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The differences between writers and senior technical writers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a writer, becoming a senior technical writer takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a senior technical writer has an average salary of $70,820, which is higher than the $66,143 average annual salary of a writer.
The top three skills for a writer include work ethic, customer service and web content. The most important skills for a senior technical writer are technical documentation, subject matter experts, and API.
| Writer | Senior Technical Writer | |
| Yearly salary | $66,143 | $70,820 |
| Hourly rate | $31.80 | $34.05 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 13,931 | 80,897 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 42 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 2 |
A writer can have different responsibilities depending on which industry or line of work they are involved. There are writers assigned in a corporate setting, some in journalism, while there are also writers in the entertainment Industry. Although they focus on varying types of writing, they all function to inform. Among the typical duties of writers involve producing content within allotted time or deadline, gather information and verify to ensure accuracy, proofread, and undergo review and revisions.
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.
Writers and senior technical writers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Writer | Senior Technical Writer | |
| Average salary | $66,143 | $70,820 |
| Salary range | Between $40,000 And $107,000 | Between $54,000 And $92,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | PayPal |
| Best paying industry | - | Technology |
There are a few differences between a writer and a senior technical writer in terms of educational background:
| Writer | Senior Technical Writer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | English | English |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | University of Houston |
Here are the differences between writers' and senior technical writers' demographics:
| Writer | Senior Technical Writer | |
| Average age | 42 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 46.2% Female, 53.8% | Male, 51.8% Female, 48.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.1% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 5.0% White, 75.1% 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 | 16% | 11% |