Technical Writers pay range in San Jose
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $75,310 a year or less, while the top 10% make $211,860 or more. The middle half of technical writers in San Jose earn between $87,350 and $172,740.
- $75K10th
- $87K25th
- $141KMedian
- $173K75th
- $212K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $139,970 | $11,664 | $67.29 |
| Median | $140,700 | $11,725 | $67.64 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $87,350 | $7,279 | $42.00 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $172,740 | $14,395 | $83.05 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Technical Writers salary after taxes in San Jose
On the average salary of $139,970, a single filer in San Jose takes home about $98,010 a year, or $8,168 a month and $3,770 every two weeks. Taxes take 30% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is San Jose a good place for technical writers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the San Jose area are 10% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 110.4), so the average $139,970 buys what about $126,758 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.7 times the median wage of all jobs in San Jose ($84,050). A typical home costs $1,610,466, or 11.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Technical Writers salary in other California cities
San Jose ranks 1st of 11 California metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- San Jose$139,970
- San Francisco$137,560
- Santa Rosa$127,330
- Santa Maria$111,700
- San Diego$109,020
- Sacramento$103,570
- Los Angeles$103,080
- Oxnard$102,480
- Riverside$90,160
- Bakersfield$86,730
Highest-paying cities for technical writers
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($139,970).
- San Jose, CA$139,970
- San Francisco, CA$137,560
- Santa Rosa, CA$127,330
- Boulder, CO$115,710
- Boston, MA$115,210
Does this match what you are paid?
Anonymous, no account. Results update as visitors answer.
Share your pay anonymously
Technical Writers salary in San Jose: questions
How much do technical writers make an hour in San Jose?
$67.29 an hour on average, and $67.65 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level technical writers salary in San Jose?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $75,310 a year and the 25th percentile is $87,350, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the technical writers take-home pay in San Jose?
About $98,010 a year ($8,168 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $139,970. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do technical writers earn more in San Jose than elsewhere?
The average here is 41% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($99,139).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 27-3042; area San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA (41940). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 6.8%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 2.78, this job is 2.8 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
Read the full methodology. Spotted an error? Tell us.