Technical Writer salary in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
In Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, a typical technical writer earned $89,960 a year in May 2025 (median), with an average of $93,820. About 790 people work in this occupation there.
That is roughly in line with the national median. Compared with all occupations in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (median $54,720), technical writers earn 64% more. Its location quotient of 0.60 means the job is less common here than nationally.
Pay varies widely: the lowest-paid 10% earned less than $59,960, while the top 10% earned more than $135,770. Many technical writers are self-employed, and BLS wage surveys cover employees only, so freelance income can differ.
Pay distribution
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $59,960 | $28.83 |
| 25th | $73,150 | $35.17 |
| Median | $89,960 | $43.25 |
| 75th | $108,890 | $52.35 |
| 90th | $135,770 | $65.28 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Estimates exclude self-employed workers; "—" means the estimate was not released.