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Proofreader: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 26, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$51,120median pay per year, or $24.58 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $34,510lowest 10% earn less
  2. $41,17025th percentile
  3. $51,120median
  4. $62,39075th percentile
  5. $79,290top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[4]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[2]

Proofreaders and copy markers earned a median of $51,120 a year, a little above the median for all occupations[1][2]. Employment is projected to dip 0.9% from 2025 to 2035[3].

Job growth, 2025–35
-0.9%[3]
Openings per year
1,100[5]
Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree[6]

How much do proofreaders make?

The median wage for proofreaders and copy markers was $51,120 a year, or $24.58 an hour, in May 2025[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less[1]. The average was $54,800 a year, or $26.35 an hour[7].

The range is wide. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $34,510 a year, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $79,290[4]. The middle of the pack runs from $41,170 at the 25th percentile to $62,390 at the 75th[4]. In hourly terms, that is $16.59 at the 10th percentile and $38.12 at the 90th[8]. A percentile is a boundary, and BLS does not publish a starting salary[9].

For comparison, the median for all occupations was $50,980 a year[2]. So proofreader pay sits very close to the national middle.

These figures cover wage and salary workers, part-time and full-time. They leave out the self-employed and do not count bonuses or benefits such as health insurance[10]. About 25.6% of proofreaders and copy markers were self-employed in 2025[11].

Pay by state and city

Among the 25 states and DC with published data, the District of Columbia had the top median at $68,120, followed by New York at $59,740 and California at $57,490[12]. Michigan had the lowest listed median at $35,530[12].

New York also had the most jobs, at 1,030[13]. California and Illinois each had 300, Pennsylvania 230 and Florida 200[13].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim had the highest median at $66,620, then New York-Newark-Jersey City at $59,740 and Boston-Cambridge-Newton at $57,840[14]. The New York metro area had the most jobs at 970, followed by Chicago-Naperville-Elgin at 260[15]. About 4,580 wage and salary jobs existed in the whole country[16].

Show median pay in 25 states and DC
StateMedian per yearJobs
District of Columbia[12]$68,12050
New York$59,7401,030
California$57,490300
Massachusetts$57,160190
New Jersey$56,700160
Ohio$55,560100
Maryland$53,920n/a
Washington$53,89060
Missouri$52,920110
Kansas$51,16090
Illinois$50,060300
Minnesota$49,450n/a
Georgia$49,200n/a
Virginia$48,09090
Pennsylvania$47,510230
Kentucky$46,38070
North Carolina$46,14070
Iowa$44,680110
Wisconsin$43,63060
South Carolina$42,90040
Utah$42,840n/a
Texas$41,990200
Indiana$40,92080
West Virginia$36,73050
Florida$35,610200
Michigan$35,530140

How to become a proofreader

The BLS entry path for this occupation looks like this[6]:

O*NET places the work in Job Zone Four, which means considerable preparation is needed[17]. The facts do not say how long that preparation takes, which degree field to choose or whether a license is needed.

What proofreaders do

Proofreaders read copy or typeset proofs and mark errors for correction[18]. Typical tasks include:

ONET job titles reported by workers include copy editor, proofer, editorial assistant and typesetter[20]. The ONET description leaves out workers whose main duty is editing copy[18].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment of proofreaders and copy markers to decline 0.9% from 2025 to 2035, a change of about 100 jobs[3]. These counts include self-employed workers[3]. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% over the same period[21].

Even so, about 1,100 openings a year are projected[5]. Openings count jobs left by workers who retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs[5]. Each year, 6.9% of workers leave the labor force and 6% move to a different occupation[22].

Two related occupations are also projected to shrink. Editors had a median of $77,920 and projected change of -1.1%, while Writers and Authors had $76,910 and -0.3%[23].

Is it a good fit?

Pay is close to the national median, with a wide spread between the lowest and highest earners[1][2][4]. The listed entry education is a bachelor's degree, with no related experience or on-the-job training listed[6]. Jobs are projected to shrink slightly, though openings continue each year as people leave[3][5]. Someone weighing this work may want to look at pay in their own state first, since medians ranged widely across states[12].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[23].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a proofreader make an hour?
The median was $24.58 an hour in May 2025, and the average was $26.35 an hour[1][7].
What degree do you need to be a proofreader?
BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the typical education for entry, with no related work experience or on-the-job training listed[6].
Is proofreading in demand?
Employment is projected to decline 0.9% from 2025 to 2035, but about 1,100 openings a year are projected[3][5].
What is the highest paying state for proofreaders?
The District of Columbia had the top median at $68,120, then New York at $59,740[12].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Proofreaders and Copy Markers in the US was $51,120 per year and $24.58 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Proofreaders and Copy Markers is projected to decline 0.9% from 2025 to 2035, from about 8,500 to 8,500 jobs (a change of -100). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Proofreaders and Copy Markers: 10th percentile $34,510, 25th percentile $41,170, 75th percentile $62,390, 90th percentile $79,290. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: about 1,100 openings for Proofreaders and Copy Markers 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
  6. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Proofreaders and Copy Markers: education needed for entry: Bachelor's degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Proofreaders and Copy Markers was $54,800 per year and $26.35 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Proofreaders and Copy Markers: 10th percentile $16.59, 25th percentile $19.79, 75th percentile $29.99, 90th percentile $38.12. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. 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
  10. 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
  11. BLS Employment Projections: 25.6% of Proofreaders and Copy Markers were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  12. Median annual wage for Proofreaders and Copy Markers in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Proofreaders and Copy Markers jobs: New York 1,030; California 300; Illinois 300; Pennsylvania 230; Florida 200. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Proofreaders and Copy Markers (areas with at least 100 jobs): Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $66,620; New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $59,740; Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $57,840; Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $55,360; Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $54,900; Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $51,970. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Proofreaders and Copy Markers jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 970 (median $59,740); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 260 (median $51,970); Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH 170 (median $57,840); Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 130 (median $54,900); Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 120 (median $55,360); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 110 (median $66,620). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 4,580 people were employed as Proofreaders and Copy Markers in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  17. O*NET 43-9081.00: Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed. A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified. O*NET OnLine
  18. O*NET description of Proofreaders and Copy Markers. O*NET OnLine
  19. O*NET task list for Proofreaders and Copy Markers. O*NET OnLine
  20. O*NET 43-9081.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Copy Editor, Copyholder, Editorial Assistant, News Copy Editor, Proofer, Proofreader, Typesetter. O*NET OnLine
  21. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  22. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Proofreaders and Copy Markers: 6.9% of workers leave the labor force each year and 6% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  23. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers.

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.