Technical Writers Salary
In Durham-Chapel Hill, NC, technical writers earn $94,520 at the median, or about $45.44 an hour. The range runs from $54K at the entry level to $167K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.57), that's roughly $96,874 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,711/month, or 28.1% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $95K get you in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Durham-Chapel Hill’s Regional Price Parity (97.57). 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 Durham-Chapel Hill
Technical writers pay in Durham-Chapel Hill tracks closely to the national median, $95K locally vs. $90K nationwide, a 5% difference. Rent runs $1,711/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29.1% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 97.57) 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 Durham-Chapel Hill, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Raleigh-Cary | $94K | $95K |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $83K | $85K |
| Greensboro-High Point | $89K | $96K |
| Wilmington | $94K | $97K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
Entry-level technical writers (10th percentile) start around $54K. Mid-career wages sit at $95K. Top earners bring in $167K or more, a $114K 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 Durham-Chapel Hill numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a technical writer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Yes — at the median salary of $95K, rent takes 29.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,711/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for technical writers in Durham-Chapel Hill?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new technical writers typically earn — is $54K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,227/month. At HUD’s $1,711/month FMR, rent would take 53% 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 Durham-Chapel Hill?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $95K locally vs. $90K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Durham-Chapel Hill compare to the national average for technical writers?
Durham-Chapel Hill pays $95K median vs. the U.S. average of $90K — that’s +5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.57), the purchasing-power equivalent is $97K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do technical writers make in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC?
The median is $94,520 a year, that works out to about $45 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $53,790, and experienced technical writers can clear $167,380. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $95K enough to live in Durham-Chapel Hill?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,886/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,711/month, which eats 29.1% 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 Durham-Chapel Hill?
Durham-Chapel Hill has a Regional Price Parity of 97.57 (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 $96,874 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.