Technical Writers Salary
In Mobile, AL, technical writers earn $79,980 at the median, or about $38.45 an hour. The range runs from $70K at the entry level to $107K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.1), which stretches that salary to about $90,783 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,083/month, or 20.6% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $80K get you in Mobile?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Mobile’s Regional Price Parity (88.1). 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 Mobile
Pay for technical writers in Mobile runs about 12% below the U.S. median of $90K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,083/month, 21.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.1 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Mobile can be a reasonable trade-off for technical writerss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for technical writers in metros near Mobile, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Montgomery | $87K | $97K |
| Huntsville | $96K | $104K |
| Birmingham | $83K | $90K |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $75K | $75K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Mobile, AL
Entry-level technical writers (10th percentile) start around $70K. Mid-career wages sit at $80K. Top earners bring in $107K or more, a $37K 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 Mobile numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a technical writer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Mobile?
Yes — at the median salary of $80K, rent takes 21.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,083/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for technical writers in Mobile?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new technical writers typically earn — is $70K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,213/month. At HUD’s $1,083/month FMR, rent would take 26% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is technical writer a high-paying job in Mobile?
Local pay runs 12% below the national median — $80K here vs. $90K nationally. Cost of living is 12% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Mobile compare to the national average for technical writers?
Mobile pays $80K median vs. the U.S. average of $90K — that’s -12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.1), the purchasing-power equivalent is $91K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do technical writers make in Mobile, AL?
The median is $79,980 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $70,210, and experienced technical writers can clear $106,740. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $80K enough to live in Mobile?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,068/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,083/month, which eats 21.4% 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 Mobile?
Mobile has a Regional Price Parity of 88.1 (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 $90,783 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.