Journal of Technical Writing and Communication Jul 2024

You Accepted What?: The Impact of Location, Education, and Negotiation on Technical Communication Graduates’ Salaries

Leslie Seawright Missouri State University ; Rhonda Stanton Missouri State University

Abstract

In the discipline of technical/professional writing and communication, one of the strongest recruiting tools we use is the potential earning power students will have once they obtain a degree and secure a job in the industry. This article is the result of two professors learning that one of their most advanced and dedicated students accepted, in her first job out of graduate school, a salary we thought was thousands below her earning potential. Our conversations around this student's situation led us to survey other alumni from our programs. What we have learned is that students often do not know what salaries they should expect, nor do they feel comfortable negotiating a salary offer. In addition, graduates’ location (urban vs. rural) and level of education (BA or BS degree vs. MA) impact their earning potential.

Journal
Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
Published
2024-07-01
DOI
10.1177/00472816231188649
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Open Access
Closed
Topics
technical communication professional writing
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