Technical Writer Salary in Houston, TX
Technical Writers in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area earn a median $87,360 a year — 3% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $70,288 take-home, or $5,857 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median technical writer salary in Houston, TX. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$10,389
- Social Security (6.2%)$5,416
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,267
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$70,288
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 0.00% state
Technical Writer pay by experience in Houston, TX
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $52,420 | $25.20 | $44,299 | $3,692 |
| 25th percentile | $69,590 | $33.46 | $57,787 | $4,816 |
| Median (50th) | $87,360 | $42.00 | $70,288 | $5,857 |
| 75th percentile | $107,230 | $51.55 | $84,266 | $7,022 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $144,630 | $69.53 | $110,121 | $9,177 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Texas resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $87,360 buys in Houston, TX
Prices in Houston, TX are 1.4% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.05× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median technical writer's $70,288 take-home pay has the buying power of $71,265 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Technical Writer jobs are less concentrated in Houston, TX than nationally (location quotient 0.69), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for technical writers, adjusted for cost of living
Houston, TX ranks #10 of 24 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $140,700 | $96,750 | $87,617 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $135,470 | $93,730 | $81,072 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $107,580 | $84,513 | $76,046 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $111,750 | $82,079 | $75,812 |
| 5 | Denver, CO | $103,360 | $77,704 | $73,457 |
| 6 | Baltimore, MD | $102,140 | $76,197 | $72,925 |
| 7 | Raleigh, NC | $93,580 | $71,438 | $72,780 |
| 8 | Austin, TX | $88,360 | $70,991 | $72,391 |
| 10 | Houston, TX | $87,360 | $70,288 | $71,265 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 24 metros →
Technical Writer salaries elsewhere in Texas
- Austin, TX — $88,360
- Dallas, TX — $86,520
Frequently asked questions
How much does a technical writer make in Houston, TX?
The median technical writer salary in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area is $87,360 a year, or about $42.00 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $69,590 and $107,230.
What is a technical writer’s take-home pay in Houston, TX?
On the median $87,360 salary, a single filer living in Texas takes home about $70,288 a year ($5,857 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare in 2026.
Is Houston, TX a good place to work as a technical writer?
Pay here is 3% below the national median of $90,390. Local prices are 1.4% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $71,265 would in a typical U.S. city. Houston, TX ranks #10 of 24 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a technical writer afford rent in Houston, TX?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Houston, TX is $1,316 a month ($1,558 for two bedrooms) — 22% of a median technical writer’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
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