IT Salary Tracker: Technical writers

This week we let ourselves get sidetracked from information technology jobs in the strict definition, opting instead for a view of jobs in what you could call technology information. Technical writers, those professionals who carry the burden of translating the interface between users and their technologies into the written word, don’t command the wages that developers, administrators or even help desk pros do. But there’s an unquestionable demand for their skills.

In May 2000, there were 855 availabilities for technical writers posted to dice.com, Datamation’s sister site and an online job board for IT professionals. The overall average salary was $62,000 per year, and the average contract rate was $44 per hour. Sixty percent of the positions were salary paid. The majority of listings, fully 43%, were for jobs in Silicon Valley. The Valley also offered the highest salaries, averaging $69,000 per year. But the Bay area can’t claim all the top numbers: The highest average contract rate was in New York, at $57 per hour.

Results are based on averages or totals from the following information at dice.com: job titles, job skills, and locations. Benefits are not included in compensation listings. Next week: UNIX systems administrators.

Highest salary by city (average):
Silicon Valley, $69,000 yearly salary

Highest hourly contract rate by city (average):
New York, $57 per hour

City with the most demand (average):
Silicon Valley, 43% of total availabilities

Chart data compiled by Laurie Souza

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