Writes the clinical study reports, protocols and submission documents drug and device companies send to the FDA and other regulators. 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
Regulatory 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: Regulatory Medical Writer, Clinical Regulatory Writer, Regulatory Writing Manager, Clinical Study Report Writer, Submissions Writer.
Pay
How much do Technical Writers make?
Every regulatory 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 Regulatory 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 a Regulatory Writer
Most regulatory writers hold a degree in life sciences, pharmacy or nursing, and many have a master's degree, PhD or PharmD. A common path is moving from lab research, clinical research or academic science into an entry-level medical writing role at a contract research organization or pharmaceutical company.
The American Medical Writers Association (AMWA) offers training and the Medical Writer Certified (MWC) credential. The Regulatory Affairs Professionals Society (RAPS) offers the Regulatory Affairs Certification (RAC) for people who want deeper regulatory knowledge. Knowing ICH guidelines, the Common Technical Document structure and FDA regulations is expected, and a writing test is a standard part of hiring.
- 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 a Regulatory Writer do?
Regulatory writers produce the documents that get new drugs, biologics and medical devices approved. They write clinical trial protocols, investigator brochures, clinical study reports, and the summary modules of a marketing application in the Common Technical Document format used by the FDA and the European Medicines Agency. Every document has to follow strict structure, such as the ICH E3 guideline for study reports.
The job is part science, part project management. Writers interpret statistical tables, describe safety and efficacy results accurately, and work with biostatisticians, physicians, regulatory affairs and quality teams through several review rounds. They also answer questions from regulators during review, so precision and traceability to source data matter more than style.
Day-to-day tasks
- Write clinical study reports following ICH E3 structure
- Draft clinical trial protocols and investigator brochures
- Write summary modules for Common Technical Document submissions
- Interpret statistical tables and describe safety and efficacy results
- Manage review cycles with clinical, statistics and regulatory teams
- Check documents for accuracy against source data
- Draft responses to questions from the FDA and other regulators
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Regulatory writers work for pharmaceutical and biotech companies, medical device makers and contract research organizations, and many are fully remote or freelance. The work is desk-based and detailed. Submission deadlines bring intense periods and occasional long hours. Writers spend much of their time in document review meetings with cross-functional teams.
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 a Regulatory Writer?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code ICA) built on O*NET's Technical Writer profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Regulatory Writer |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 3 |
| Investigative | 4 |
| Artistic | 4 |
| Social | 2 |
| Enterprising | 2 |
| Conventional | 5 |
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.
- Conventional5.3
- Artistic4.4
- Investigative4.4
- 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 Regulatory 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
- Regulatory 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 |
| Regulatory 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 Regulatory Writer appears on
Questions
Regulatory 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 a Regulatory 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 Regulatory 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 a Regulatory Writer do?
Regulatory writers produce the documents that get new drugs, biologics and medical devices approved. A typical task: write clinical study reports following ICH E3 structure. 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 a Regulatory 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.