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What is a technical writing consultant and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
Quoted experts
Robin Cormier,
Shane Tilton Ph.D.
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a technical writing consultant. For example, did you know that they make an average of $39.61 an hour? That's $82,383 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 6% and produce 3,100 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a technical writing consultant?

Robin Cormier

Assistant Professor, Montana State University - Billings

While college graduates begin to launch their careers, they also face uncertainty about job opportunities. This can be a daunting time in their life. First and foremost, they should be proud of their achievements. There are many steps they can take to prepare for a future career, such as developing a network and building a strong resume. However, in my opinion, the most important advice I would offer new graduates is to pursue their passion. When you are passionate about your career, your life is more fulfilling, and you are more determined to achieve success. Passion shows through how you communicate, develop working relationships, and your level of career investment.
ScoreTechnical Writing ConsultantUS Average
Salary
6.4

Avg. Salary $82,383

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
4.8

Growth rate 6%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
4.8
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.35%

Asian 8.70%

Black or African American 6.60%

Hispanic or Latino 7.79%

Unknown 4.97%

White 71.59%

Gender

female 52.06%

male 47.94%

Age - 45
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 45
Stress level
4.8

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level
8.2

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
5.6

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Technical writing consultant career paths

Key steps to become a technical writing consultant

  1. Explore technical writing consultant education requirements

    Most common technical writing consultant degrees

    Bachelor's

    73.6 %

    Master's

    12.6 %

    Associate

    6.9 %
  2. Start to develop specific technical writing consultant skills

    SkillsPercentages
    FrameMaker7.66%
    R7.37%
    User Manuals6.84%
    Technical Documentation5.80%
    Web Site5.14%
  3. Complete relevant technical writing consultant training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New technical writing consultants learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a technical writing consultant based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real technical writing consultant resumes.
  4. Research technical writing consultant duties and responsibilities

    • Identify and initiate wholesale computer upgrade to accommodate new CMS while allocating and managing staff resources devote to developing the software.
    • Perform QA testing of the GUI, returning valuable feedback to the design team via the TestTrack defect tracking system.
    • Create accompanying diagrams using Visio.
    • Develop and design business processes utilizing Visio and other tools.
  5. Prepare your technical writing consultant resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your technical writing consultant resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a technical writing consultant resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable technical writing consultant resume templates

    Build a professional technical writing consultant resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your technical writing consultant resume.
    Technical Writing Consultant Resume
    Technical Writing Consultant Resume
    Technical Writing Consultant Resume
    Technical Writing Consultant Resume
    Technical Writing Consultant Resume
    Technical Writing Consultant Resume
    Technical Writing Consultant Resume
    Technical Writing Consultant Resume
    Technical Writing Consultant Resume
  6. Apply for technical writing consultant jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a technical writing consultant job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first technical writing consultant job

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Average technical writing consultant salary

The average technical writing consultant salary in the United States is $82,383 per year or $40 per hour. Technical writing consultant salaries range between $59,000 and $114,000 per year.

Average technical writing consultant salary
$82,383 Yearly
$39.61 hourly

What am I worth?

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How do technical writing consultants rate their job?

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Technical writing consultant reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Oct 2020
Pros

Diversified projects and project responsibilities.

Cons

Needing to continually explain to supposedly more educated persons the basic writing and grammar mistakes when proofreading.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2020
Cons

It needs more patience to apply the true solution and satisfy your client


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A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2020
Pros

Communication and completion. I like doing a complicated job and then finishing on time and within budget. Getting done and filing away, ready for the next project is the best.

Cons

Being forgotten in the rush. Complicated projects are an easy place to get left behind. I have to keep my name and voice in front of people or I get left out.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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