Best degree programs for Technical Writers, ranked by enrollment
7 college programs and 305 schools train Technical Writers. Compare graduates per year, cost and pay, $90,390 median wage, 45,500 U.S. jobs. Federal data.
7 college programs at 305 schools train technical writers, graduating 5,385 people a year (IPEDS completions). The largest is Professional, Technical, Business, and Scientific Writing. The job pays a median of $90,390 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
About technical writers
Write technical materials, such as equipment manuals, appendices, or operating and maintenance instructions. May assist in layout work.
A technical writer is a professional communicator whose task is to convey complex information in simple terms to an audience of the general public or a very select group of readers. Technical writers research and create information through a variety of delivery media. In most organizations, a technical writer serves as a trained expert in technical writing and not as an expert in their field of employment. This, of course, does not mean technical writers aren't expected to have, at the very least, a basic understanding of their subject matter. Technical writers generally acquire necessary industry terminology and field or product knowledge on the job, through working with Subject-Matter Experts (SMEs) and their own internal document research.
Read more on Wikipedia →Fields of study that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level, the tier our program pages are built on. Numbers are graduates per year.
7 degree programs that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are College Scorecard figures for people who finished the program, reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. That is a different measurement from the occupation-wide wages further down this page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 23.1303 | 3,683 | 68.4% | 161 | $28,725 | $25,250 |
| 2 | CIP 52.0501 | 836 | 15.5% | 57 | $41,000 | $26,000 |
| 3 | CIP 23.1301 | 674 | 12.5% | 101 | $28,725 | $25,250 |
| 4 | CIP 09.0908 | 168 | 3.1% | 25 | $39,658 | $24,500 |
| 5 | CIP 52.0599 | 14 | 0.3% | 2 | $41,000 | $26,000 |
| 6 | CIP 19.0202 | 5 | 0.1% | 2 | $40,949 | $23,344 |
| 7 | CIP 52.0502 | 5 | 0.1% | 1 | $41,000 | $26,000 |
Top 50 schools by graduates into this job
Counting every feeder program a school offers, not just its largest one.
What technical writers earn
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
Top-paying states
Top-paying metro areas
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Where the jobs are, state by state
Pick a state for in-state pay, the schools there, and the programs they run.
| State | Median pay | Jobs | Concentration | Schools | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia | $73,070 | 1,680 | 1.17× | 17 | 2,398 |
| New York | $98,310 | 1,610 | 0.57× | 14 | 267 |
| Texas | $82,750 | 3,340 | 0.81× | 17 | 252 |
| Pennsylvania | $87,620 | 1,330 | 0.75× | 33 | 224 |
| Arizona | $79,780 | 730 | 0.77× | 6 | 169 |
| Michigan | $85,270 | 970 | 0.75× | 15 | 161 |
| California | $104,000 | 5,280 | 0.99× | 12 | 158 |
| Ohio | $76,480 | 1,350 | 0.83× | 15 | 139 |
| Wisconsin | $80,030 | 910 | 1.05× | 11 | 130 |
| Missouri | $80,840 | 500 | 0.58× | 10 | 113 |
| Maryland | $100,990 | 1,780 | 2.20× | 6 | 107 |
| Massachusetts | $109,200 | 1,850 | 1.74× | 7 | 103 |
| Indiana | $75,510 | 540 | 0.58× | 13 | 98 |
| Virginia | $93,600 | 2,280 | 1.90× | 9 | 92 |
| Illinois | $88,700 | 1,040 | 0.58× | 13 | 85 |
| Colorado | $100,610 | 1,320 | 1.57× | 7 | 75 |
| New Hampshiremoderate | $96,300 | 230 | 1.16× | 4 | 74 |
| Utah | $80,270 | 570 | 1.12× | 6 | 74 |
| Iowamoderate | $66,520 | 640 | 1.40× | 4 | 65 |
| Oregon | $84,000 | 590 | 1.02× | 5 | 56 |
| Minnesota | $83,270 | 910 | 1.05× | 7 | 53 |
| North Carolina | $86,320 | 2,860 | 1.98× | 7 | 52 |
| Alabama | $85,840 | 630 | 1.01× | 5 | 51 |
| Washingtonmoderate | $104,070 | 1,620 | 1.56× | 4 | 50 |
| Florida | $86,240 | 2,550 | 0.88× | 5 | 46 |
| Arkansas | $61,180 | 150 | 0.39× | 5 | 37 |
| New Jersey | $122,320 | 1,550 | 1.24× | 7 | 37 |
| North Dakotamoderate | $72,990 | 70 | 0.59× | 3 | 26 |
| Tennesseemoderate | $79,550 | 480 | 0.50× | 4 | 20 |
| Louisianamoderate | $63,790 | 320 | 0.57× | 3 | 18 |
| Kentuckymoderate | $81,070 | 340 | 0.59× | 3 | 17 |
| Mainemoderate | — | 310 | 1.65× | 3 | 17 |
| Rhode Islandlimited | $102,360 | 150 | 1.04× | 2 | 16 |
| Delawarelimited | $90,370 | 80 | 0.54× | 1 | 15 |
| Idahomoderate | — | 430 | 1.73× | 3 | 15 |
| Connecticutlimited | $101,870 | 770 | 1.54× | 2 | 14 |
| Nebraskalimited | — | 190 | 0.64× | 2 | 10 |
| Mississippilimited | $65,220 | 70 | 0.21× | 2 | 9 |
| Vermontlimited | $87,860 | 60 | 0.72× | 2 | 9 |
| New Mexicolimited | $94,970 | 420 | 1.66× | 1 | 6 |
| West Virginialimited | — | 130 | 0.63× | 2 | 6 |
| Alaskalimited | $83,200 | 130 | 1.35× | 1 | 5 |
| South Carolinalimited | $82,540 | 700 | 1.04× | 2 | 5 |
| South Dakotalimited | $63,350 | 70 | 0.49× | 1 | 4 |
| Kansaslimited | $73,550 | 480 | 1.13× | 1 | 2 |
| Montanalimited | $75,070 | 160 | 1.07× | 1 | 1 |
| Oklahomalimited | $69,760 | 600 | 1.21× | 1 | 1 |
Skills and tools
From O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupational database. Importance is a 1 to 5 scale.
What they do day to day
- Organize material and complete writing assignment according to set standards regarding order, clarity, conciseness, style, and terminology.
- Maintain records and files of work and revisions.
- Edit, standardize, or make changes to material prepared by other writers or establishment personnel.
- Select photographs, drawings, sketches, diagrams, and charts to illustrate material.
- Interview production and engineering personnel and read journals and other material to become familiar with product technologies and production methods.
- Develop or maintain online help documentation.
- Assist in laying out material for publication.
- Study drawings, specifications, mockups, and product samples to integrate and delineate technology, operating procedure, and production sequence and detail.
Skills
- Writing4.9
- Reading Comprehension4.1
- Active Listening3.8
- Speaking3.8
- Critical Thinking3.6
- Active Learning3.3
- Monitoring3.0
- Learning Strategies2.5
Knowledge areas
- English Language4.8
- Computers and Electronics4.3
- Administrative3.8
- Communications and Media3.3
- Administration and Management3.2
- Public Safety and Security3.2
Abilities
- Written Expression4.3
- Written Comprehension4.1
- Near Vision4.0
- Oral Comprehension3.9
- Deductive Reasoning3.8
- Oral Expression3.8
Core activities
- Working with Computers4.6
- Getting Information4.3
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events4.2
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge4.1
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates4.0
- Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others4.0
Tools and technology
hotmarks an O*NET hot technologyHow to get in
How to become a Technical Writer
Job zone 4 of 5 · SVP 7.0 to < 8.0- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience needed
- Less than 5 years
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 7 majors mapped to Technical Writers7 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 09.0908Technical and Scientific Communication
- 19.0202Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences Communication
- 23.1301Writing, General
- 23.1303Professional, Technical, Business, and Scientific Writing
- 52.0501Business/Corporate Communications, General
- 52.0502Grantsmanship
- 52.0599Business/Corporate Communications, Other
Related careers
Jobs O*NET identifies as close to this one, with their own pay and outlook.
Common questions
What degree do you need to become a Technical Writer?+
Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Professional, Technical, Business, and Scientific Writing, which awarded 3,683 degrees in 2024-25, 68.4% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming a Technical Writer?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 7 programs to this occupation. The largest are Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies, Business/Corporate Communications, Public Relations, Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences Business Services. Together they graduate about 5,385 people a year.
How much do technical writers earn?+
The median is $90,390 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). The middle range runs from $57,440 at the 10th percentile to $145,270 at the 90th. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for technical writers growing?+
BLS projects a +0.9% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, little or no change, with roughly 4,500 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career?+
305 institutions reported graduates from at least one of the 7 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do technical writers work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Technical Writer, Information Developer, Technical Communicator, Documentation Specialist among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 27-3042.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024-25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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