Editors
Plan, coordinate, revise, or edit written material. May review proposals and drafts for possible publication.
Also called: Acquisitions Editor, Acute Editor, Advertising Editor, Art Editor, Assignment Editor, Book Editor
Median pay
$77,920
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$41,250 – $153,700
People employed
91,690
Holland code
ACE
Artistic · Conventional · Enterprising
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Do you want a lot of freedom to make your own decisions?
- 2.Do you want a job with little physical risk?
- 3.Do you work well under tight deadlines?
- 4.Are you OK with hours that change?
- 5.Are you comfortable sitting at a desk most of the day?
The hard parts
- Tight deadlines are common
Editors pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (49 states and DC with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
What editors do
- 01Verify facts, dates, and statistics, using standard reference sources.
- 02Write text, such as headlines, stories, articles, editorials, or newsletters.
- 03Read copy or proof to detect and correct errors in spelling, punctuation, and syntax.
- 04Prepare, rewrite and edit copy to improve readability, or supervise others who do this work.
- 05Develop story or content ideas, considering reader or audience appeal.
- 06Allocate print space for story text, photos, and illustrations according to space parameters and copy significance, using knowledge of layout principles.
Skills that matter most
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
Knowledge
- English Language
- Communications and Media
- Customer and Personal Service
- Design
- Administration and Management
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- Intellectual Curiosity
- Achievement Orientation
- Leadership Orientation
Education and first steps
O*NET has no education survey data for this job.
How people get started
- Usually needs a bachelor's degree (O*NET Job Zone 4).
- Related work experience: over 6 months, up to and including 1 year.
- On-the-job training: anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from editors
- Producers and Directors83% · +16%
- Film and Video Editors83% · −3%
- Art Directors82% · +47%
- Media Programming Directors78% · group pay
- Advertising and Promotions Managers75% · +72%
Change into editors
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Film and Video Editors83% · $75,420
- Producers and Directors81% · $90,360
- Proofreaders and Copy Markers81% · $51,120
- Talent Directors74% · $90,360
- Graphic Designers72% · $62,960
Majors that lead here
- Communication, General
- Mass Communication/Media Studies
- Journalism
- Broadcast Journalism
- Technical and Scientific Communication
- Publishing
- Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other
- Writing, General
- Creative Writing
- Professional, Technical, Business, and Scientific Writing
- Rhetoric and Composition
- Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies, Other
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.