Research Summary. Using a database of 30 million profiles, Zippia estimates demographics and statistics for technical writers in the United States. Our estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
- There are over 23,634 technical writers currently employed in the United States.
- 50.3% of all technical writers are women, while 49.7% are men.
- The average age of an employed technical writer is 45 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of technical writers is White (71.6%), followed by Asian (8.7%), Hispanic or Latino (7.8%) and Black or African American (6.6%).
- In 2021, women earned 97% of what men earned.
- 11% of all technical writers are LGBT.
- Technical writers are 56% more likely to work at public companies in comparison to private companies.
Technical Writer Statistics By Gender
50.3% of technical writers are women and 49.7% of technical writers are men.
- Female, 50.3%
- Male, 49.7%
Technical Writers By Gender
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 50.3% |
| Male | 49.7% |
Gender Pay Gap For Technical Writer
Women Earn 97ยข For Every $1 Earned By Men
Technical Writer Gender Over Time
This data shows how men and women predominate in the technical writer position over time.
Technical Writer Gender By Year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 51.49% | 48.51% |
| 2011 | 52.41% | 47.59% |
| 2012 | 48.73% | 51.27% |
| 2013 | 53.53% | 46.47% |
| 2014 | 48.57% | 51.43% |
| 2015 | 52.02% | 47.98% |
| 2016 | 52.31% | 47.69% |
| 2017 | 51.95% | 48.05% |
| 2018 | 47.82% | 52.18% |
| 2019 | 50.10% | 49.90% |
| 2020 | 53.80% | 46.20% |
| 2021 | 49.72% | 50.28% |
Technical Writer Male to Female Ratio
We compared this job title with other job titles to see how gender percentages varied. As you can see, public address announcer and track announcer have the biggest difference in gender.
| Job Title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Paraprofessional Interpreter | 12% | 88% |
| Deaf Interpreter | 15% | 85% |
| Fashion Journalist | 15% | 85% |
| Technical Writer | 50% | 50% |
| Sports Announcer | 91% | 9% |
| Track Announcer | 92% | 8% |
| Public Address Announcer | 93% | 7% |
Technical Writer Statistics By Race
The most common ethnicity among technical writers is White, which makes up 71.6% of all technical writers. Comparatively, there are 8.7% of the Asian ethnicity and 7.8% of the Hispanic or Latino ethnicity.
- White, 71.6%
- Asian, 8.7%
- Hispanic or Latino, 7.8%
- Black or African American, 6.6%
- Unknown, 5.0%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
Technical Writer Race
| Technical Writer Race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 71.6% |
| Asian | 8.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 7.8% |
| Black or African American | 6.6% |
| Unknown | 5.0% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.3% |
Technical Writer Race And Ethnicity Over Time
Using the Census Bureau data, we found out how the percentage of each ethnic category trended between 2010-2019 among technical writers.
- White
- Asian
- Hispanic or Latino
- Black or African American
Technical Writer Race By Year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 78.00% | 7.27% | 5.96% | 5.51% |
| 2011 | 79.55% | 6.22% | 6.57% | 5.29% |
| 2012 | 79.09% | 5.74% | 6.26% | 5.92% |
| 2013 | 80.34% | 5.91% | 5.30% | 5.95% |
| 2014 | 77.69% | 7.08% | 5.93% | 6.84% |
| 2015 | 77.57% | 7.52% | 7.18% | 6.06% |
| 2016 | 79.51% | 5.17% | 7.32% | 6.07% |
| 2017 | 78.40% | 7.16% | 5.80% | 6.68% |
| 2018 | 77.40% | 5.89% | 7.94% | 6.27% |
| 2019 | 78.42% | 5.43% | 7.49% | 5.69% |
| 2020 | 71.91% | 4.97% | 9.41% | 7.18% |
| 2021 | 71.59% | 6.60% | 8.70% | 7.79% |
Technical Writer Wage Gap By Race
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $66,632 |
| White | $64,764 |
| Black or African American | $67,020 |
| Asian | $69,708 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $63,335 |
Average Age of a Technical Writer
We determined the average age of technical writers based on ethnicity and gender.
Technical Writer Age By Race
| Race | Male Age | Female Age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 45 | |
| White | 48 | 44.5 |
| Black or African American | 32 | |
| Asian | 50 | 41 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 41 | 34.5 |
Technical Writer Age Breakdown
This chart breaks down the ages of technical writer employees. Interestingly enough, the average age of technical writers is 40+ years old, which represents 65% of the population.
Technical Writer Age
| Technical Writer Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 65% |
| 30-40 years | 25% |
| 20-30 years | 10% |
Types of Technical Writer Degree Levels
The most common degree for technical writers is bachelor's degree 72% of technical writers earn that degree. A close second is master's degree with 12% and rounding it off is associate degree with 11%.
- Bachelors, 72%
- Masters, 12%
- Associate, 11%
- Doctorate, 1%
- Other Degrees, 4%
Technical Writers By Education
| Technical Writer Degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelors | 72% |
| Masters | 12% |
| Associate | 11% |
| Doctorate | 1% |
| Other Degrees | 4% |
Technical Writer Jobs You Might Like
Technical Writer Wage Gap By Education
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $67,906 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $68,272 |
Technical Writer Employment Statistics
This section highlights information about where technical writers work. We found most technical writers work for a public company. In addition, the industry that employs the most technical writers is the technology industry.
Company Size
We created this chart to show you the average size of companies that typically hire technical writers.
Technical Writer Jobs By Employer Size
| Company Size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 3% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 5% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 9% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 4% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 29% |
| > 10,000 employees | 51% |
The Types Of Companies Technical Writer Work In
Employees with the technical writer job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most technical writers prefer to work at public companies over private companies.
Technical Writer Jobs By Sector
| Company Type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 2% |
| Public | 56% |
| Private | 40% |
| Government | 2% |
Top Industries Hiring Technical Writers
Just based on the number of employees within each industry, we were able to determine the most common industries that employ technical writers. Those industries include technology, professional and finance.
Technical Writer Industry Statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Technology | 24% |
| Fortune 500 | 22% |
| Professional | 9% |
| Finance | 7% |
| Health Care | 6% |
| Manufacturing | 5% |
| Telecommunication | 4% |
| Media | 3% |
| Pharmaceutical | 2% |
| Transportation | 2% |
| Government | 2% |
| Retail | 2% |
| Energy | 2% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
| Education | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
Technical Writer Turnover And Employment Statistics
Technical Writer Unemployment Rate Over Time
The Bureau of Labor Statistics came in clutch when it came down to figuring out how the unemployment rate has changed over time. Between 2008 and 2018, this is how the number of technical writers changed.
- Unemployment rate
Technical Writer Unemployment Rate By Year
| Year | Technical Writer Unemployment Rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 9.51% |
| 2011 | 8.24% |
| 2012 | 7.83% |
| 2013 | 6.26% |
| 2014 | 4.75% |
| 2015 | 4.38% |
| 2016 | 4.41% |
| 2017 | 4.58% |
| 2018 | 5.16% |
| 2019 | 4.19% |
| 2020 | 5.41% |
| 2021 | 4.60% |
The Average Number of Years That Technical Writer Stay in a Job
By looking over 35,421 technical writers resumes, we figured out that the average technical writer enjoys staying at their job for Less than 1 year for a percentage of 35%.
Technical Writer Tenure
| Number or Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 35% |
| 1-2 years | 34% |
| 3-4 years | 11% |
| 5-7 years | 10% |
| 8-10 years | 4% |
| 11+ years | 5% |
Comparing The LGBT Ratio of Technical Writers with Other Job Titles
After finding the gender ratio, we wondered if the percentages of LGBT persons were different as well. Using the data below, you can see how other job titles compare to technical writers.
| Job Title | LGBT | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|
| Newspaper Writer | 10.10% | 10,512 |
| Radio Board Operator | 10.34% | 28,352 |
| Technical Writer | 10.84% | - |
| Communications Coordinator | 12.01% | 39,790 |
| Historical Interpreter | 14.90% | 3,552 |
| Program Writer | 16.36% | 67,545 |
| Ringmaster | 16.36% | 66 |
Technical Writer LGBT Demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|
| Newspaper Writer | 10.10% | 10,512 |
| Radio Board Operator | 10.34% | 28,352 |
| Communications Coordinator | 12.01% | 39,790 |
| Historical Interpreter | 14.90% | 3,552 |
| Program Writer | 16.36% | 67,545 |
| Ringmaster | 16.36% | 66 |
Foreign Languages Spoken By Technical Writers
The most common foreign language among technical writers is Spanish at 39.9%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 16.6% and German is the third-most popular at 9.8%.
- Spanish, 39.9%
- French, 16.6%
- German, 9.8%
- Japanese, 4.5%
- Chinese, 3.9%
- Other, 25.3%
Technical Writer Languages Spoken
| Foreign Language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 39.9% |
| French | 16.6% |
| German | 9.8% |
| Japanese | 4.5% |
| Chinese | 3.9% |
| Other | 25.3% |
