Jobs / Design, media, and writing / 27-3042.00

Technical Writers

Write technical materials, such as equipment manuals, appendices, or operating and maintenance instructions. May assist in layout work.

US jobs
45,500
Median wage
$90,390 a year
Job family
Design, media, and writing

Can agents do the work of technical writers?

We read the evidence for the whole job family, Design, media, and writing: Unmeasured (no change in 12 months)

No direct benchmark gives a success rate.

0% of this occupation's work, by O*NET work activities, is measured by a direct benchmark.

  • 23%Edit written materials or documentsNot measured
  • 10%Maintain operational recordsNot measured
  • 10%Read documents or materials to inform work processesNot measured
  • 9%Create visual designs or displaysNot measured
  • 8%Monitor external affairs, trends, or eventsNot measured
  • 7%Confer with clients to determine needs or order specificationsNot measured
  • 7%Develop news, entertainment, or artistic contentNot measured
  • 6%Direct organizational operations, activities, or proceduresNot measured

Benchmarks for the job family

These cover work in design, media, and writing, not always this occupation's tasks.

Also relevant

These benchmarks cover part of this family's work, or have no result yet. They do not set its step.

Context only

These benchmarks span many occupations, or they test how agents behave. They give context but do not set the step.

  • GDPvalby OpenAIProject level · Wins plus ties against experts
    84.9%GPT-5.5 · Apr 2026
    Strong
  • GDPval-AAby Artificial AnalysisProject level · GDPval-AA Elo
    1846 EloClaude Opus 5.5 (Adaptive Reasoning, Max Effort, Default Fallback) · 23 Sep 2026
    Unrated
  • Remote Labor Indexby CAIS and Scale AIProject level · Automation rate
    15.8%Claude Fable 5 · 1 Jul 2026
    Open

Typical tasks

From O*NET 31.0. Core tasks first. Few of these tasks have a benchmark today.

  • Organize material and complete writing assignment according to set standards regarding order, clarity, conciseness, style, and terminology.
  • Maintain records and files of work and revisions.
  • Edit, standardize, or make changes to material prepared by other writers or establishment personnel.
  • Analyze developments in specific field to determine need for revisions in previously published materials and development of new material.
  • Review published materials and recommend revisions or changes in scope, format, content, and methods of reproduction and binding.
  • Select photographs, drawings, sketches, diagrams, and charts to illustrate material.
  • Confer with customer representatives, vendors, plant executives, or publisher to establish technical specifications and to determine subject material to be developed for publication.
  • Assist in laying out material for publication.
  • Study drawings, specifications, mockups, and product samples to integrate and delineate technology, operating procedure, and production sequence and detail.
  • Arrange for typing, duplication, and distribution of material.
  • Develop or maintain online help documentation.
  • Review manufacturer's and trade catalogs, drawings and other data relative to operation, maintenance, and service of equipment.
Other job titles for this occupation (29)

Com Writer · Engineering Writer · Global Technical Writer · Grant Writer · Medical Writer · Narrative Writer · Principal Technical Writer · Requirements Analyst · Technical Report Writer · Assembly Instructions Writer · Clinical Writer · Contracts Writer · Documentation Writer · Handbook Writer · Health Science Writer · Health Technical Writer · Lexicographer · Manual Writer · Medical Technical Writer · Process Description Writer · Proposal Writer · Regulatory Medical Writer · Report Writer · Scientific Writer · Specifications Writer · Technical Proposal Writer · Technical Publications Writer · Technician Writer · UX Writer (User Experience Writer)