Technical Writers Salary
In Albuquerque, NM, technical writers earn $86,790 at the median, or about $41.72 an hour. The range runs from $49K at the entry level to $130K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 95.55), that's roughly $90,832 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,464/month, or 26.7% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $87K get you in Albuquerque?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Albuquerque’s Regional Price Parity (95.55). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About technical writers
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What this looks like in Albuquerque
Technical writers pay in Albuquerque tracks closely to the national median, $87K locally vs. $90K nationwide, a 4% difference. Rent runs $1,464/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26.5% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 95.55) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for technical writers in metros near Albuquerque, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| El Paso | $63K | $70K |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $87K | $84K |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $103K | , |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $87K | $89K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Albuquerque, NM
Entry-level technical writers (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $87K. Top earners bring in $130K or more, a $81K spread from bottom to top.
Technical Writers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Technical Writers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | $122K | +35% | 1,550 |
| District of Columbia | $118K | +30% | 440 |
| Massachusetts | $109K | +21% | 1,850 |
| Washington | $104K | +15% | 1,620 |
| California | $104K | +15% | 5,280 |
| Rhode Island | $102K | +13% | 150 |
| Connecticut | $102K | +13% | 770 |
| Maryland | $101K | +12% | 1,780 |
| Colorado | $101K | +11% | 1,320 |
| New York | $98K | +9% | 1,610 |
| New Hampshire | $96K | +7% | 230 |
| New Mexico | $95K | +5% | 420 |
| Virginia | $94K | +4% | 2,280 |
| Delaware | $90K | -0% | 80 |
| Nevada | $89K | -2% | 230 |
| Illinois | $89K | -2% | 1,040 |
| Vermont | $88K | -3% | 60 |
| Pennsylvania | $88K | -3% | 1,330 |
| North Carolina | $86K | -5% | 2,860 |
| Florida | $86K | -5% | 2,550 |
| Alabama | $86K | -5% | 630 |
| Michigan | $85K | -6% | 970 |
| Oregon | $84K | -7% | 590 |
| Minnesota | $83K | -8% | 910 |
| Alaska | $83K | -8% | 130 |
| Texas | $83K | -8% | 3,340 |
| South Carolina | $83K | -9% | 700 |
| Kentucky | $81K | -10% | 340 |
| Missouri | $81K | -11% | 500 |
| Utah | $80K | -11% | 570 |
| Wisconsin | $80K | -11% | 910 |
| Arizona | $80K | -12% | 730 |
| Tennessee | $80K | -12% | 480 |
| Ohio | $76K | -15% | 1,350 |
| Indiana | $76K | -16% | 540 |
| Montana | $75K | -17% | 160 |
| Kansas | $74K | -19% | 480 |
| Georgia | $73K | -19% | 1,680 |
| North Dakota | $73K | -19% | 70 |
| Oklahoma | $70K | -23% | 600 |
| Iowa | $67K | -26% | 640 |
| Mississippi | $65K | -28% | 70 |
| Louisiana | $64K | -29% | 320 |
| South Dakota | $63K | -30% | 70 |
| Arkansas | $61K | -32% | 150 |
Showing 1–10 of 45 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track technical writers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Albuquerque numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a technical writer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Albuquerque?
Yes — at the median salary of $87K, rent takes 26.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,464/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for technical writers in Albuquerque?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new technical writers typically earn — is $49K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,946/month. At HUD’s $1,464/month FMR, rent would take 50% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is technical writer a high-paying job in Albuquerque?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $87K locally vs. $90K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Albuquerque compare to the national average for technical writers?
Albuquerque pays $87K median vs. the U.S. average of $90K — that’s -4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 95.55), the purchasing-power equivalent is $91K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do technical writers make in Albuquerque, NM?
The median is $86,790 a year, that works out to about $42 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,100, and experienced technical writers can clear $130,110. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $87K enough to live in Albuquerque?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,515/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,464/month, which eats 26.5% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a technical writers salary go in Albuquerque?
Albuquerque has a Regional Price Parity of 95.55 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median technical writers salary is worth about $90,832 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do technical writers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.