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The differences between technical writers and instructional designers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a technical writer, becoming an instructional designer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a technical writer has an average salary of $65,329, which is higher than the $57,534 average annual salary of an instructional designer.
The top three skills for a technical writer include technical documentation, subject matter experts and powerpoint. The most important skills for an instructional designer are instructional design, subject matter experts, and project management.
| Technical Writer | Instructional Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $65,329 | $57,534 |
| Hourly rate | $31.41 | $27.66 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 75,090 | 50,321 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Average age | 46 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
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.
An instructional designer focuses on devising learning materials and content to aid every students' learning difficulties. These can include videos, books, and presentations. They are primarily responsible for conducting thorough research and analysis to identify the needs of students, crafting learning strategies in collaboration with experts. They are also responsible for developing tools and materials to help assess every students' progress, such as quizzes and examinations. Furthermore, an instructional designer needs to coordinate with all personnel involved with the project to ensure accuracy and timeliness.
Technical writers and instructional designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Technical Writer | Instructional Designer | |
| Average salary | $65,329 | $57,534 |
| Salary range | Between $48,000 And $87,000 | Between $41,000 And $79,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Hartford, CT |
| Highest paying state | California | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | Meta | |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between a technical writer and an instructional designer in terms of educational background:
| Technical Writer | Instructional Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Most common major | English | Business |
| Most common college | University of Houston | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between technical writers' and instructional designers' demographics:
| Technical Writer | Instructional Designer | |
| Average age | 46 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 49.7% Female, 50.3% | Male, 41.8% Female, 58.2% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 9.9% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 17.2% Asian, 5.5% White, 62.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 16% |