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The differences between assignment editors and copy editors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an assignment editor and a copy editor. Additionally, a copy editor has an average salary of $62,599, which is higher than the $48,582 average annual salary of an assignment editor.
The top three skills for an assignment editor include twitter, assignment desk and phone calls. The most important skills for a copy editor are proofreading, house style, and digital publishing.
| Assignment Editor | Copy Editor | |
| Yearly salary | $48,582 | $62,599 |
| Hourly rate | $23.36 | $30.10 |
| Growth rate | -5% | -5% |
| Number of jobs | 11,919 | 4,866 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 85% | Bachelor's Degree, 83% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
An assignment editor is responsible for handling and delegating tasks to news staff, identifying news sources, and developing accurate and efficient news articles for media and publishing companies. Assignment editors monitor situations for the public's awareness, requiring them to work at the office and conduct field investigations alternately. They also manage the scope and limitation of news coverage, finalizing scripts for television airings, and ensuring that all details are factual-based. An assignment editor should be highly communicative and organizational, as well as attentive, having the ability to finish newsworthy stories within strict deadlines.
The primary job of copy editors is to check for misspellings, incorrect punctuation, and consistency in typography, words, and style. They also act as fact-checkers, proofreaders, and project managers, overseeing the workflow and communicating with other departments. A copy editor's other duties and responsibilities include checking content for readability and compliance with editorial policies, rewriting text to improve readability and clarity, and arranging page layouts of articles, photos, and advertisements. Formal training is not required for this role, but copy editors generally have a firm grasp and love for the English language's proper usage.
Assignment editors and copy editors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Assignment Editor | Copy Editor | |
| Average salary | $48,582 | $62,599 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $74,000 | Between $39,000 And $98,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | New York | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | The Washington Post | PayPal |
| Best paying industry | Media | Finance |
There are a few differences between an assignment editor and a copy editor in terms of educational background:
| Assignment Editor | Copy Editor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 85% | Bachelor's Degree, 83% |
| Most common major | Communication | English |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between assignment editors' and copy editors' demographics:
| Assignment Editor | Copy Editor | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 48.9% Female, 51.1% | Male, 39.2% Female, 60.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.6% Asian, 6.3% White, 76.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 3.6% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 7.3% White, 76.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 12% |