Salary data · BLS OEWS May 2025
Technical Writer salary in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$101,750
Median annual
$48.92
Median hourly
$109,020
Mean annual
520
Employed
In San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA, a typical technical writer earned $101,750 a year in May 2025 (median), with an average of $109,020. About 520 people work in this occupation there.
That is 13% above the national median of $90,390. Compared with all occupations in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA (median $58,690), technical writers earn 73% more.
Pay varies widely: the lowest-paid 10% earned less than $66,280, while the top 10% earned more than $157,650. Many technical writers are self-employed, and BLS wage surveys cover employees only, so freelance income can differ.
Pay distribution
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $66,280 | $31.86 |
| 25th | $85,510 | $41.11 |
| Median | $101,750 | $48.92 |
| 75th | $126,470 | $60.80 |
| 90th | $157,650 | $75.79 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Estimates exclude self-employed workers; "—" means the estimate was not released.