How much does a technical writer make in San Diego?
$101,800a year
Median yearly pay for technical writers in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area. That is $48.92 an hour or $8,479 a month.
- Hourly
- $48.92
- Vs. national median
- +13%
- Rank among cities
- 19 of 136
- Jobs in the area
- 520
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $66,280Median: $101,800Highest 10%: $157,700
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $66,280 | $31.87 | |
| 25th | $85,510 | $41.11 | |
| Median | $101,800 | $48.92 | |
| 75th | $126,500 | $60.80 | |
| 90th | $157,700 | $75.79 |
Other cities in California
Median yearly pay for technical writers.
| San Jose, CA | $140,700 |
| San Francisco, CA | $135,500 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $104,500 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $104,000 |
| Oxnard, CA | $98,800 |
| Sacramento, CA | $94,400 |
| Riverside, CA | $85,500 |
| Fresno, CA | $76,030 |
Related jobs in San Diego
Same field, median yearly pay.
| Art Director | $126,100 |
| Court Reporter and Simultaneous Captioner | $123,200 |
| Special Effects Artist and Animator | $118,800 |
| Musician and Singer | $106,400 |
| Commercial and Industrial Designer | $99,650 |
| Producer and Director | $99,520 |
| Media and Communication Worker | $85,180 |
| Film and Video Editor | $83,480 |
| Writer and Author | $82,590 |
| Fashion Designer | $82,010 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a technical writer make an hour in San Diego?
The median hourly pay in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area is $48.92 ($101,800 a year).
Do technical writers make more in San Diego than the national average?
Yes: $101,800 against $90,390 nationally, 13% more.
How does San Diego compare with the rest of California?
The median in California is $104,000, so San Diego pays 2% less.
Where does San Diego rank for technical writer pay?
19 of 136 metro areas with data.
How much does a technical writer make starting out in San Diego?
The lowest-paid 10% make $66,280 or less a year; the top 10% make $157,700 or more.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS): pay in May 2025, published by BLS in 2026. Hourly pay is the yearly figure divided by 2,080 hours.