Occupations/27-3042.00
Technical Writers
Write technical materials, such as equipment manuals, appendices, or operating and maintenance instructions. May assist in layout work.
Usually a four-year bachelor’s degree.
AI automation risk
81%
Higher automation risk
Human characteristics
39%
Balanced human and task mix
Task orientation
80%
Higher automation risk
A day in this job
- Mostly human
Interview production and engineering personnel and read journals and other material to become familiar with product technologies and production methods.
- Mostly routine
Maintain records and files of work and revisions.
- Task
Organize material and complete writing assignment according to set standards regarding order, clarity, conciseness, style, and terminology.
Split from the wording of these tasks, shown next to the occupation’s AI risk. It is not a separate score for each task, and it is not a forecast that the job disappears.
Core tasks
- 01Organize material and complete writing assignment according to set standards regarding order, clarity, conciseness, style, and terminology.
- 02Maintain records and files of work and revisions.
- 03Edit, standardize, or make changes to material prepared by other writers or establishment personnel.
- 04Select photographs, drawings, sketches, diagrams, and charts to illustrate material.
- 05Interview production and engineering personnel and read journals and other material to become familiar with product technologies and production methods.
- 06Develop or maintain online help documentation.
Model drivers (O*NET 1–5)
- Repeating same tasks4.52
- Degree of automation2.07
- Time sitting4.55
- Originality (ability)2.88
- Conflict situations2.75
- Hands-on objects/tools3.51
- Outdoors / weather1.15
- Disease exposure1.00
- Decision freedom4.40
Top abilities
- Written Expression4.25
- Written Comprehension4.12
- Near Vision4.00
- Oral Comprehension3.88
- Oral Expression3.75
- Deductive Reasoning3.75
- Information Ordering3.62
- Speech Clarity3.38
Essential skills
- Reading Comprehension4.12
- Active Listening3.75
- Writing4.88
- Speaking3.75
- Mathematics1.62
- Science1.25
- Critical Thinking3.62
- Active Learning3.25
- Learning Strategies2.50
- Monitoring3.00
CIP matches
Schools offering related programs
12 of 73 shown
Earnings are College Scorecard medians for that program, 1 and 2 years after completion. A dash means the Department suppressed the cell or the campus is not in the field file.
| Institution | Program | Tuition | Admit | Grad 6-yr | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Georgetown University Washington, DC · Private nonprofit | Technical and Scientific Communication 09.0908 | $65,400 | 12% | 95% | 1 yr $75,795 2 yr $73,272 Master's · CIP 09.09 |
City Colleges of Chicago-Wilbur Wright College Chicago, IL · Public | Technical and Scientific Communication 09.0908 | $4,600 | 100% | 27% | 1 yr $70,776 2 yr $87,754 Master's · CIP 09.09 |
Boston University Boston, MA · Private nonprofit | Technical and Scientific Communication 09.0908 | $65,200 | 14% | 89% | 1 yr $55,383 2 yr $58,479 Master's · CIP 09.09 |
Howard University Washington, DC · Private nonprofit | Technical and Scientific Communication 09.0908 | $33,200 | 53% | 65% | 1 yr $51,273 2 yr $52,107 Bachelor's · CIP 09.09 |
North Carolina State University at Raleigh Raleigh, NC · Public | Technical and Scientific Communication 09.0908 | $9,200 | 47% | 84% | 1 yr $50,231 2 yr — Master's · CIP 09.09 |
San Jose State University San Jose, CA · Public | Technical and Scientific Communication 09.0908 | $8,200 | 77% | 71% | 1 yr $49,019 2 yr $41,379 Bachelor's · CIP 09.09 |
University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA · Private nonprofit | Technical and Scientific Communication 09.0908 | $68,200 | 12% | 92% | 1 yr $48,752 2 yr $44,711 Bachelor's · CIP 09.09 |
The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX · Public | Technical and Scientific Communication 09.0908 | $11,700 | 31% | 88% | 1 yr $46,570 2 yr $43,680 Bachelor's · CIP 09.09 |
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign, IL · Public | Technical and Scientific Communication 09.0908 | $17,500 | 45% | 85% | 1 yr $46,165 2 yr $43,114 Bachelor's · CIP 09.09 |
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus University Park, PA · Public | Technical and Scientific Communication 09.0908 | $19,600 | 55% | 86% | 1 yr $43,821 2 yr $41,416 Bachelor's · CIP 09.09 |
Purdue University-Main Campus West Lafayette, IN · Public | Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences Communication 19.0202 | $10,000 | 53% | 83% | 1 yr $43,054 2 yr $40,896 Bachelor's · CIP 19.02 |
Milwaukee Area Technical College Milwaukee, WI · Public | Technical and Scientific Communication 09.0908 | $4,900 | 100% | 27% | 1 yr $42,570 2 yr $39,994 Bachelor's · CIP 09.09 |