Career Overview
Plan, coordinate, revise, or edit written material. May review proposals and drafts for possible publication.
Also Known As
- Editor
- News Editor
- Newspaper Copy Editor
- Sports Editor
Alternate Job Titles
- Acquisitions Editor
- Acute Editor
- Advertising Editor
- Art Editor
- Assignment Editor
- Book Editor
- Business Editor
- Censor
- Communications Editor
- Content Editor
- Continuity Editor
- Continuity Reader
- Copy Reader
- Development Editor
- Dictionary Editor
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- Read copy or proof to detect and correct errors in spelling, punctuation, and syntax.
- Verify facts, dates, and statistics, using standard reference sources.
- Read, evaluate and edit manuscripts or other materials submitted for publication, and confer with authors regarding changes in content, style or organization, or publication.
- Develop story or content ideas, considering reader or audience appeal.
- Prepare, rewrite and edit copy to improve readability, or supervise others who do this work.
- Oversee publication production, including artwork, layout, computer typesetting, and printing, ensuring adherence to deadlines and budget requirements.
- Write text, such as stories, articles, editorials, or newsletters.
Emerging Responsibilities
As this field evolves, you may also:
- Respond to questions from the public.
- Write text, such as headlines, stories, articles, editorials, or newsletters.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- English Language
- Communications and Media
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Speaking
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Written Comprehension
- Written Expression
- Oral Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Speech Recognition
- Near Vision
- Speech Clarity
- Fluency of Ideas
- Category Flexibility
- Deductive Reasoning
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Attention to Detail
- Dependability
- Leadership Orientation
- Intellectual Curiosity
- Achievement Orientation
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Independence
- Achievement
- Recognition
- Working Conditions
- Relationships
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: Bachelor's Degree
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years
On-the-Job Training: Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year
Education Details: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Experience Required: 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.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Adobe Acrobat
- Adobe After Effects
- Adobe Creative Cloud software
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe InDesign
- Adobe Photoshop
- Apple macOS
- Cascading style sheets CSS
- Extensible markup language XML
Tools & Equipment
- Desktop computers
- Digital still cameras
- Digital video cameras
- Laptop computers
- Multi-line telephone systems
- Personal computers
- Precision rulers
- Teleconferencing equipment
- Universal serial bus USB flash drives
- Video editing equipment
- Videoconferencing equipment
Work Environment
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Time Pressure
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $36,200 |
| Median | $75,260 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $140,840 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 95,480
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Proofreaders and Copy Markers
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $49,210
Film and Video Editors
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $70,980
News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists
Education: Not specified
Median Salary: $60,280
Poets, Lyricists and Creative Writers
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $72,270
Writers and Authors
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $72,270
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.