Technical Writer Salary: Phoenix, AZ vs Austin, TX
Side-by-side comparison of wages and local price levels for Technical Writers in Phoenix, AZ 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 | Phoenix, AZ | Austin, TX | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Annual Salary | $83,480 | $88,360▲ | -$4,880 |
| 25th Percentile | $69,110▲ | $65,930 | +$3,180 |
| 75th Percentile | $106,480 | $111,080▲ | -$4,600 |
| 90th Percentile | $124,810 | $132,300▲ | -$7,490 |
| Price Level (BEA 2024, US = 100) | 103.3 | 98.1 | +5.2 |
| Median at National-Average Prices | $80,801 | $90,103▲ | -$9,302 |
| Total Employment | 490 | 650 | -160 |
3Summary Analysis
On paper, Austin, TX pays $4,880 more (median: $83,480 vs $88,360). BEA's regional price parity is 103.3 in Phoenix, AZ and 98.1 in Austin, TX (United States = 100). At national-average prices the medians are $80,801 and $90,103, so Austin, TX comes out ahead once local prices are counted.
5Reading This Comparison
The $4,880 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: $80,801 for Phoenix and $90,103 for Austin, a difference of $9,302.
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 (Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ; Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX) and cover prices only, not taxes.
BLS estimates 490 Technical Writer jobs in the Phoenix area and 650 in the Austin area. For broader context, see our Arizona overview and the full Technical Writer city ranking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Technical Writer salary higher in Phoenix, AZ or Austin, TX?
Austin, TX has the higher median wage for Technical Writers ($88,360 per year, against $83,480 in Phoenix, AZ; BLS OEWS May 2025). Restated at national-average prices using BEA regional price parities, the medians are $80,801 in Phoenix, AZ and $90,103 in Austin, TX.
How do prices compare between Phoenix, AZ and Austin, TX?
The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis puts the 2024 regional price parity at 103.3 for the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metropolitan area and 98.1 for the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX metropolitan area, where the United States is 100. That is 3.3% above the national level for Phoenix, AZ 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 $80,801 for Phoenix, AZ. The adjustment divides each median by the area's BEA regional price parity and covers prices only, not taxes.