How much does a technical writer make in San Jose?
$140,700a year
Median yearly pay for technical writers in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area. That is $67.64 an hour or $11,730 a month.
- Hourly
- $67.64
- Vs. national median
- +56%
- Rank among cities
- 1 of 136
- Jobs in the area
- 920
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $75,310Median: $140,700Highest 10%: $211,900
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $75,310 | $36.21 | |
| 25th | $87,350 | $42.00 | |
| Median | $140,700 | $67.64 | |
| 75th | $172,700 | $83.05 | |
| 90th | $211,900 | $101.86 |
Other cities in California
Median yearly pay for technical writers.
| San Francisco, CA | $135,500 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $104,500 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $104,000 |
| San Diego, CA | $101,800 |
| Oxnard, CA | $98,800 |
| Sacramento, CA | $94,400 |
| Riverside, CA | $85,500 |
| Fresno, CA | $76,030 |
Related jobs in San Jose
Same field, median yearly pay.
| Art Director | $170,100 |
| Special Effects Artist and Animator | $157,000 |
| Court Reporter and Simultaneous Captioner | $143,200 |
| Commercial and Industrial Designer | $141,300 |
| Designer | $129,100 |
| Writer and Author | $118,800 |
| Public Relations Specialist | $117,600 |
| Editor | $117,600 |
| Musician and Singer | $102,900 |
| Interpreter and Translator | $101,500 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a technical writer make an hour in San Jose?
The median hourly pay in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area is $67.64 ($140,700 a year).
Do technical writers make more in San Jose than the national average?
Yes: $140,700 against $90,390 nationally, 56% more.
How does San Jose compare with the rest of California?
The median in California is $104,000, so San Jose pays 35% more.
Where does San Jose rank for technical writer pay?
1 of 136 metro areas with data.
How much does a technical writer make starting out in San Jose?
The lowest-paid 10% make $75,310 or less a year; the top 10% make $211,900 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.