Technical Writers Salary
In Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN, technical writers earn $79,550 at the median, or about $38.24 an hour. The range runs from $54K at the entry level to $109K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.34), that's roughly $82,572 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,730/month, about 31.3% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $80K get you in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin’s Regional Price Parity (96.34). 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 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin
Pay for technical writers in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin runs about 12% below the U.S. median of $90K. Rent runs $1,730/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 96.34) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for technical writers in metros near Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Knoxville | $101K | $110K |
| Memphis | $91K | $98K |
| Montgomery | $87K | $97K |
| Louisville/Jefferson County | $89K | $96K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN
Entry-level technical writers (10th percentile) start around $54K. Mid-career wages sit at $80K. Top earners bring in $109K or more, a $54K 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 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a technical writer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $80K, rent takes 32.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,730/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,600/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for technical writers in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new technical writers typically earn — is $54K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,251/month. At HUD’s $1,730/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 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin?
Local pay runs 12% below the national median — $80K here vs. $90K nationally.
How does Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin compare to the national average for technical writers?
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin pays $80K median vs. the U.S. average of $90K — that’s -12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.34), the purchasing-power equivalent is $83K — below the national median.
How much do technical writers make in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN?
The median is $79,550 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $54,180, and experienced technical writers can clear $108,610. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $80K enough to live in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,363/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,730/month, which eats 32.3% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a technical writers salary go in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin?
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin has a Regional Price Parity of 96.34 (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 $82,572 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.