Technical Writer salary in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
In San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, a typical technical writer earned $140,700 a year in May 2025 (median), with an average of $139,970. About 920 people work in this occupation there.
That is 56% above the national median of $90,390. Compared with all occupations in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA (median $84,050), technical writers earn 67% more. With a location quotient of 2.78, the occupation is more concentrated here than in the US as a whole.
Pay varies widely: the lowest-paid 10% earned less than $75,310, while the top 10% earned more than $211,860. Many technical writers are self-employed, and BLS wage surveys cover employees only, so freelance income can differ.
Pay distribution
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $75,310 | $36.21 |
| 25th | $87,350 | $42.00 |
| Median | $140,700 | $67.65 |
| 75th | $172,740 | $83.05 |
| 90th | $211,860 | $101.86 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Estimates exclude self-employed workers; "—" means the estimate was not released.