Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between copy editors and production 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 copy editor and a production editor. Additionally, a copy editor has an average salary of $62,599, which is higher than the $53,275 average annual salary of a production editor.
The top three skills for a copy editor include proofreading, house style and digital publishing. The most important skills for a production editor are proofreading, editorial production, and production process.
| Copy Editor | Production Editor | |
| Yearly salary | $62,599 | $53,275 |
| Hourly rate | $30.10 | $25.61 |
| Growth rate | -5% | -5% |
| Number of jobs | 4,866 | 62,877 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 83% | Bachelor's Degree, 82% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
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 production editor is responsible for checking publication materials before printing and distribution to ensure error-free and accurate content. Production editors must have excellent writing communication skills to perform editing and proofreading of materials efficiently, following strict requirements of publication deadlines. They also verify the resources of content, as well as identifying highly requested feature opportunities by coordinating with writers and other industry personalities. A production editor negotiates contract offers for writers, provides feedback reviews, and facilitates brainstorming sessions.
Copy editors and production editors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Copy Editor | Production Editor | |
| Average salary | $62,599 | $53,275 |
| Salary range | Between $39,000 And $98,000 | Between $41,000 And $68,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Hartford, CT |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | PayPal | Robert A.M. Stern Architects |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Media |
There are a few differences between a copy editor and a production editor in terms of educational background:
| Copy Editor | Production Editor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 83% | Bachelor's Degree, 82% |
| Most common major | English | English |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between copy editors' and production editors' demographics:
| Copy Editor | Production Editor | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 39.2% Female, 60.8% | Male, 41.6% Female, 58.4% |
| 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, 3.6% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.1% Asian, 7.2% White, 76.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 12% |