Technical author : Salary and conditions

• Salaries range from £23,000 up to £40,000 a year.
• Senior level/with experience annual salaries are in the region of £40,000+.
• Hourly rates are around £18 - £30.
• See IT Jobs Watch for information on technical author salaries in the IT industry.
• Working hours are usually nine to five, but often include regular extra hours, usually to meet deadlines.
• Work is primarily desk based although visits to clients are often necessary.
• Technical authors may work in teams, but some organisations employ only one technical author.
• Self-employment or freelance work is common after gaining experience, and can pay more. Contracts vary from a few days to several months and writers typically work on several projects at once.
• Part-time work and working from home are both possible, as are career breaks once experience has been gained.
• There tend to be more jobs in England than in Scotland, Northern Ireland or Wales.
• Travel within a working day and overnight absence from home are occasionally required.

Salary figures are intended as a guide only.