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Editor: pay, job outlook and how to become one
- $41,250lowest 10% earn less
- $57,30025th percentile
- $77,920median
- $106,10075th percentile
- $153,700top 10% earn more
The median editor earned $77,920 a year in May 2025, well above the $50,980 median for all jobs[1][2]. Employment of editors is projected to shrink 1.1% from 2025 to 2035[3].
How much do editors make?
The median wage for editors was $77,920 a year, or $37.46 an hour[1]. That means half of editors earned more and half earned less. The average was higher, at $90,060 a year or $43.30 an hour[7]. For all occupations together, the median was $50,980[2].
Pay varies a lot. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $41,250 a year, and the lowest-paid 25% earned less than $57,300[4]. At the top, the highest-paid 25% earned more than $106,100, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $153,700[4]. In hourly terms, the 10th percentile was $19.83 and the 90th was $73.90[8].
BLS does not publish a starting salary. It publishes percentile wages, which are boundaries in the pay range[9]. The figures cover wage and salary jobs only. They leave out the self-employed, bonuses and the cost of benefits[10]. About 91,690 people held these jobs in May 2025[11].
Pay by state and city
New York had the highest median pay among states, at $101,480 a year, followed by California at $98,030 and Connecticut at $85,950[12]. Texas had the lowest median on the list, at $45,950[12].
New York and California also have the most jobs, with 16,800 and 14,830[13]. Texas, Illinois and Florida come next, with 6,460, 4,560 and 3,790[13].
Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA had the highest median at $117,580[14]. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA came next at $102,940, then New York-Newark-Jersey City at $102,120[14]. The New York metro area had the most jobs, at 16,600, and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim had 8,830[15].
Show median pay in 49 states and DC
| State | Median per year | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| New York[12] | $101,480 | 16,800 |
| California | $98,030 | 14,830 |
| Connecticut | $85,950 | 1,050 |
| District of Columbia | $83,920 | 3,310 |
| Massachusetts | $83,170 | 3,100 |
| New Jersey | $81,680 | 2,120 |
| Virginia | $80,590 | 2,720 |
| Rhode Island | $77,960 | 340 |
| Colorado | $77,870 | 1,830 |
| Washington | $77,850 | 1,860 |
| Georgia | $76,650 | 1,920 |
| Illinois | $76,060 | 4,560 |
| Maryland | $75,550 | 1,850 |
| Delaware | $75,020 | 170 |
| Florida | $73,950 | 3,790 |
| North Carolina | $73,740 | 1,870 |
| Nevada | $72,510 | n/a |
| Ohio | $72,160 | 1,800 |
| Oregon | $71,540 | 1,110 |
| Vermont | $66,860 | 240 |
| New Hampshire | $66,510 | 250 |
| Utah | $65,040 | 590 |
| Wisconsin | $64,270 | 1,510 |
| New Mexico | $64,250 | 230 |
| Alaska | $63,630 | 60 |
| Pennsylvania | $63,460 | 3,240 |
| Alabama | $63,330 | 530 |
| Arizona | $63,090 | 820 |
| Michigan | $63,090 | 1,690 |
| Minnesota | $62,650 | 1,970 |
| South Carolina | $62,000 | 500 |
| Kansas | $61,920 | 500 |
| Montana | $61,750 | 200 |
| Missouri | $61,620 | 880 |
| North Dakota | $60,520 | 200 |
| Tennessee | $59,550 | 1,390 |
| Kentucky | $59,430 | 490 |
| Louisiana | $58,860 | 330 |
| Iowa | $57,200 | 900 |
| South Dakota | $56,730 | 140 |
| West Virginia | $56,630 | 260 |
| Indiana | $56,440 | 830 |
| Hawaii | $55,070 | 100 |
| Mississippi | $54,380 | 290 |
| Oklahoma | $50,780 | 500 |
| Arkansas | $50,180 | 260 |
| Maine | $50,180 | 300 |
| Wyoming | $46,710 | 110 |
| Nebraska | $46,320 | 360 |
| Texas | $45,950 | 6,460 |
How to become an editor
BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the typical education for entry[6]. The handbook names English as the usual field, with communications and journalism as related ones[16].
- First: earn a bachelor's degree. Applicants with other backgrounds can also find jobs if they show strong writing skills[17].
- Next: build writing and proofreading experience[18]. Many editors begin as editorial assistants, writers or reporters[19].
- Then: gain practice through student newspapers, internships and work at magazines, broadcast stations or publishing firms[20].
- Along the way: learn the tools. Editors need to be comfortable with computers, including publishing, graphics, web design and social media software[21].
BLS lists less than 5 years of related work experience and no typical on-the-job training[6]. Editors who cover a specific subject may need experience in that field[17]. The facts here do not give a license or exam for editors.
What editors do
Editors plan, coordinate, revise and edit written material, and they may review proposals and drafts for possible publication[22]. O*NET lists these tasks among the most important[23]:
- Check facts, dates and statistics against reference sources.
- Write headlines, stories, articles or newsletters.
- Read copy and proofs to fix spelling, punctuation and grammar.
- Rewrite and edit copy so it reads more easily, or supervise others who do so.
- Come up with story or content ideas that will appeal to readers.
- Decide how much print space text, photos and illustrations get.
- Oversee production, including layout and printing, within deadlines and budget.
- Assign stories to writers or reporters and supervise their work.
Workers reported job titles such as acquisitions editor, assignment editor, features editor, legal editor and newspaper copy editor[24].
Where editors work
Editors mostly work in offices, either at the employer's site or remotely[25]. Jobs are somewhat concentrated in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and Washington, DC, though better communications are letting editors work from more places[26]. The largest employer group in 2025 was professional, scientific and technical services, at 17% of jobs[27]. About 9% of editors were self-employed[28].
BLS says most editors work full time. Schedules follow production deadlines and the type of editing position[29]. Hours can run long as a deadline approaches, and digital or live broadcast work can add more[29]. Handling several writing projects at once is common and may cause stress or fatigue[30]. Self-employed editors also have to keep finding work[31].
Job outlook
BLS projects that editor employment will fall 1.1% from 2025 to 2035, from about 105,000 to 103,800 jobs[3]. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% over the same years[32]. These counts include self-employed workers[3].
Even with a small decline, jobs open up. BLS projects about 7,900 openings a year on average[5]. Openings include jobs left by people who retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs[5]. Each year, 3% of editors are projected to leave the labor force and 4.6% to move to a different occupation[33].
Some related jobs show different trends. Film and video editors are projected to grow 3.7%, while news analysts, reporters and journalists are projected to fall 5.9%[34].
Is it a good fit?
The pay is above the all-occupations median, and the range is wide, from $41,250 at the 10th percentile to $153,700 at the 90th[4][2]. Entry typically calls for a bachelor's degree and some writing experience[6][18]. Jobs are projected to shrink slightly, though thousands of openings still appear each year[3][5]. The work is deadline driven and can bring stress[30][29]. It may suit people who enjoy detail, judgment and working with writers[35][36][37].
Frequently asked questions
- How much does an editor make an hour?
- The median hourly wage for editors was $37.46 in May 2025[1]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $19.83 and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $73.90[8].
- What degree do you need to be an editor?
- BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the typical education for entry[6]. English or a related field such as communications or journalism is usual[16].
- Is editing in demand?
- Employment is projected to fall 1.1% from 2025 to 2035, while all occupations grow 3.5%[3][32]. About 7,900 openings a year are still projected[5].
- What is the highest paying state for editors?
- New York, at a median of $101,480 a year, followed by California at $98,030[12].
Facts and sources
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Editors in the US was $77,920 per year and $37.46 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: employment of Editors is projected to decline 1.1% from 2025 to 2035, from about 105,000 to 103,800 jobs (a change of -1,100). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Editors: 10th percentile $41,250, 25th percentile $57,300, 75th percentile $106,100, 90th percentile $153,700. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: about 7,900 openings for Editors are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Editors: education needed for entry: Bachelor's degree; work experience in a related occupation: Less than 5 years; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Editors was $90,060 per year and $43.30 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Editors: 10th percentile $19.83, 25th percentile $27.55, 75th percentile $51.01, 90th percentile $73.90. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 91,690 people were employed as Editors in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage for Editors in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Editors jobs: New York 16,800; California 14,830; Texas 6,460; Illinois 4,560; Florida 3,790. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Editors (areas with at least 100 jobs): San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $117,580; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $102,940; New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $102,120; Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $100,050; New Haven, CT $98,550; Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT $88,610; Waterbury-Shelton, CT $87,150; Trenton-Princeton, NJ $86,870. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Editors jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 16,600 (median $102,120); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 8,830 (median $100,050); Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 5,470 (median $84,800); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 2,520 (median $80,380); Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH 2,480 (median $86,410); San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA 2,040 (median $102,940). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Work Experience in a Related Occupation. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Other Experience. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Other Experience. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- O*NET description of Editors. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET task list for Editors. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET 27-3041.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Acquisitions Editor, Assignment Editor, Business Editor, Features Editor, Legal Editor, Newspaper Copy Editor, Opinions Page Editor, Publishing Editor. O*NET OnLine
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of editors in 2025: Professional, scientific, and technical services 17%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- BLS Employment Projections: 9% of Editors were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Editors: 3% of workers leave the labor force each year and 4.6% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
- Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.