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The differences between copy editors and web 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 web editor. Additionally, a copy editor has an average salary of $62,599, which is higher than the $57,052 average annual salary of a web editor.
The top three skills for a copy editor include proofreading, house style and digital publishing. The most important skills for a web editor are web content, HTML, and facebook.
| Copy Editor | Web Editor | |
| Yearly salary | $62,599 | $57,052 |
| Hourly rate | $30.10 | $27.43 |
| Growth rate | -5% | -5% |
| Number of jobs | 4,866 | 22,697 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 83% | Bachelor's Degree, 78% |
| 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 web editor is an expert in publishing and curating content on websites. Web editors may produce videos, write articles or blogs, and check text, images, and other media for publication. The editors need to familiarize the principles and usage of grammar. They are knowledgeable in editing and proofreading web content. It is expected of them to develop skills in verbal and written communication, grammar, attention to detail, and web publishing.
Copy editors and web editors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Copy Editor | Web Editor | |
| Average salary | $62,599 | $57,052 |
| Salary range | Between $39,000 And $98,000 | Between $41,000 And $78,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | PayPal | Activision Blizzard |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Finance |
There are a few differences between a copy editor and a web editor in terms of educational background:
| Copy Editor | Web Editor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 83% | Bachelor's Degree, 78% |
| Most common major | English | Journalism |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between copy editors' and web editors' demographics:
| Copy Editor | Web Editor | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 39.2% Female, 60.8% | Male, 45.5% Female, 54.5% |
| 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, 3.5% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 7.1% White, 76.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 12% |