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The differences between copy editors and junior copywriters can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a copy editor, becoming a junior copywriter takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a copy editor has an average salary of $62,599, which is higher than the $60,652 average annual salary of a junior copywriter.
The top three skills for a copy editor include proofreading, house style and digital publishing. The most important skills for a junior copywriter are digital marketing, copywriting, and SEO.
| Copy Editor | Junior Copywriter | |
| Yearly salary | $62,599 | $60,652 |
| Hourly rate | $30.10 | $29.16 |
| Growth rate | -5% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 4,866 | 12,091 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 83% | Bachelor's Degree, 85% |
| Average age | 44 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 2 |
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.
A junior copywriter specializes in producing informative content on various subjects. Their responsibilities depend on their industry or place of employment. Still, they typically revolve around following directives, conducting research and fact-checking procedures, proofreading content, submitting written materials to an editor or manager on time, and performing corrective measures as recommended. There are also instances when one must coordinate with graphic designers, utilize search engine optimization or SEO, and even update databases, all while adhering to the company's policies and regulations.
Copy editors and junior copywriters have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Copy Editor | Junior Copywriter | |
| Average salary | $62,599 | $60,652 |
| Salary range | Between $39,000 And $98,000 | Between $39,000 And $92,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | California |
| Best paying company | PayPal | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Professional |
There are a few differences between a copy editor and a junior copywriter in terms of educational background:
| Copy Editor | Junior Copywriter | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 83% | Bachelor's Degree, 85% |
| Most common major | English | English |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between copy editors' and junior copywriters' demographics:
| Copy Editor | Junior Copywriter | |
| Average age | 44 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 39.2% Female, 60.8% | Male, 54.4% Female, 45.6% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 5.0% White, 74.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 16% |