalogs to libraries and booksellers. They set the commercial and editorial direction for businesses publishing newspapers, digital content, magazines, and books. It is their duty to make decisions on the markets that their firms will serve as well as the type of content that they will give to their audience.
Senior technical writers and publishers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Technical Writer | Publisher | |
| Average salary | $70,820 | $71,539 |
| Salary range | Between $54,000 And $92,000 | Between $42,000 And $120,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Stamford, CT |
| Highest paying state | California | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | PayPal | Microsoft |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between a senior technical writer and a publisher in terms of educational background:
| Senior Technical Writer | Publisher | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | English | Business |
| Most common college | University of Houston | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between senior technical writers' and publishers' demographics:
| Senior Technical Writer | Publisher | |
| Average age | 46 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 51.8% Female, 48.2% | Male, 55.7% Female, 44.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.6% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 8.7% White, 71.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 3.5% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 7.1% White, 76.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 12% |