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Subject:Re: Salary info from Coopers and Lybrand survey From:Donald Ray <dray -at- CELCORE -dot- COM> Date:Fri, 1 Aug 1997 13:58:59 -0500
The rates are low for the Telecommunications industry. In this industry,
a seasoned veteran can easily command a $60,000.00 base salary. And, in
the telecommunications industry, salaried Technical Writers are paid
overtime. In fact, some of my peers in the Washington DC area earn
$80,000.00 annually for a 40 hour week.
Why do we get paid so much? Might be because we are technical types who
happen to be good technical writers. As for myself, I hold three
degrees, ASCS, BA, and MSCS.
>----------
>From: Linda Laurie[SMTP:LinLaurie -at- MSN -dot- COM]
>Sent: Friday, August 01, 1997 6:43 AM
>To: TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
>Subject: Re: Salary info from Coopers and Lybrand survey
>
>This is interesting, but I'm curious about experience levels. No entry level
>tech writer will get to $46,000 out here in Seattle (especially not by me),
>unless they contract. Even so, you need some experience to get that first
>contract. I know some senior writers who can't get to $46,000 with lots of
>experience. This list seems a little skewed.
>
>Lin
>linlaurie -at- msn -dot- com
>www.winpro-press.com
>
>----------
>From: Technical Writers List; for all Technical Communication issues on
>behalf of Richard Danca
>Sent: Friday, August 01, 1997 6:57 PM
>To: TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
>Subject: Salary info from Coopers and Lybrand survey
>
>First: apologies if this is a duplicate posting. I haven't seen my
>first attempted posting appear on TECHWR-L.
>
>I recently got a quick look at the "10th Annual Survey of Compensation
>in the Software Industry" by Coopers and Lybrand.
>
>Here's what the survey says about technical writers' pay in the United
>States.
>
>Average: $42,000
>
>Mid-Atlantic: $44,000
>Midwest: $44,000
>Northeast; $48,000
>Southeast: $38,000
>West Coast: $46,000
>
>The range went from a high of $53,000 (companies in the Northeast with
>revenues above $25 million) to a low of $36,000 (companies in the
>Midwest with revenues from $15 million to $24.9 million).
>
>NOTES:
>
>The survey covered *only* salary plus bonuses (i.e., not benefits, stock
>options, etc.).
>
>Coopers and Lybrand placed the responding companies into about a
>half-dozen revenue ranges. There were pay variations among all of
>those.
>
>In some categories (area and revenue) there were few responses; this
>clearly would skew the results _ already a little squirrely because
>they're self-reported.
>
>Coopers and Lybrand's definition of a tech writer: "Writes, updates
>and revises existing documents and new material based on guidelines.
>Uses writing, production, technical planning and interpersonal skills
>to meet all scheduled deadlines. May report to the Head of Customer
>Service."
>
>I do NOT have access to this book any more. I saw it at a company (not
>mine) that received it as a member of the Massachusetts Software
>Council. Other similar state and regional software organizations also
>paid for the study. It's likely their member companies have copies
>available. I do not know any other way to get the book or its
>information (though a web search might yield some results??).
>
>Hope this is useful....
>
>===============================================================
>Richard A. Danca User Interface Engineering
>richard -dot- danca -at- uie -dot- com 800 Turnpike St., Suite 101
>rdanca -at- ix -dot- netcom -dot- com North Andover, MA 01845
>508-975-4343, 508-975-5353 (fax) USA
>http://www.uie.com
>================================================================
>
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