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The differences between staff writers and senior 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 staff writer and a senior technical writer. Additionally, a senior technical writer has an average salary of $70,820, which is higher than the $44,844 average annual salary of a staff writer.
The top three skills for a staff writer include feature stories, news stories and event coverage. The most important skills for a senior technical writer are technical documentation, subject matter experts, and API.
| Staff Writer | Senior Technical Writer | |
| Yearly salary | $44,844 | $70,820 |
| Hourly rate | $21.56 | $34.05 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 80,547 | 80,897 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 82% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A staff writer is an individual who works in the television (TV) or entertainment industry to provide standard content such as news reports, reviews, and features. Since writing content is important, staff writers must be able to collaborate and brainstorm ideas with other staff members in the production process. They must attend conferences, events, or seminars to meet other people in the industry. Staff writers must also possess knowledge in scriptwriting and an in-depth understanding of the entertainment industry.
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.
Staff writers and senior technical writers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Staff Writer | Senior Technical Writer | |
| Average salary | $44,844 | $70,820 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $68,000 | Between $54,000 And $92,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | California |
| Best paying company | The New York Times Company | PayPal |
| Best paying industry | Non Profits | Technology |
There are a few differences between a staff writer and a senior technical writer in terms of educational background:
| Staff Writer | Senior Technical Writer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 82% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Journalism | English |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | University of Houston |
Here are the differences between staff writers' and senior technical writers' demographics:
| Staff Writer | Senior Technical Writer | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 49.2% Female, 50.8% | Male, 51.8% Female, 48.2% |
| 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, 71.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |