Editor Salary By State: Highest-Paid Editors by State [2026]
Research Summary. After thorough analysis by the Zippia data science team, we present the most current details on editor salaries by state across the United States:
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New York offers the highest average editor salary at $67,529.
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Mississippi ranks lowest, with an average salary of $30,100.
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The national average salary for editors stands at $52,107.
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Nationally, editors earn an hourly wage of $25.05.
For further insights, please refer to our specific methodology.
Background
Salary remains a top priority for job seekers across demographics, and understanding how much editors earn in your area is crucial. While individual salaries can vary, our extensive data on average salaries for editors by state provides a reliable benchmark, even as remote work becomes increasingly common in the industry.
As of 2026, New York continues to lead in editor salaries, reflecting the state’s strong media presence and demand for skilled professionals.
Here’s a quick overview of the top ten states for editor salaries:
Let’s delve into the complete ranking of all states.
Highest-Paid Editors By State
| Rank | State | Average Editor Salary | 10th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $67,529 | $44,000 | $102,000 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $66,637 | $43,000 | $101,000 |
| 3 | New Hampshire | $64,752 | $43,000 | $96,000 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $64,552 | $42,000 | $98,000 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $62,495 | $41,000 | $93,000 |
| 6 | Virginia | $60,905 | $39,000 | $94,000 |
| 7 | Washington | $60,799 | $38,000 | $96,000 |
| 8 | North Dakota | $57,640 | $38,000 | $86,000 |
| 9 | Vermont | $54,481 | $36,000 | $80,000 |
| 10 | Maine | $53,728 | $36,000 | $78,000 |
| 11 | Maryland | $53,520 | $34,000 | $82,000 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $53,133 | $34,000 | $82,000 |
| 13 | Georgia | $52,117 | $34,000 | $78,000 |
| 14 | California | $52,056 | $32,000 | $82,000 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $51,451 | $34,000 | $77,000 |
| 16 | Delaware | $51,111 | $33,000 | $78,000 |
| 17 | Colorado | $50,222 | $33,000 | $75,000 |
| 18 | Michigan | $50,171 | $32,000 | $77,000 |
| 19 | Pennsylvania | $49,825 | $32,000 | $76,000 |
| 20 | Illinois | $49,167 | $32,000 | $75,000 |
| 21 | Idaho | $49,020 | $31,000 | $76,000 |
| 22 | Kentucky | $48,889 | $32,000 | $74,000 |
| 23 | Minnesota | $48,735 | $32,000 | $73,000 |
| 24 | Oregon | $48,586 | $30,000 | $76,000 |
| 25 | New Mexico | $46,971 | $30,000 | $72,000 |
| 26 | Wyoming | $46,364 | $30,000 | $69,000 |
| 27 | Nevada | $46,183 | $29,000 | $72,000 |
| 28 | North Carolina | $45,494 | $29,000 | $70,000 |
| 29 | Oklahoma | $45,479 | $30,000 | $68,000 |
| 30 | Arizona | $44,585 | $28,000 | $68,000 |
| 31 | Arkansas | $44,343 | $29,000 | $66,000 |
| 32 | Wisconsin | $44,178 | $28,000 | $67,000 |
| 33 | Ohio | $43,597 | $28,000 | $67,000 |
| 34 | South Carolina | $43,479 | $28,000 | $66,000 |
| 35 | Hawaii | $42,754 | $28,000 | $64,000 |
| 36 | Alabama | $42,112 | $27,000 | $63,000 |
| 37 | Tennessee | $41,469 | $27,000 | $62,000 |
| 38 | Texas | $40,119 | $26,000 | $61,000 |
| 39 | Indiana | $39,391 | $25,000 | $60,000 |
| 40 | Alaska | $38,422 | $24,000 | $59,000 |
| 41 | Florida | $38,234 | $24,000 | $59,000 |
| 42 | Montana | $36,740 | $24,000 | $56,000 |
| 43 | South Dakota | $36,729 | $24,000 | $54,000 |
| 44 | Utah | $36,374 | $23,000 | $55,000 |
| 45 | Iowa | $35,569 | $23,000 | $53,000 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $34,804 | $22,000 | $53,000 |
| 47 | Kansas | $34,682 | $23,000 | $51,000 |
| 48 | Missouri | $33,573 | $22,000 | $50,000 |
| 49 | Nebraska | $31,453 | $20,000 | $47,000 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $30,100 | $19,000 | $45,000 |
Methodology: Editor Salary By State
To accurately analyze editor salaries by state, Zippia has compiled data from various reliable sources, including the BLS, FLC, and OPM. We complement this with salary information from job postings. The data science team then calculates a weighted average to derive the average editor pay for each state.
We ranked the states based on the average annual salary data for editors, identifying the state with the highest salary as the leader in editor compensation.
Editor Salary By State FAQs
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What is the highest-paid state for editors?
The highest-paid state for editors is New York, with an average salary of $67,529 per year.
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What city pays editors the most?
Washington, DC, offers the highest pay for editors, averaging $69,031 annually.
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What is the lowest-paying state for editors?
The lowest-paying state for editors is Mississippi, with an average salary of $30,100 per year.
Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
