Writes the reference guides, tutorials and code samples that software developers rely on to use an API or developer platform. BLS does not publish separate figures for technical writers; it counts them within technical writer (SOC 27-3042), whose median pay is $90,390 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
- SOC 27-3042
- Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
API Documentation Writer in four numbers
- Median pay
- $90,390a year, or $43.46/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $57KTop 10% $145K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +0.8%Slower than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+0.8%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +0.8% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 3,20046,400 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202546.4K
- Projected 203546.7K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 46.4K Projected 2035 46.7K - Typical education
- Bachelor'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Certificate6.9%
- Some college15.9%
- Associate's35.3%
- Bachelor's33%
- Post-bacc certificate2.5%
- Master's5.5%
Highest education held by technical writers Segment Value Certificate 6.9% Some college 15.9% Associate's 35.3% Bachelor's 33% Post-bacc certificate 2.5% Master's 5.5%
Also advertised as: API Technical Writer, Developer Documentation Writer, Documentation Engineer, Docs Engineer, Developer Content Writer.
Pay
How much do Technical Writers make?
Every api documentation writer in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$90,390
Middle half earn $70,880 to $115,510
- 10th
- $57,440
- 25th
- $70,880
- 75th
- $115,510
- 90th
- $145,270
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $57,440 |
| 25th | $70,880 |
| Median | $90,390 |
| 75th | $115,510 |
| 90th | $145,270 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $90,390
- Median hourly wage
- $43.46/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $96,970
- People employed
- 45,500
Versus all US occupations
At $90,390, Technical Writers earn 77% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $39,410 a year.
Versus arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations
Inside the Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media group, where the middle occupation pays $68,060, this is 33% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $145,270 or more while the bottom 10% earn $57,440, a gap of 2.5×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 67% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
New Jersey pays the most at $122,320, and still leads at $112,421 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Technical Writers the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1New Jersey | $122,320 | $112,421 | 1,550 |
| 2District of Columbia | $117,810 | $107,196 | 440 |
| 3Massachusetts | $109,200 | $103,256 | 1,850 |
| 4Washington | $104,070 | $97,250 | 1,620 |
| 5California | $104,000 | $93,931 | 5,280 |
| 6Rhode Island | $102,360 | $100,078 | 150 |
| 7Connecticut | $101,870 | $98,321 | 770 |
| 8Maryland | $100,990 | $96,219 | 1,780 |
| 9Colorado | $100,610 | $97,630 | 1,320 |
| 10New York | $98,310 | $91,094 | 1,610 |
Job outlook
Is API Documentation Writer a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Slower than average. +0.8% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Technical Writers | +0.8% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Slower than average
BLS projects employment of Technical Writers to change 0.8% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 400 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 3,200 openings are projected each year, 6.9% of the 46,400 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become an API Documentation Writer
API writers come from technical writing, software development, journalism and support engineering. A bachelor's degree in English, communications, computer science or a technical field is typical. Being able to read code in at least one language and make API calls from the command line is expected.
The Write the Docs community publishes guides on documentation practice and hosts conferences and job boards. The OpenAPI Initiative maintains the specification most REST API references are built on. A portfolio of developer documentation, such as contributions to open-source project docs, is the most convincing evidence for a first role.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Bachelor's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
Less than 5 years
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Medium preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as technical writers.
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree35.3%
- Bachelor's Degree33%
- Some College Courses15.9%
- Post-Secondary Certificate6.9%
- Master's Degree5.5%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 35.3% |
| Bachelor's Degree | 33% |
| Some College Courses | 15.9% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 6.9% |
| Master's Degree | 5.5% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does an API Documentation Writer do?
API documentation writers explain software to the people who build with it. When a company offers a payments API, a cloud service or a software development kit, developers need reference pages for every endpoint, quick-start guides, tutorials and working code samples. These writers produce all of it, often generating reference pages from OpenAPI specifications and writing the explanatory guides by hand.
The job is more technical than most writing roles. Writers read code, test every example themselves, and use the same tools as engineers: Git, Markdown, static site generators and review workflows, an approach often called docs as code. They interview engineers about new features, watch support tickets for confusion, and fix the documentation that causes it.
Day-to-day tasks
- Write API reference pages and endpoint descriptions
- Create quick-start guides and tutorials
- Write and test code samples in several languages
- Generate reference docs from OpenAPI specifications
- Manage documentation in Git with code review
- Interview engineers about upcoming features
- Revise docs based on support tickets and feedback
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
API documentation writers work at software companies, cloud providers, financial technology firms and developer tools companies. The job is desk-based and one of the most remote-friendly writing roles. Hours are regular, with deadlines tied to product releases. Writers work closely with engineers, product managers and developer advocates.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayAlmost never works outdoors.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeSeated for more than half the working day.
Standing
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayDealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Writing4.9
- Reading Comprehension4.1
- Active Listening3.8
- Speaking3.8
- Critical Thinking3.6
- Active Learning3.3
- Monitoring3.0
- Learning Strategies2.5
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Writing | 4.9 |
| Reading Comprehension | 4.1 |
| Active Listening | 3.8 |
| Speaking | 3.8 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.6 |
| Active Learning | 3.3 |
| Monitoring | 3.0 |
| Learning Strategies | 2.5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.1
- Time Management3.1
- Coordination3.0
- Persuasion2.9
- Social Perceptiveness2.8
- Complex Problem Solving2.8
- Negotiation2.6
- Instructing2.5
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.1 |
| Time Management | 3.1 |
| Coordination | 3.0 |
| Persuasion | 2.9 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 2.8 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 2.8 |
| Negotiation | 2.6 |
| Instructing | 2.5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Analytical or scientific software · in demand
- Application server software · in demand
- Computer aided design CAD software · in demand
- Content workflow software · in demand
- Data base reporting software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Desktop publishing software · in demand
- Development environment software · in demand
- Document management software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Enterprise application integration software · in demand
- File versioning software · in demand
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits an API Documentation Writer?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code CAI) built on O*NET's Technical Writer profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | API Documentation Writer |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 3 |
| Investigative | 4 |
| Artistic | 5 |
| Social | 2 |
| Enterprising | 2 |
| Conventional | 6 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around organising, following procedures and working precisely with data, combined with creating, designing and working without a fixed set of rules.
- Conventional5.5
- Artistic4.6
- Investigative4.0
- Realistic2.8
- Social2.0
- Enterprising2.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to API Documentation Writer
O*NET related occupations
- Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
- Computer and Mathematical
- Business and Financial Operations
- Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
- Business and Financial Operations
- Office and Administrative Support
More arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media careers
Median annual pay, with technical writers highlighted
- Art Director$114,850
- Technical Writer$90,390
- API Documentation Writer$90,390
- Editor$77,920
- Writer and Author$76,910
- Public Relations Specialist$74,750
- Interior Designer$67,190
- Graphic Designer$62,960
- Photographer$44,660
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Art Director | $114,850 |
| Technical Writer | $90,390 |
| API Documentation Writer | $90,390 |
| Editor | $77,920 |
| Writer and Author | $76,910 |
| Public Relations Specialist | $74,750 |
| Interior Designer | $67,190 |
| Graphic Designer | $62,960 |
| Photographer | $44,660 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists API Documentation Writer appears on
Questions
API Documentation Writer: frequently asked questions
How much do Technical Writers make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for technical writers. It counts them within technical writer, whose median pay is $90,390 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $70,880 and $115,510, and the top 10% earn $145,270 or more.
Do you need a degree to become an API Documentation Writer?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Technical Writers, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as medium preparation. Employers typically expect less than 5 years of related work experience first. BLS also lists short-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 35.3% hold associate's degree or other 2-year degree.
Is API Documentation Writer a growing career?
It is growing, but slowly: 0.8% over 2025–2035 against 3.5% for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 3,200 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does an API Documentation Writer do?
API documentation writers explain software to the people who build with it. A typical task: write API reference pages and endpoint descriptions. Employers most often ask for Analytical or scientific software, Application server software, Computer aided design CAD software.
Which states pay Technical Writers the most?
The highest state medians for Technical Writers are New Jersey ($122,320), District of Columbia ($117,810), Massachusetts ($109,200) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits an API Documentation Writer?
O*NET scores Technical Writers highest on the Conventional, Artistic and Investigative interest areas, so the work mixes organising, following procedures and working precisely with data with creating, designing and working without a fixed set of rules. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with INTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.