The job outlook for a graduate with a technical communication degree is very promising.

What is Technical Communication?
Technical communication, whether written, oral, or visual, enables people to use technology effectively, to understand technology, or to make effective decisions about real-world problems. In this context "technical" refers to technology in the broadest sense-that is, any materials or human-created processes that help people act or think. Thus, instruments and equipment are technologies, but so are methods of farming and systems of information. 

What do Technical Communicators do?
Technical communicators bridge the gap between specialists and non-specialists. They are writers, illustrators, editors, designers, translators, and project managers, who work in both the private and public sectors.

As a technical communicator you might be employed to

• create help systems and tutorials for users of new software
• design multimedia presentations for special interest groups
• write instructions and dialogue boxes for video games
• edit print manuals or online documentation for government agencies
• conduct training seminars and lead project teams in industry

The most common job titles in STC's 2005 United States Salary Survey were documentation manager, information developer, online help developer, teacher of technical communication, technical editor, technical writer, usability specialist, and Web designer. (Source: www.stc.org)

Who hires Technical Communicators?
The following companies, among others, have posted job ads recently in the Job Seeker Section of STC's Web site:

• Starbucks Coffee Company: Senior Technical Writer
• Lockheed Martin: Communications Specialist
• Google: Technical Writer
• Oak Ridge National Laboratory: Science Writer
• Enterprise Rent-A-Car: Training Specialist
• Northwestern Mutual: Senior User Interface Design Consultant
• Dudek: Technical Editor
• Nikon Precision: Senior Manager of Technical Communications
• EDMC Online Higher Education: Instructional Media Developer
• Innovatia: Information Architect
• PointRoll: Product Documentation Specialist
• Confidential: Content Architect
• Resolution Health: Health Writer
• Dynamic Diagrams: Information Design Guru
• Stanford University: Senior Lecturer
• Philips North America: Senior Proposal Manager
• Digitas: Interaction Designer

(Source: www.stc.org)

What can a Technical Communicator expect to earn?
Median salary for all technical writers across all industries in 2008 was $61,620. Persons in the 90th percentile received $97,460, which was a median increase of 2 percent. California still ranks as the state with the highest salaries—median: $75,680, 90th percentile: $109,740; however, Peabody, MA was the Combined Statistical Area (CSA) with the highest average annual wage of $110,900. (Source: www.stc.org)

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