Technical Writers Salary
In Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ, technical writers earn $90,230 at the median, or about $43.38 an hour. The range runs from $54K at the entry level to $164K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 99.97), that's roughly $90,257 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,634/month, or 28.1% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $90K get you in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton’s Regional Price Parity (99.97). 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 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton
Technical writers pay in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton tracks closely to the national median, $90K locally vs. $90K nationwide, a 0% difference. Rent runs $1,634/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28.4% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 99.97) 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 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $92K | $90K |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $81K | $82K |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre | $72K | $77K |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $111K | $99K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ
Entry-level technical writers (10th percentile) start around $54K. Mid-career wages sit at $90K. Top earners bring in $164K or more, a $110K 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 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a technical writer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton?
Yes — at the median salary of $90K, rent takes 28.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,634/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for technical writers in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new technical writers typically earn — is $54K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,253/month. At HUD’s $1,634/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 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $90K locally vs. $90K nationally, a 0% difference.
How does Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton compare to the national average for technical writers?
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton pays $90K median vs. the U.S. average of $90K — that’s +0%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 99.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $90K — below the national median.
How much do technical writers make in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ?
The median is $90,230 a year, that works out to about $43 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $54,220, and experienced technical writers can clear $164,470. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $90K enough to live in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,758/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,634/month, which eats 28.4% 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 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton?
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton has a Regional Price Parity of 99.97 (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 $90,257 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.