Quick answer: The Salt Lake City metro employs about 290 technical writers (BLS OEWS, May 2025), and licensing is set at the state level, through target employers on the documentation samples they expect.
Compare technical writing programs enrolling now:
Licensing
Licensing is a state matter, not a city one. Technical writing is not licensed and has no required certification. A portfolio of documentation samples is the working credential, and subject-matter fluency - including from trade experience - is what employers pay a premium for.
See the Utah licensing and pay overview for the statewide picture, and confirm current requirements with target employers on the documentation samples they expect.
Schools Near You
Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.
How we rank schools – graduation rate, graduate earnings, cost and retention.
Advertising plays no part.
This page lists 1 school
within 29 miles, closest group first, then ordered by
BOC Score with the highest at the top.
1 of them carries a score.
LOCAL RANK
Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate how often students finish
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry whether it paid off
25%
Average net price what students actually pay after aid; lower ranks higher
20%
Retention rate how many come back for year two
15%
Fully online availability whether you can study while working
10%
Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal
about the institution rather than about this subject.
Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from
this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.
Technical Writers in the Salt Lake City area earn a median $82,050 per year, below the national median of $90,390 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Technical Writing Pay in Salt Lake City, UT
Metric
Salt Lake City metro
Utah
National
Median annual wage
$82,050
$80,270
$90,390
10th percentile
$54,750
$50,610
$57,440
25th percentile
$67,900
$64,910
$70,880
75th percentile
$108,620
$102,590
$115,510
90th percentile
$138,920
$132,590
$145,270
Employment
290
570
45,500
Location quotient
1.19
-
1.00
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro figures cover the Salt Lake City-Murray, UT metropolitan statistical area.
What the Numbers Say About This Market
The Salt Lake City median of $82,050 is below the national median of $90,390, and above the Utah statewide median of $80,270 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The metro’s location quotient of 1.19 means technical writers are more concentrated here than in the average U.S. labor market (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Higher concentration generally means more employers competing for the same people, and an easier job change later.
Technical writing tracks engineering, software, medical device and defense employment, and a large share of the work is remote-eligible.
Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do technical writers make in Salt Lake City?
The median annual wage for technical writers in the Salt Lake City-Murray, UT metro area is $82,050, below the national median of $90,390 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
How many technical writers work in the Salt Lake City area?
The Salt Lake City-Murray, UT metro area employs about 290 technical writers (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Do technical writers in Salt Lake City need a license?
Licensing is handled at state level rather than by city. Technical writing is not licensed and has no required certification. A portfolio of documentation samples is the working credential, and subject-matter fluency - including from trade experience - is what employers pay a premium for. Confirm current requirements with target employers on the documentation samples they expect.
Can I study technical writing online from Salt Lake City?
The academic portion of these programs is widely available online for working adults, while labs, clinical hours or supervised field work are completed in person. Check that the program's accreditation satisfies target employers on the documentation samples they expect.
Is Salt Lake City a better market than the rest of Utah?
The Salt Lake City metro median is $82,050 against a statewide median of $80,270 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Compare that gap with the difference in living costs before treating it as a raise.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Technical Writers (SOC 27-3042), national, state and metropolitan estimates
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook - education and licensing requirements
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
