TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:Re: Pay rate for contractor with no experience From:Win Day <winday -at- home -dot- com> To:Jo Francis Byrd <jbyrd -at- byrdwrites -dot- com> Date:Tue, 15 Feb 2000 19:46:41 -0500
At 08:30 PM 2/14/00 -0600, Jo Francis Byrd wrote:
>My first contract job back in '93 (and I had NO experience!) was $25/hour. In
>this area, experienced (senior level) tech writers should get at a minimum
>$35/hour, and more likely $40. I'm in help development, and that puts me a
>little higher on the food chain, but I've had no problems getting my
requested
>rate (which is higher than $40/hour, BTW).
>
Here in Canada, I've had almost the same experience, with only slightly
different numbers.
My first contract in 1994 was for $25 CDN/hour. Since then my rates have
increased slowly but steadily. I'm at about the $40/hour mark now,
depending on the contract -- up a little if they want me onsite, down a
little if I'm "just" writing (little or no project management, because I'm
part of a team).
I see ads here in the Toronto area for full-time tech writers with about my
level of experience (intermediate to senior) at $50-65K CDN per year.