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The differences between business 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 a business editor and a copy editor. Additionally, a copy editor has an average salary of $62,599, which is higher than the $57,160 average annual salary of a business editor.
The top three skills for a business editor include SEO, editorial content and real estate. The most important skills for a copy editor are proofreading, house style, and digital publishing.
| Business Editor | Copy Editor | |
| Yearly salary | $57,160 | $62,599 |
| Hourly rate | $27.48 | $30.10 |
| Growth rate | -5% | -5% |
| Number of jobs | 48,491 | 4,866 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 80% | Bachelor's Degree, 83% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A business editor oversees the operations of the business news department of publication companies or similar establishments. Although their duties vary upon their place or company of employment, it usually includes taking on a managerial role wherein they must manage a group of business writers, delegate responsibilities, assign business events to reporters, set deadlines, and develop strategies to gain the public's interest. They also participate in writing news materials, proofreading articles, conducting interviews, and establishing guidelines. Moreover, a business editor maintains an open and transparent communication line with fellow editors for an efficient workflow.
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.
Business editors and copy editors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Business Editor | Copy Editor | |
| Average salary | $57,160 | $62,599 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $79,000 | Between $39,000 And $98,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | IBM | PayPal |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Finance |
There are a few differences between a business editor and a copy editor in terms of educational background:
| Business Editor | Copy Editor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 80% | Bachelor's Degree, 83% |
| Most common major | Journalism | English |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between business editors' and copy editors' demographics:
| Business Editor | Copy Editor | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 60.3% Female, 39.7% | Male, 39.2% Female, 60.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.6% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.1% Asian, 7.3% White, 76.2% 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% |