Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between technical writer and editors and content 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 technical writer and editor and a content writer. Additionally, a technical writer and editor has an average salary of $65,088, which is higher than the $58,918 average annual salary of a content writer.
The top three skills for a technical writer and editor include technical documentation, powerpoint and technical specifications. The most important skills for a content writer are digital marketing, wordpress, and web content.
| Technical Writer And Editor | Content Writer | |
| Yearly salary | $65,088 | $58,918 |
| Hourly rate | $31.29 | $28.33 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 78,617 | 19,621 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Average age | 46 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A technical writer and editor is primarily responsible for producing written content that defines and explains technical concepts to inform and educate readers. As a writer, it is essential to research and fact-check details to ensure the material's accuracy and value. They mostly follow directives and complete materials within an allotted deadline and format. Moreover, as an editor, they must also review and proofread materials for any errors and inconsistencies, perform corrective measures, and revise as needed.
The job of content writers is to create the best possible written or visual content ranging from blog posts to press releases. They produce the content for various types of websites, including social networks, news aggregators, and e-commerce sites. The job of content writers is not limited to writing, but also ensuring that the content connects or is relevant to the website pages. They are expected to set the tone of the website and revise the content upon customers' or clients' requests. They are also responsible for assisting in the creation of style guides.
Technical writer and editors and content writers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Technical Writer And Editor | Content Writer | |
| Average salary | $65,088 | $58,918 |
| Salary range | Between $51,000 And $82,000 | Between $40,000 And $84,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Arizona | California |
| Best paying company | Pegasystems | Cisco |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Finance |
There are a few differences between a technical writer and editor and a content writer in terms of educational background:
| Technical Writer And Editor | Content Writer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Most common major | English | English |
| Most common college | University of Houston | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between technical writer and editors' and content writers' demographics:
| Technical Writer And Editor | Content Writer | |
| Average age | 46 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 41.7% Female, 58.3% | Male, 39.8% Female, 60.2% |
| 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, 6.0% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 5.0% White, 75.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 16% |