Paycheck Atlas

Technical Writers salary in San Francisco, CA

The median technical writers in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA earns $135,470 a year, 50% above the US median. After tax that is roughly $7,865 a month.

10th percentile
$78,810
25th percentile
$93,920
Median percentile
$135,470
75th percentile
$169,550
90th percentile
$207,360

Based on 1,020 employed. Data period: BLS OEWS May 2025. Percentiles show the spread of pay, not experience; reading the 25th percentile as "entry level" is only an approximation.

What you keep

$94,377 take-home a year
Gross pay$135,470
Federal income tax−$21,247
Social Security + Medicare−$10,363
California income tax (approx.)−$9,483
Monthly take-home$7,865
Every two weeks$3,630

Does it go far here?

$117,175Median pay in San Francisco, CA is worth this at average US prices (local price level 115.6 vs 100).
31%of take-home pay goes to the median rent ($2,474 a month, Census ACS).

Top-paying jobs in San Francisco, CA

JobMedian pay
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers$374,680
Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary$357,220
Family Medicine Physicians$304,560
Physicians, All Other$294,360
Chief Executives$288,690
Computer and Information Systems Managers$232,890
Natural Sciences Managers$225,230
Architectural and Engineering Managers$221,580

All technical writers salaries · Take-home pay in California