Technical Writer salary in California
The median annual wage for technical writers in California is $104,000, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025 estimates — above the national median of $90,390. California ranks 5 of 44 states and DC with published data for this occupation.
Median
$104,000
25th percentile
$84,250
75th percentile
$141,280
90th percentile
$175,510
Employment and national comparison
| Employment in California | 5,280 |
|---|---|
| Mean annual wage in California | $117,060 |
| National median | $90,390 |
| National employment | 45,500 |
Metro areas in California
- San Francisco, CA: median $135,470
- Los Angeles, CA: median $104,000
- San Diego, CA: median $101,750
States with similar pay for technical writers
- Washington: median $104,070
- Rhode Island: median $102,360
- Connecticut: median $101,870
- Maryland: median $100,990
- Colorado: median $100,610
- Massachusetts: median $109,200
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates; state, metropolitan area and national files from https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm. State estimates are for BLS occupation "Technical Writers" (27-3042), cross-industry, all ownerships. Retrieved 2026-10-02. Where BLS does not publish a numeric estimate (suppressed, or reported only as at or above $239,200) the value is shown as —.