Technical Writer salary in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
The median annual wage for technical writers in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA was $81,540 in May 2025, with an average of $94,660. About 460 people work in this occupation there.
That is 10% below the national median of $90,390. Compared with all occupations in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA (median $60,690), technical writers earn 34% more. With a location quotient of 1.31, the occupation is more concentrated here than in the US as a whole.
Pay varies widely: the lowest-paid 10% earned less than $58,990, while the top 10% earned more than $143,010. Many technical writers are self-employed, and BLS wage surveys cover employees only, so freelance income can differ.
Pay distribution
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $58,990 | $28.36 |
| 25th | $70,640 | $33.96 |
| Median | $81,540 | $39.20 |
| 75th | $119,930 | $57.66 |
| 90th | $143,010 | $68.76 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Estimates exclude self-employed workers; "—" means the estimate was not released.