Technical Writer Salary: Minneapolis, MN vs Austin, TX
Side-by-side comparison of wages and local price levels for Technical Writers in Minneapolis, MN and Austin, TX, based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data and BEA regional price parities for 2024.
1Which City Pays More?
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Minneapolis, MN | Austin, TX | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Annual Salary | $86,340 | $88,360▲ | -$2,020 |
| 25th Percentile | $71,400▲ | $65,930 | +$5,470 |
| 75th Percentile | $105,400 | $111,080▲ | -$5,680 |
| 90th Percentile | $132,420▲ | $132,300 | +$120 |
| Price Level (BEA 2024, US = 100) | 104.8 | 98.1 | +6.7 |
| Median at National-Average Prices | $82,368 | $90,103▲ | -$7,735 |
| Total Employment | 670 | 650 | +20 |
3Summary Analysis
On paper, Austin, TX pays $2,020 more (median: $86,340 vs $88,360). BEA's regional price parity is 104.8 in Minneapolis, MN and 98.1 in Austin, TX (United States = 100). At national-average prices the medians are $82,368 and $90,103, so Austin, TX comes out ahead once local prices are counted.
5Reading This Comparison
The $2,020 gap between the two medians is a gap in dollars, not in what those dollars buy. Dividing each median by its area's regional price parity restates it at national-average prices: $82,368 for Minneapolis and $90,103 for Austin, a difference of $7,735.
The price levels come from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, which describes them this way: “Regional price parities (RPPs) measure the differences in price levels across states and metropolitan areas for a given year and are expressed as a percentage of the overall national price level.” The figures used here are the all-items index for each whole metropolitan area (Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI; Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX) and cover prices only, not taxes.
BLS estimates 670 Technical Writer jobs in the Minneapolis area and 650 in the Austin area. For broader context, see our Minnesota overview and the full Technical Writer city ranking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Technical Writer salary higher in Minneapolis, MN or Austin, TX?
Austin, TX has the higher median wage for Technical Writers ($88,360 per year, against $86,340 in Minneapolis, MN; BLS OEWS May 2025). Restated at national-average prices using BEA regional price parities, the medians are $82,368 in Minneapolis, MN and $90,103 in Austin, TX.
How do prices compare between Minneapolis, MN and Austin, TX?
The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis puts the 2024 regional price parity at 104.8 for the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metropolitan area and 98.1 for the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX metropolitan area, where the United States is 100. That is 4.8% above the national level for Minneapolis, MN and 1.9% below the national level for Austin, TX.
Which city pays Technical Writers more once local prices are counted?
Austin, TX: at national-average prices its median Technical Writer wage is $90,103, against $82,368 for Minneapolis, MN. The adjustment divides each median by the area's BEA regional price parity and covers prices only, not taxes.