National metro rankings
API / Developer Documentation Writer salary by metro area
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BLS published a median for SOC 27-3042, Technical Writers, in 136 metro areas (May 2025). The highest is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, at $140,700. The national median is $90,390.
Broader occupation
BLS does not report this exact title. The figures shown are for SOC 27-3042, Technical Writers. BLS reports Technical Writers as a broader occupation. It does not separate API / Developer Documentation Writer, technology stack, seniority, certifications or employer sector. These figures are not a title-specific offer range.
BLS publishes one set of figures for SOC 27-3042. Other titles in our taxonomy map to it and show the same numbers. Percentiles describe all workers in the occupation. They are not experience levels.
Our target metros
- Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL
- Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
- Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL
- Raleigh-Cary, NC
- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ
- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ (Shared metro estimate, not a Northern New Jersey-only wage.)
- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
Chart shows annual pay for the first 10 entries. Band is the 25th to 75th percentile, the thick line is the median, whiskers reach the 10th and 90th percentiles. Every figure is repeated in the table.
| # | Metro area | Median | P25 to P75 | Employment | LQ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $140,700 | $87,350 to $172,740 | 920 | 2.78 |
| 2 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $135,470 | $93,920 to $169,550 | 1,020 | 1.46 |
| 3 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $129,590 | $106,510 to $143,520 | 40 | 0.72 |
| 4 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $119,160 | $78,560 to $129,210 | 80 | 2.07 |
| 5 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $117,130 | $79,420 to $139,230 | 100 | 1.38 |
| 6 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $111,750 | $86,060 to $135,600 | 1,590 | 2.01 |
| 7 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $111,050 | $81,600 to $135,010 | 2,170 | 0.78 |
| 8 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $107,580 | $81,950 to $142,130 | 1,220 | 2 |
| 9 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $106,900 | $81,820 to $109,870 | 160 | 1.36 |
| 10 | Boulder, CO | $105,840 | $88,520 to $127,410 | 140 | 2.52 |
| 11 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $104,450 | $84,280 to $135,670 | 60 | 1.01 |
| 12 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $104,000 | $80,070 to $113,580 | 1,460 | 0.8 |
| 13 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $103,730 | $82,130 to $122,270 | 160 | 2.4 |
| 14 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $103,360 | $82,640 to $125,290 | 800 | 1.7 |
| 15 | Savannah, GA | $103,000 | $80,790 to $104,490 | 120 | 1.99 |
| 16 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $102,470 | $77,890 to $117,110 | 250 | 1.4 |
| 17 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $102,140 | $79,730 to $125,380 | 820 | 2.06 |
| 18 | Idaho Falls, ID | $101,790 | $84,620 to $142,670 | 70 | 3.07 |
| 19 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $101,750 | $85,510 to $126,470 | 520 | 1.16 |
| 20 | Knoxville, TN | $101,430 | $63,780 to $102,430 | 100 | 0.79 |
| 21 | Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | $100,650 | $83,220 to $108,570 | 130 | 3.64 |
| 22 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $99,910 | $80,600 to $127,520 | 2,370 | 2.58 |
| 23 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $98,800 | $80,590 to $126,710 | 70 | 0.71 |
| 24 | Worcester, MA | $98,020 | $83,520 to $121,240 | 100 | 0.94 |
| 25 | Lexington Park, MD | $97,810 | $77,000 to $110,750 | 80 | 3.79 |
| 26 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $97,360 | $72,810 to $124,800 | 60 | 1.01 |
| 27 | Huntsville, AL | $96,470 | $78,140 to $106,290 | 340 | 4.41 |
| 28 | Colorado Springs, CO | $96,100 | $82,300 to $116,040 | 210 | 2.26 |
| 29 | Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | $95,690 | $74,360 to $95,690 | 90 | 2.44 |
| 30 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $94,750 | $82,760 to $102,860 | 70 | 0.73 |
| 31 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $94,520 | $73,000 to $124,090 | 390 | 3.9 |
| 32 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $94,400 | $84,400 to $116,060 | 190 | 0.6 |
| 33 | Wilmington, NC | $93,750 | $83,470 to $119,410 | 70 | 1.22 |
| 34 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $93,700 | $76,880 to $112,600 | 60 | 1.12 |
| 35 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $93,580 | $77,730 to $122,840 | 630 | 2.89 |
| 36 | Charlottesville, VA | $93,530 | $79,350 to $122,930 | 40 | 1.09 |
| 37 | Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $92,880 | $71,480 to $107,760 | 50 | 1.13 |
| 38 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $92,390 | $69,370 to $110,780 | 560 | 1.01 |
| 39 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $92,330 | $70,410 to $114,180 | 710 | 0.84 |
| 40 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $92,240 | $77,590 to $105,990 | 180 | 0.86 |
| 41 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $90,710 | $67,130 to $107,660 | 80 | 0.45 |
| 42 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $90,500 | $63,940 to $107,100 | 80 | 0.64 |
| 43 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $90,230 | $67,110 to $106,190 | 60 | 0.55 |
| 44 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $89,960 | $73,150 to $108,890 | 790 | 0.6 |
| 45 | Ann Arbor, MI | $89,840 | $66,520 to $120,420 | 60 | 0.86 |
| 46 | Jacksonville, FL | $89,440 | $77,990 to $103,120 | 200 | 0.91 |
| 47 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $89,260 | $60,910 to $99,240 | Not published by BLS | Not published by BLS |
| 48 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $89,210 | $76,450 to $101,250 | 400 | 0.96 |
| 49 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $89,140 | $71,440 to $97,750 | 50 | 1.33 |
| 50 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $88,840 | $65,950 to $101,800 | 130 | 1.22 |
| 51 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $88,610 | $76,400 to $106,680 | 150 | 1.3 |
| 52 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $88,360 | $65,930 to $111,080 | 650 | 1.72 |
| 53 | Winston-Salem, NC | $87,940 | $74,830 to $100,920 | 60 | 0.74 |
| 54 | Warner Robins, GA | $87,810 | $74,410 to $100,080 | 40 | 1.82 |
| 55 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $87,360 | $69,590 to $107,230 | 660 | 0.69 |
| 56 | Montgomery, AL | $87,270 | $74,210 to $103,490 | Not published by BLS | Not published by BLS |
| 57 | Peoria, IL | $87,090 | $80,370 to $95,940 | 40 | 0.75 |
| 58 | Albuquerque, NM | $86,790 | $62,870 to $106,360 | 190 | 1.58 |
| 59 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $86,600 | $75,520 to $109,380 | 470 | 1.14 |
| 60 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $86,520 | $64,990 to $105,600 | 1,030 | 0.87 |
| 61 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $86,340 | $71,400 to $105,400 | 670 | 1.17 |
| 62 | Madison, WI | $86,180 | $69,430 to $102,000 | 180 | 1.49 |
| 63 | Ogden, UT | $85,780 | $73,610 to $109,600 | 80 | 1.02 |
| 64 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $85,500 | $63,330 to $113,650 | 140 | 0.27 |
| 65 | Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $85,050 | $70,160 to $110,560 | 50 | 1.28 |
| 66 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $84,750 | $75,940 to $108,370 | 560 | 0.68 |
| 67 | Syracuse, NY | $84,520 | $64,290 to $106,500 | 80 | 0.94 |
| 68 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $84,300 | $65,660 to $103,570 | 70 | 0.91 |
| 69 | Salem, OR | $84,000 | $70,880 to $94,590 | 50 | 0.85 |
| 70 | Reno, NV | $83,920 | $72,650 to $100,770 | Not published by BLS | Not published by BLS |
| 71 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $83,480 | $69,110 to $106,480 | 490 | 0.71 |
| 72 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $82,970 | $73,110 to $101,370 | 240 | 0.75 |
| 73 | Birmingham, AL | $82,870 | $63,770 to $99,390 | 60 | 0.4 |
| 74 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $82,860 | $68,330 to $104,260 | 160 | 0.47 |
| 75 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $82,670 | $64,660 to $96,560 | 30 | 0.54 |
| 76 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $82,610 | $70,390 to $101,220 | 560 | 1.42 |
| 77 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $82,520 | $63,720 to $108,220 | 250 | 0.75 |
| 78 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $82,370 | $69,280 to $100,850 | 320 | 1.34 |
| 79 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $82,050 | $67,900 to $108,620 | 290 | 1.19 |
| 80 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $81,540 | $70,640 to $119,930 | 460 | 1.31 |
| 81 | Anchorage, AK | $81,110 | $61,020 to $95,140 | 60 | 1.06 |
| 82 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $80,840 | $63,510 to $101,170 | 200 | 0.51 |
| 83 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $80,640 | $63,780 to $102,410 | 190 | 2.7 |
| 84 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $80,610 | $65,040 to $108,490 | 40 | 0.44 |
| 85 | Mobile, AL | $79,980 | $73,920 to $101,760 | 30 | 0.65 |
| 86 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $79,550 | $68,550 to $97,080 | 170 | 0.53 |
| 87 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $79,340 | $62,120 to $97,250 | 350 | 1.59 |
| 88 | Richmond, VA | $79,200 | $63,720 to $101,820 | 180 | 0.91 |
| 89 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $79,140 | $64,350 to $99,300 | 370 | 1.14 |
| 90 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $79,080 | $63,060 to $104,620 | 100 | 0.58 |
| 91 | Columbus, OH | $78,870 | $65,990 to $103,960 | 240 | 0.73 |
| 92 | Rochester, NY | $78,370 | $60,520 to $90,460 | 70 | 0.46 |
| 93 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $78,310 | $62,950 to $98,100 | 40 | 0.65 |
| 94 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $78,300 | $65,840 to $100,080 | 80 | 0.52 |
| 95 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $78,160 | $72,370 to $99,460 | 60 | 0.7 |
| 96 | Columbia, SC | $77,640 | $61,910 to $88,100 | 90 | 0.74 |
| 97 | Eugene-Springfield, OR | $77,210 | $70,180 to $113,930 | 30 | 0.65 |
| 98 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $77,170 | $57,660 to $89,630 | 60 | 1.14 |
| 99 | Wichita, KS | $76,820 | $59,930 to $99,920 | 90 | 0.99 |
| 100 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $76,590 | $68,550 to $96,830 | 350 | 1.1 |
| 101 | Logan, UT-ID | $76,540 | $54,610 to $80,860 | 50 | 2.44 |
| 102 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $76,170 | $71,340 to $101,170 | 40 | 0.45 |
| 103 | Fresno, CA | $76,030 | $61,400 to $102,490 | 60 | 0.46 |
| 104 | Tallahassee, FL | $75,990 | $58,530 to $95,570 | 40 | 0.64 |
| 105 | Cleveland, OH | $75,810 | $62,860 to $96,030 | 200 | 0.67 |
| 106 | Billings, MT | $75,330 | $75,330 to $75,330 | 60 | 2.26 |
| 107 | Baton Rouge, LA | $75,310 | $61,870 to $77,930 | 100 | 0.79 |
| 108 | Boise City, ID | $75,210 | $59,820 to $83,850 | 120 | 1.04 |
| 109 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $75,140 | $60,020 to $97,560 | 890 | 1.05 |
| 110 | Tucson, AZ | $75,070 | $61,180 to $90,270 | 140 | 1.25 |
| 111 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $74,890 | $53,660 to $97,340 | 130 | 1.45 |
| 112 | Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | $74,360 | $58,730 to $84,630 | 30 | 1.25 |
| 113 | Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $73,720 | $63,970 to $78,840 | 30 | 0.68 |
| 114 | Fargo, ND-MN | $72,990 | $58,030 to $110,090 | 50 | 1.14 |
| 115 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $71,580 | $49,330 to $105,060 | 30 | 0.41 |
| 116 | Oklahoma City, OK | $71,210 | $57,200 to $85,630 | 270 | 1.37 |
| 117 | Tulsa, OK | $70,910 | $61,200 to $90,740 | 180 | 1.36 |
| 118 | Akron, OH | $70,790 | $55,860 to $90,730 | 60 | 0.68 |
| 119 | Lafayette, LA | $70,140 | $56,880 to $74,810 | 30 | 0.63 |
| 120 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $69,450 | $63,060 to $83,760 | 200 | 1.73 |
| 121 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $69,410 | $58,140 to $89,060 | 80 | 2.06 |
| 122 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $68,900 | $58,970 to $99,030 | 50 | 0.55 |
| 123 | Asheville, NC | $68,180 | $68,180 to $76,310 | 60 | 1.21 |
| 124 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $67,910 | $57,360 to $89,440 | 180 | 1.4 |
| 125 | Lincoln, NE | $66,610 | $52,010 to $80,010 | 50 | 0.96 |
| 126 | Toledo, OH | $65,310 | $61,350 to $102,430 | 40 | 0.43 |
| 127 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $64,380 | $52,070 to $93,240 | 190 | 1.74 |
| 128 | Gainesville, FL | $63,730 | $54,910 to $85,890 | 30 | 0.78 |
| 129 | Elkhart-Goshen, IN | $63,570 | $63,570 to $72,390 | 40 | 1.11 |
| 130 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $62,990 | $59,470 to $76,680 | 100 | 0.77 |
| 131 | El Paso, TX | $62,830 | $45,500 to $81,390 | Not published by BLS | Not published by BLS |
| 132 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $61,860 | $51,940 to $74,590 | 80 | 0.72 |
| 133 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $61,180 | $59,670 to $61,180 | Not published by BLS | Not published by BLS |
| 134 | Fort Wayne, IN | $60,480 | $58,130 to $78,700 | 40 | 0.56 |
| 135 | Dubuque, IA | $57,400 | $52,750 to $83,590 | 70 | 4.11 |
| 136 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $46,950 | $32,200 to $65,970 | 50 | 0.26 |
Ranked by median in the unit BLS published. Annual and hourly figures are never converted for ranking: occupations BLS released hourly only are ranked in a separate hourly table. "Or more" medians rank at the top-code threshold. Entries without a published median are not listed.
Pay relative to local wages
Each metro's API / Developer Documentation Writer annual median divided by that metro's all-occupations annual median. A larger ratio means the occupation's published median is higher relative to the local median for all jobs. Location quotient is shown separately as employment concentration and is never used to adjust pay.
| # | Metro area | Ratio | Role median | All-occupation median | LQ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | 2.28x | $129,590 | $56,850 | 0.72 |
| 2 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | 2.26x | $103,730 | $45,990 | 2.4 |
| 3 | Savannah, GA | 2.18x | $103,000 | $47,240 | 1.99 |
| 4 | Idaho Falls, ID | 2.17x | $101,790 | $46,800 | 3.07 |
| 5 | Knoxville, TN | 2.15x | $101,430 | $47,080 | 0.79 |
| 6 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | 2.08x | $119,160 | $57,290 | 2.07 |
| 7 | Wilmington, NC | 2.05x | $93,750 | $45,800 | 1.22 |
| 8 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | 2.02x | $104,450 | $51,690 | 1.01 |
| 9 | Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | 2.01x | $95,690 | $47,510 | 2.44 |
| 10 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | 2.00x | $94,750 | $47,440 | 0.73 |
| 11 | Montgomery, AL | 1.94x | $87,270 | $44,950 | Not published by BLS |
| 12 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | 1.93x | $90,710 | $46,890 | 0.45 |
| 13 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | 1.91x | $88,840 | $46,570 | 1.22 |
| 14 | Winston-Salem, NC | 1.90x | $87,940 | $46,380 | 0.74 |
| 15 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | 1.88x | $98,800 | $52,510 | 0.71 |
| 16 | Huntsville, AL | 1.86x | $96,470 | $51,740 | 4.41 |
| 17 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 1.86x | $104,000 | $55,850 | 0.8 |
| 18 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | 1.86x | $86,600 | $46,630 | 1.14 |
| 19 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | 1.85x | $89,260 | $48,370 | Not published by BLS |
| 20 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | 1.84x | $117,130 | $63,490 | 1.38 |
| 21 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | 1.84x | $90,230 | $48,990 | 0.55 |
| 22 | Jacksonville, FL | 1.83x | $89,440 | $48,830 | 0.91 |
| 23 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 1.82x | $135,470 | $74,260 | 1.46 |
| 24 | Colorado Springs, CO | 1.82x | $96,100 | $52,710 | 2.26 |
| 25 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 1.82x | $89,210 | $48,940 | 0.96 |
| 26 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 1.81x | $111,050 | $61,430 | 0.78 |
| 27 | Warner Robins, GA | 1.81x | $87,810 | $48,600 | 1.82 |
| 28 | Albuquerque, NM | 1.81x | $86,790 | $48,060 | 1.58 |
| 29 | Waterbury-Shelton, CT | 1.81x | $92,880 | $51,440 | 1.13 |
| 30 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | 1.80x | $88,610 | $49,150 | 1.3 |
| 31 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | 1.80x | $93,580 | $51,990 | 2.89 |
| 32 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | 1.78x | $82,860 | $46,670 | 0.47 |
| 33 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 1.77x | $92,390 | $52,080 | 1.01 |
| 34 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 1.77x | $87,360 | $49,410 | 0.69 |
| 35 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 1.77x | $85,500 | $48,400 | 0.27 |
| 36 | Peoria, IL | 1.76x | $87,090 | $49,590 | 0.75 |
| 37 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | 1.76x | $82,520 | $47,010 | 0.75 |
| 38 | Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | 1.75x | $100,650 | $57,370 | 3.64 |
| 39 | Ogden, UT | 1.75x | $85,780 | $48,900 | 1.02 |
| 40 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | 1.74x | $78,310 | $44,940 | 0.65 |
| 41 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 1.74x | $84,750 | $48,640 | 0.68 |
| 42 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | 1.74x | $106,900 | $61,470 | 1.36 |
| 43 | Birmingham, AL | 1.73x | $82,870 | $47,770 | 0.4 |
| 44 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 1.73x | $101,750 | $58,690 | 1.16 |
| 45 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 1.73x | $102,140 | $59,070 | 2.06 |
| 46 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | 1.72x | $97,360 | $56,530 | 1.01 |
| 47 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | 1.72x | $92,240 | $53,680 | 0.86 |
| 48 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | 1.71x | $102,470 | $59,940 | 1.4 |
| 49 | Mobile, AL | 1.70x | $79,980 | $47,000 | 0.65 |
| 50 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 1.70x | $92,330 | $54,310 | 0.84 |
| 51 | Charlottesville, VA | 1.69x | $93,530 | $55,180 | 1.09 |
| 52 | Worcester, MA | 1.69x | $98,020 | $57,830 | 0.94 |
| 53 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | 1.69x | $93,700 | $55,310 | 1.12 |
| 54 | Reno, NV | 1.69x | $83,920 | $49,660 | Not published by BLS |
| 55 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 1.68x | $86,520 | $51,440 | 0.87 |
| 56 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | 1.68x | $82,970 | $49,340 | 0.75 |
| 57 | Lafayette, LA | 1.68x | $70,140 | $41,780 | 0.63 |
| 58 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 1.68x | $111,750 | $66,620 | 2.01 |
| 59 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 1.67x | $140,700 | $84,050 | 2.78 |
| 60 | Columbia, SC | 1.67x | $77,640 | $46,430 | 0.74 |
| 61 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | 1.66x | $79,080 | $47,570 | 0.58 |
| 62 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 1.66x | $103,360 | $62,320 | 1.7 |
| 63 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 1.65x | $82,610 | $49,990 | 1.42 |
| 64 | Logan, UT-ID | 1.65x | $76,540 | $46,360 | 2.44 |
| 65 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | 1.64x | $80,640 | $49,030 | 2.7 |
| 66 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 1.64x | $89,960 | $54,720 | 0.6 |
| 67 | Tallahassee, FL | 1.63x | $75,990 | $46,520 | 0.64 |
| 68 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | 1.62x | $80,610 | $49,610 | 0.44 |
| 69 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 1.62x | $83,480 | $51,380 | 0.71 |
| 70 | Ann Arbor, MI | 1.62x | $89,840 | $55,380 | 0.86 |
| 71 | Fresno, CA | 1.62x | $76,030 | $46,910 | 0.46 |
| 72 | St. Louis, MO-IL | 1.62x | $80,840 | $49,990 | 0.51 |
| 73 | Wichita, KS | 1.61x | $76,820 | $47,630 | 0.99 |
| 74 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | 1.61x | $82,370 | $51,160 | 1.34 |
| 75 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | 1.61x | $79,340 | $49,430 | 1.59 |
| 76 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | 1.60x | $76,170 | $47,470 | 0.45 |
| 77 | Syracuse, NY | 1.60x | $84,520 | $52,990 | 0.94 |
| 78 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | 1.59x | $46,950 | $29,440 | 0.26 |
| 79 | El Paso, TX | 1.59x | $62,830 | $39,510 | Not published by BLS |
| 80 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | 1.59x | $77,170 | $48,550 | 1.14 |
| 81 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 1.58x | $94,400 | $59,750 | 0.6 |
| 82 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | 1.58x | $79,550 | $50,390 | 0.53 |
| 83 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 1.58x | $79,140 | $50,170 | 1.14 |
| 84 | Tucson, AZ | 1.57x | $75,070 | $47,760 | 1.25 |
| 85 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | 1.57x | $82,670 | $52,800 | 0.54 |
| 86 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | 1.56x | $74,890 | $48,010 | 1.45 |
| 87 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | 1.56x | $94,520 | $60,720 | 3.9 |
| 88 | Eugene-Springfield, OR | 1.55x | $77,210 | $49,680 | 0.65 |
| 89 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | 1.55x | $88,360 | $56,950 | 1.72 |
| 90 | Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | 1.55x | $73,720 | $47,520 | 0.68 |
| 91 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | 1.55x | $90,500 | $58,460 | 0.64 |
| 92 | Baton Rouge, LA | 1.55x | $75,310 | $48,710 | 0.79 |
| 93 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | 1.55x | $71,580 | $46,330 | 0.41 |
| 94 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | 1.54x | $84,300 | $54,660 | 0.91 |
| 95 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | 1.54x | $78,300 | $50,790 | 0.52 |
| 96 | Richmond, VA | 1.54x | $79,200 | $51,460 | 0.91 |
| 97 | Columbus, OH | 1.54x | $78,870 | $51,340 | 0.73 |
| 98 | Billings, MT | 1.54x | $75,330 | $49,060 | 2.26 |
| 99 | Boise City, ID | 1.53x | $75,210 | $49,100 | 1.04 |
| 100 | Rochester, NY | 1.53x | $78,370 | $51,210 | 0.46 |
| 101 | Lexington Park, MD | 1.53x | $97,810 | $63,990 | 3.79 |
| 102 | Boulder, CO | 1.52x | $105,840 | $69,580 | 2.52 |
| 103 | Tulsa, OK | 1.52x | $70,910 | $46,670 | 1.36 |
| 104 | Salem, OR | 1.52x | $84,000 | $55,310 | 0.85 |
| 105 | Cleveland, OH | 1.51x | $75,810 | $50,140 | 0.67 |
| 106 | Oklahoma City, OK | 1.51x | $71,210 | $47,230 | 1.37 |
| 107 | Kansas City, MO-KS | 1.51x | $76,590 | $50,820 | 1.1 |
| 108 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | 1.49x | $82,050 | $55,240 | 1.19 |
| 109 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT | 1.49x | $89,140 | $60,020 | 1.33 |
| 110 | Madison, WI | 1.48x | $86,180 | $58,080 | 1.49 |
| 111 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 1.48x | $107,580 | $72,610 | 2 |
| 112 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 1.47x | $75,140 | $51,170 | 1.05 |
| 113 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | 1.46x | $67,910 | $46,580 | 1.4 |
| 114 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 1.46x | $86,340 | $59,320 | 1.17 |
| 115 | Asheville, NC | 1.45x | $68,180 | $46,870 | 1.21 |
| 116 | Akron, OH | 1.45x | $70,790 | $48,840 | 0.68 |
| 117 | Fargo, ND-MN | 1.43x | $72,990 | $51,050 | 1.14 |
| 118 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | 1.42x | $68,900 | $48,620 | 0.55 |
| 119 | Cedar Rapids, IA | 1.41x | $69,410 | $49,360 | 2.06 |
| 120 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 1.41x | $99,910 | $71,060 | 2.58 |
| 121 | Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | 1.38x | $74,360 | $54,060 | 1.25 |
| 122 | Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | 1.37x | $85,050 | $61,960 | 1.28 |
| 123 | Portland-South Portland, ME | 1.37x | $78,160 | $56,960 | 0.7 |
| 124 | Gainesville, FL | 1.36x | $63,730 | $47,020 | 0.78 |
| 125 | Toledo, OH | 1.35x | $65,310 | $48,220 | 0.43 |
| 126 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | 1.35x | $61,860 | $45,790 | 0.72 |
| 127 | Anchorage, AK | 1.35x | $81,110 | $60,200 | 1.06 |
| 128 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 1.34x | $81,540 | $60,690 | 1.31 |
| 129 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | 1.34x | $69,450 | $51,820 | 1.73 |
| 130 | Lincoln, NE | 1.34x | $66,610 | $49,800 | 0.96 |
| 131 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | 1.33x | $62,990 | $47,290 | 0.77 |
| 132 | Elkhart-Goshen, IN | 1.32x | $63,570 | $48,070 | 1.11 |
| 133 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | 1.31x | $61,180 | $46,610 | Not published by BLS |
| 134 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | 1.29x | $64,380 | $49,980 | 1.74 |
| 135 | Fort Wayne, IN | 1.27x | $60,480 | $47,700 | 0.56 |
| 136 | Dubuque, IA | 1.18x | $57,400 | $48,750 | 4.11 |
Only metros where both medians are published annual numbers are listed. Top-coded medians are excluded from ratios.
National pay by industry
BLS four-digit industry rows for private establishments only, using industry titles exactly as published. These do not include government establishments. Totals and broader sector groupings are left out so no row double counts another.
| # | Industry (BLS NAICS_TITLE) | Median | P25 to P75 | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4242 and 4246 only) | $137,650 | $105,000 to $170,130 | 170 |
| 2 | Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | $124,880 | $108,590 to $131,000 | 230 |
| 3 | Remediation and Other Waste Management Services | $117,050 | $82,230 to $130,450 | Not published by BLS |
| 4 | Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers | $114,400 | $79,560 to $143,520 | Not published by BLS |
| 5 | Scientific Research and Development Services | $111,010 | $85,030 to $146,380 | 2,860 |
| 6 | Other Support Services | $110,420 | $66,810 to $110,420 | 120 |
| 7 | Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers | $104,000 | $103,300 to $104,000 | 510 |
| 8 | Employment Services | $103,780 | $78,930 to $132,680 | 3,070 |
| 9 | Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers | $103,460 | $54,410 to $116,640 | 170 |
| 10 | Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing | $102,200 | $85,090 to $129,260 | 130 |
| 11 | Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers | $100,810 | $83,210 to $123,760 | 570 |
| 12 | Office Administrative Services | $99,670 | $79,730 to $122,970 | 290 |
| 13 | Software Publishers | $98,560 | $76,310 to $136,230 | 2,630 |
| 14 | Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing | $98,470 | $79,470 to $123,160 | 40 |
| 15 | Computer Systems Design and Related Services | $97,120 | $78,060 to $125,440 | 7,260 |
| 16 | Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing | $96,890 | $78,000 to $125,040 | 350 |
| 17 | Other Miscellaneous Retailers | $95,390 | $80,040 to $99,780 | 30 |
| 18 | Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | $94,790 | $76,480 to $110,750 | 670 |
| 19 | Management of Companies and Enterprises | $93,600 | $75,310 to $110,430 | 1,560 |
| 20 | Motor Vehicle Manufacturing | $92,720 | $81,600 to $105,560 | 70 |
| 21 | Offices of Physicians | $92,670 | $65,840 to $97,490 | 50 |
| 22 | Grantmaking and Giving Services | $92,650 | $75,640 to $101,760 | 220 |
| 23 | Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services | $91,330 | $78,270 to $123,060 | 280 |
| 24 | Nondepository Credit Intermediation | $91,140 | $69,940 to $120,020 | 150 |
| 25 | Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | $90,940 | $70,390 to $108,610 | 4,160 |
| 26 | Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing | $89,460 | $74,140 to $112,560 | 1,070 |
| 27 | Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories | $89,180 | $56,840 to $111,390 | 90 |
| 28 | Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing | $89,020 | $64,270 to $108,990 | 430 |
| 29 | Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing | $88,490 | $69,730 to $102,780 | 610 |
| 30 | Facilities Support Services | $87,510 | $70,930 to $101,840 | 110 |
| 31 | Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $87,350 | $72,060 to $99,240 | 630 |
| 32 | Machinery, Equipment, and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers | $87,180 | $64,510 to $100,610 | 240 |
| 33 | Communications Equipment Manufacturing | $85,800 | $68,550 to $106,050 | 170 |
| 34 | Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities | $84,000 | $72,300 to $115,370 | 490 |
| 35 | Credit Intermediation and Related Activities (5221 and 5223 only) | $83,270 | $67,900 to $102,500 | 490 |
| 36 | Ship and Boat Building | $83,220 | $67,810 to $97,200 | 160 |
| 37 | Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | $83,200 | $70,340 to $104,480 | 2,750 |
| 38 | Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing | $80,830 | $66,550 to $102,690 | 110 |
| 39 | Legal Services | $80,530 | $47,530 to $103,420 | 90 |
| 40 | Insurance Carriers | $80,190 | $67,120 to $101,440 | 460 |
| 41 | Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services | $79,730 | $70,330 to $108,700 | 290 |
| 42 | Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) | $79,390 | $63,440 to $99,050 | 900 |
| 43 | Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations | $79,180 | $56,970 to $93,720 | 130 |
| 44 | Household Appliance Manufacturing | $78,970 | $71,220 to $80,170 | 30 |
| 45 | Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) | $78,920 | $65,310 to $88,910 | 90 |
| 46 | Other Ambulatory Health Care Services | $78,800 | $69,760 to $86,690 | 70 |
| 47 | Outpatient Care Centers | $78,450 | $55,360 to $84,790 | 60 |
| 48 | Motion Picture and Video Industries | $76,740 | $66,290 to $78,010 | 100 |
| 49 | Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods (4232, 4233, 4235, 4236, 4237, and 4239 only) | $76,450 | $63,970 to $95,160 | 340 |
| 50 | Support Activities for Air Transportation | $76,350 | $48,800 to $103,760 | 160 |
| 51 | Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services | $74,730 | $59,760 to $108,970 | 1,470 |
| 52 | Support Activities for Mining | $74,060 | $73,550 to $76,020 | Not published by BLS |
| 53 | Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers | $73,120 | $53,020 to $99,830 | 60 |
| 54 | Warehousing and Storage | $72,080 | $58,290 to $82,320 | 150 |
| 55 | Scheduled Air Transportation | $71,520 | $56,920 to $93,070 | 90 |
| 56 | Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing | $70,910 | $57,620 to $79,550 | 70 |
| 57 | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only) | $69,920 | $58,060 to $83,900 | 180 |
| 58 | Business Support Services | $69,880 | $56,830 to $84,810 | 360 |
| 59 | Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing | $68,550 | $57,790 to $81,340 | 120 |
| 60 | Electrical Equipment Manufacturing | $67,750 | $55,210 to $92,310 | 140 |
| 61 | Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing | $67,160 | $53,020 to $85,550 | 60 |
| 62 | Amusement Parks and Arcades | $67,150 | $57,810 to $102,440 | 30 |
| 63 | Social Advocacy Organizations | $66,840 | $58,940 to $83,600 | 160 |
| 64 | Plastics Product Manufacturing | $66,660 | $51,410 to $71,960 | 80 |
| 65 | Automobile Dealers | $64,990 | $62,640 to $66,360 | Not published by BLS |
| 66 | Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations | $64,900 | $63,330 to $67,390 | 70 |
| 67 | Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services | $64,550 | $57,000 to $72,610 | 90 |
| 68 | Motor Vehicle Body and Trailer Manufacturing | $64,150 | $63,570 to $72,390 | 60 |
| 69 | Religious Organizations | $63,090 | $60,800 to $74,790 | 30 |
| 70 | Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing | $63,060 | $57,600 to $71,980 | 60 |
| 71 | Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers | $61,880 | $54,790 to $78,060 | 860 |
| 72 | Individual and Family Services | $60,190 | $52,280 to $91,990 | 190 |
| 73 | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) | $57,560 | $46,970 to $70,190 | 60 |
| 74 | Civic and Social Organizations | $57,520 | $50,580 to $60,440 | 40 |
| 75 | Building Equipment Contractors | $57,380 | $47,680 to $80,340 | 60 |
| 76 | Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions | $49,250 | $45,220 to $74,460 | 50 |
What these figures leave out for technology hires
BLS OEWS wages are straight-time gross pay. They include base rate, guaranteed pay, incentive pay including commissions and production bonuses, and cost-of-living allowances. They exclude overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, severance and employer-paid benefits.
Our interpretation, not a BLS statement: the BLS definition does not name stock or equity grants, so we treat them as outside these figures and add nothing for them. If a technology offer leans on discretionary bonus or equity, we read the published figure as describing only the cash pay inside the BLS definition.
BLS definition: Wages for the OEWS survey are straight-time, gross pay, exclusive of premium pay. Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
May 2024 and May 2025 medians
| Period | Median |
|---|---|
| May 2024 | $91,670 |
| May 2025 | $90,390 |
The median moved down $1,280 (-1.4%), from $91,670 in May 2024 to $90,390 in May 2025. Survey estimates carry sampling error, so small moves may not be meaningful.
Only a cell carrying the source's # marker is displayed as "or more." The May 2025 release notes define that marker as $239,200 a year or $115.00 an hour or greater. This is a lower bound for marked cells, not a universal wage ceiling. Published numeric values, including values above those amounts, are retained unchanged. Suppressed or unavailable cells are not assigned a wage.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 27-3042 Technical Writers, the United States. Released 2026-05-15. The source index links to the release workbooks; it is not a link to an individual wage row. Methodology and mapping notes.
These are published government statistical wage estimates, not observed individual offers or a separate technology-title survey. A broader occupation or proxy is not separate pay data for your job title.