Editor Career
Editors serve as mediators between writers and their audience, ensuring content meets the company’s standards for publication. This means checking for grammar, verifying facts, and requesting important revisions in order to maintain the writer’s best possible work.
From the moment a submission is accepted, editors become heavily involved in the development process, working against deadlines until the polished version is ready for an audience. They juggle multiple writing projects, working remotely in many cases, and are usually the ones tasked with convincing publishers of a particular book or article’s marketability.
Editor Career Snapshot
Since editors have been taking on chunks of marketing responsibilities, they have to work tirelessly and often on nights and weekends. And because editors are typically salaried employees, they’ve grown accustomed to working extended hours with no overtime. Freelance editing, on the other hand, offers more flexibility for those who prefer to manage there own work pace and earning potential.
Further details on a career as an editor are listed below (statistics from the May 2015 Bureau of Labor Statistics and Onet Online):
is the average yearly salary for editors.
decrease in employment between 2014 and 2024.
have a Bachelor’s degree while 7% have some college, but no degree.
Editor Education
Journalism, Communications, and English degree programs are generally preferred for entry level positions. Although employees without these degrees have been known to climb their way into editor positions, such cases are rare, especially with the growing number of college graduates. An aspiring editor’s most effective route, upon graduation, is entering an internship or seeking work experience within the editorial system.
Editor Job Duties
The role of an editor can be broad, particularly when dealing with writers who’s work requires extensive revisions. Editors working for magazines and newspapers tend to have narrow windows, sometimes minutes, in which to finalize material, which means they are constantly shifting from one project to the next. The goal is always to refine the authors distinct voice while making and recommending changes that will enhance the reading experience.
Editor Salaries
Assistant editor salaries may start as low as $26,870, but can increase to as much as $52,000 according to the BLS.gov May 2015 reports. For editing directors, the median pay is $56,010, although a small percentage earns more than $100,000 annually. Editors who have graduated from comprehensive degree programs, obtain important certifications, and gain extensive experience tend to see higher pay increases throughout their careers.
Editor Job Outlook
Despite the projected dwindling of editors at traditional publications, overall employment has increased, due to the expansion of digital content. Still, the demand for editors to work for specialized publications, like business and health-related periodicals are more likely to shown steady growth.
Editor Skills & Traits
| Editor Skill Set: | Required Abilities: | Tools Used by Editors: | Typical Work Activities: |
|---|---|---|---|
| • Reading Comprehension • Writing • Active Listening • Critical Thinking • Quality Control Analysis | • Written Comprehension • Written Expression • Near Vision • Oral Comprehension • Oral Expression | • Digital cameras • Flash memory storage card • Laptop computers • Teleconferencing equipment • Videoconferencing equipment | • Getting Information • Working with Computers • Communicating with Others • Creative Thinking • Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships |
Related Careers
For people who like the idea of working with words all day, but aren’t sure about becoming an editor, there are several other related careers to choose from:
Broadcast News Analyst
Bachelor’s Degree
Technical Writers
Associate’s Degree
Writers & Authors
Bachelor’s Degree
What Do Related Careers Pay?
All the careers below pay more than the average national salary. Editors are actually at the low end of earnings compared to the related careers selected in the chart below:
