Technical Writer Salary in India 2025: Average to Highest Pay

Are you a creative person and want a career in the tech industry? Then you should pursue a career in technical writing.

Contrary to popular belief, technical writing is a highly creative field as it requires you to simplify technical and jargon-filled language into an easily understandable one. Technical writers work in multiple industries, and it’s among the best careers for people who love to write. However, if a job doesn’t pay well, it loses all of its lustre. That’s why we’ll discuss the average Technical Writer Salary in India and explore why it’s a fantastic career to pursue.

You’ll also find out what factors affect your Technical Writer Salary in this field and how you can get higher pay. Let’s get started.

What is the Average Technical Writer salary in India?

The average technical writer salary in India ranges from ₹5 lakh to ₹12 lakh per year. This includes shared profits and bonuses, with actual earnings varying based on experience, industry, and skill set.

The demand for technical writers has increased exponentially in the last few years as the number of tech companies and startups has blown up. You can understand how lucrative this field is when The Economic Times included it in their list of the highest paying jobs in 2017.

As the number of tech companies grows, the demand for technical writers will increase accordingly. Also, keep in mind that you can pursue a freelance career in this profession if you don’t want a 9-5 job.

Freelance writer salaries in India vary based on experience, typically ranging from ₹11,000 to ₹35,000 per month. Entry-level writers earn on the lower end, while those with more experience can command higher pay. Since freelance writers do not work in traditional job settings, their income is highly variable and depends on the number of clients and projects they handle.

What Does a Technical Writer Do?

Technical writers are responsible for writing instruction manuals and related documents to give detailed technical information in a simple and non-technical language. They have to gather the required information from the production teams and manufacturers and convey the same to the customers.

Technical writers write guides, instruction manuals, journal articles and other related documents. Usually, they work with companies that organise, produce, or distribute technical products. 

They must have strong research skills as they are responsible for understanding the readers of their written documents. A technical writer must know who their target audience is to convey information clearly and use the correct language. It allows the reader to find, understand, and follow the required guidelines easily. 

Technical writers must analyse the target audience of their project and define their requirements. What the document would sound like and how it will feel depend solely on the target audience, which is why it’s one of the most pivotal duties of a technical writer to find the right audience. 

They conduct audience analysis to determine the document’s design, presentation, and content. 

For example, hardware documents are usually very clear, simple, and concise, so inexperienced users can use them efficiently. 

On the other hand, documentation for advanced machinery and tools uses different technical languages because they assume the reader has considerable knowledge of their field. 

Technical writers work in numerous industries such as medicine, engineering, software, etc. The development life cycle of technical writing is quite similar to the product development lifecycle of an organisation. 

They work in teams with other specialists, editors, graphic designers, and content managers. Thus, it’s essential to have good communication skills. The role might require them to train or coach junior writers as well. 

Factors Affecting Technical Writer Salary in India

The average technical writer salary in India depends on many factors. You should know how these factors affect technical writer salary to determine how much you can expect to earn in this profession. 

When you know what factors contribute to higher pay, you can plan your career accordingly and climb the ranks faster. The most prominent factors that affect the average technical writer salary in India are:

• Experience
• Skills
• Location
• Employer

Let’s discuss each of them in detail to understand how they affect your pay:

Experience

The biggest factor that determines your technical writer salary in India is the amount of experience you have. Beginners and those with less experience earn substantially less than those with more experience. 

Entry-level technical writers earn around 44% less than the industry average. Similarly, early career professionals in this field make 17% less than the median salary. On the other hand, mid-career professionals earn 54% higher than the average, while late-career technical writers earn 179% higher than the average. Indeed, having more experience will help you get a better salary. 

An entry-level Freelance Writer with less than one year of experience can expect to earn an average total compensation of ₹325.00 per hour. Those with 1-4 years of experience earn around ₹425.00 per hour on average.

With more experience, earnings may vary, as a mid-career Freelance Writer with 5-9 years of experience earns an average total compensation of ₹150.00 per hour. Those with 10-19 years of experience in this field earn around ₹300.00 per hour on average.

Since freelance writing income depends on clients and project availability, actual earnings can fluctuate significantly. If you’re considering a full-time role, the salary for technical writer positions in India can range from ₹5 lakh to ₹12 lakh per year, depending on experience, industry, and skill set.

Skills

Your skill-level and expertise in relevant skills affect your technical writer salary heavily. As the industry evolves, the in-demand skills change accordingly. This is why having industry-specific and updated skills helps you in getting a better salary. 

The most popular skills among technical writers in India are:

• Writing Procedures and Documentation
• Microsoft Office
• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Excel

By knowing which skills have the most demand, you can develop the same and stand out from the competition. On the other hand, certain skills tend to increase your salary as well. 

Technical writers with the Confluence skill report to earn 103% higher than the industry average. Similarly, those who know how to use Madcap Flare earn 37% more than the average, whereas those familiar with XML (eXtensible Markup Language) make 20% higher than the average.

Adobe FrameMaker (17% higher than average) and Adobe RoboHelp (11% higher than average) are also skills that can get you better pay. Some additional skills that can help you get better pay as a technical writer are:

• Adobe Acrobat (5% higher than average)
• Adobe Photoshop (4% higher than average)
• Microsoft Visio (3% higher than average)

Clearly, by developing certain skills, you can get a considerably higher salary as a technical writer. Also, keep in mind that you can get promoted to a higher role as you get more experience and develop advanced skills, such as a senior technical writer. The average pay of a senior technical writer in India is ₹9 lakh per annum, and it can go up to ₹18 lakh per annum.

Location

Your location has a significant impact on your pay as a technical writer. Some cities offer above-average salaries, whereas some cities offer lower pay. You should know which cities offer the best pay so you can plan your career accordingly. 

The best city for technical writers in terms of average pay is Bangalore. The average it offers to technical writers is 11.5% higher than the national average. Professionals in this field earn higher salaries in Noida (2.3% higher than average) and Hyderabad (2.4% higher than average). 

Conversely, some cities offer below-average salaries. The city that offers the lowest pay to technical writers in India is Kolkata which offers 32.8 less than the average income. Other cities in this category include Pune (7% less than the average) and Chennai (16% less than the average). 

Employer

Lastly, a prominent factor that determines your salary as a technical writer is your employer. Some companies offer substantially higher salaries while some others offer lower pay. However, you shouldn’t simply choose an employer solely based on their offered income. You should also consider additional benefits (for example, health insurance) and the company culture while choosing your employer company.

How to Earn the Top Technical Writer Salary in India

In the tech sector, recruiters look for qualified candidates with the most in-demand skills in their arsenal. By developing the right skills and having the proper qualification, you can easily bag a lucrative role in established corporations. 

The best way to develop the necessary technical writing skills is by taking a journalism course. A journalism course will equip you with the writing and communication expertise you need to convey highly technical information into a simplified language. 

Completing a journalism course will give you the required qualifications to apply for technical writing roles in multiple companies. Moreover, you can complete a PG course in one of the industries you want to enter to enhance your chances of bagging a high-paying role there.

At upGrad, we offer two courses in journalism and mass communication. Both of them are offered online, so you can upskill from your home without leaving your job:

• Master of Arts – Journalism and Mass Communication (with Chandigarh University)
• Master of Arts in Communication & Journalism (with University of Mumbai) 

On the other hand, you can take an industry-specific course such as data science, artificial intelligence, or software development and pursue a technical writing role in these fields. Check out our homepage to find programs in those domains.

Conclusion

A career in technical writing is an excellent choice for individuals who enjoy writing and have a knack for simplifying complex information. With the increasing demand for technical documentation across industries, technical writer salary trends in India indicate a lucrative and growing profession. Factors such as experience, skills, location, and employer significantly impact earnings, with salaries ranging from ₹5 lakh to ₹12 lakh per annum. Professionals with expertise in tools like Confluence, Madcap Flare, and XML can command even higher pay.

By gaining industry-relevant skills and qualifications, such as a journalism or technical certification, you can improve your job prospects and earn a competitive technical writer salary. If you're passionate about technology and communication, technical writing is a rewarding career worth pursuing.

References:
The Economic Times- https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/work-career/these-will-be-the-highest-paying-jobs-in-india-in-2017/looking-for-role-change/slideshow/56295909.cms
Technical Writer salaries in India - https://www.glassdoor.co.in/Salaries/technical-writer-salary-SRCH_KO0,16.htm
Freelance Writer salaries in India-https://www.glassdoor.co.in/Salaries/freelance-writer-salary-SRCH_KO0,16.htm
Senior Technical Writer: https://www.glassdoor.co.in/Salaries/senior-technical-writer-salary-SRCH_KO0,23.htm