Technical Writers Salary
In Boulder, CO, technical writers earn $105,840 at the median, or about $50.89 an hour. The range runs from $73K at the entry level to $170K for experienced workers.
Where the paycheck goes
What $106K actually covers in Boulder, month by month
About technical writers
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Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for technical writers in metros near Boulder, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $103K | , |
| Colorado Springs | $96K | , |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler | $83K | $81K |
| Salt Lake City-Murray | $82K | $81K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Boulder, CO
Entry-level technical writers (10th percentile) start around $73K. Mid-career wages sit at $106K. Top earners bring in $170K or more, a $97K 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 annually. We'll email you when Boulder numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a technical writer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Boulder?
Yes — at the median salary of $106K, rent takes 18.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,199/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for technical writers in Boulder?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new technical writers typically earn — is $73K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,704/month.
Is technical writer a high-paying job in Boulder?
Local pay is 17% above the national median — $106K here vs. $90K nationally.
How does Boulder compare to the national average for technical writers?
Boulder pays $106K median vs. the U.S. average of $90K — that’s +17%.
How much do technical writers make in Boulder, CO?
The median is $105,840 a year, that works out to about $51 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $72,880, and experienced technical writers can clear $169,520. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $106K enough to live in Boulder?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,516/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,199/month, which eats 18.4% 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 Boulder?
Boulder has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median technical writers salary is worth about $105,840 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.