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Contract editor education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a contract editor. Contract editors usually study english, communication, or journalism. 69% of contract editors hold a bachelor's degree, and 14% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 720 real contract editor resumes to see exactly what contract editor education sections show.

The most common colleges for contract editors are the University of California - Davis and the University of California - Davis.

There are also many online contract editor courses to help get the education required to be a contract editor.

What education do you need to become a contract editor?

What degree do you need to be a contract editor?

The most common degree for contract editors is bachelor's degree, with 69% of contract editors earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 14% and master's degree degree at 9%.
  • Bachelor's, 69%
  • Master's, 14%
  • Associate, 9%
  • Doctorate, 6%
  • Other Degrees, 2%

What should I major in to become a contract editor?

You should major in english to become a contract editor. 22% of contract editors major in english. Other common majors for a contract editor include communication and journalism.

Most common colleges for contract editors

Contract editors often get their degrees at University of California - Davis, San Francisco State University, and Northwestern University. Here are the most common colleges for contract editors in the US based on their resumes.
Contract editor common collegePercentages
University of California - Davis7.14%
San Francisco State University6.12%
Northwestern University6.12%
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill6.12%
Northern Arizona University5.10%

Best majors for contract editors

RankMajorPercentages
1English21.8%
2Communication12.0%
3Journalism10.1%
4Photography7.4%
5Writing7.4%

Best colleges for contract editors

The best colleges for contract editors are Northwestern University, Washington University in St Louis, and Columbia University in the City of New York.

A contract editor with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for contract editors. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become contract editors.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

2. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

3. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,832

Enrollment

4,550

4. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

In-state tuition

$53,399

Enrollment

7,356

5. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

6. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

7. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$59,430

Enrollment

8,216

8. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$10,610

Enrollment

40,329

9. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

10. University of Washington

Seattle, WA • Private

In-state tuition

$11,207

Enrollment

30,905

20 best online courses for contract editors

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Top 10 most affordable universities for contract editors

The most affordable schools for contract editors are Baruch College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and hunter college of the city university of new york.

If the best universities for contract editors are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for contract editors.

1. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

2. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

3. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Cost of attendance

13,998

4. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

5. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

6. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

7. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

8. University of Central Florida

Orlando, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,368

Cost of attendance

21,034

9. University of Houston - Victoria

Victoria, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$6,491

Cost of attendance

19,075

10. City College of New York of the City University of New York, The

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,140

Cost of attendance

14,430

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for contract editors

The hardest universities for contract editors to get into are Northwestern University, Washington University in St Louis, and Columbia University in the City of New York.

Some great schools for contract editors are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for contract editors based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

2. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

3. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,512

4. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

5. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

6. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

7. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

5%

SAT average

1,520

8. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

9. Hamilton College

Clinton, NY • Private

Admissions rate

21%

SAT average

1,446

10. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for contract editors

The easiest schools for contract editors to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, barry university, and notre dame de namur university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a contract editor without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for contract editors.

1. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

2. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

3. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

4. Grand View University

Des Moines, IA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,060

5. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

6. Saint Joseph's College of Maine

Standish, ME • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,069

7. Cardinal Stritch University

Milwaukee, WI • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,035

8. Rochester University

Rochester Hills, MI • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,002

9. Our Lady of the Lake University

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,002

10. Rosemont College

Rosemont, PA • Private

Admissions rate

89%

SAT average

1,026

Average contract editor salary by education level

Contract editors with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $85,949 annually. With a Master's degree, contract editors earn a median annual income of $79,432 compared to $71,294 for contract editors with an Bachelor's degree.
Contract editor education levelContract editor salary
Master's Degree$79,432
Bachelor's Degree$71,294
Doctorate Degree$85,949

Contract editor education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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