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Copy editor/proofreader education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a copy editor/proofreader. Copy editor/proofreaders usually study english, journalism, or communication. 78% of copy editor/proofreaders hold a bachelor's degree, and 12% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 1,570 real copy editor/proofreader resumes to see exactly what copy editor/proofreader education sections show.
The most common colleges for copy editor/proofreaders are the New York University and the New York University.
There are also many online copy editor/proofreader courses to help get the education required to be a copy editor/proofreader.
What education do you need to become a copy editor/proofreader?
What degree do you need to be a copy editor/proofreader?
- Bachelor's, 78%
- Master's, 12%
- Associate, 6%
- Doctorate, 1%
- Other Degrees, 3%
What should I major in to become a copy editor/proofreader?
- English, 37%
- Journalism, 13%
- Communication, 8%
- Writing, 8%
- Other Majors, 34%
Most common colleges for copy editor/proofreaders
| Copy editor/proofreader common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| New York University | 8.94% |
| University of Kansas | 7.82% |
| Boston University | 6.70% |
| University of Texas at Austin | 6.15% |
| Michigan State University | 5.59% |
Best majors for copy editor/proofreaders
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | 37.2% |
| 2 | Journalism | 13.0% |
| 3 | Communication | 8.2% |
| 4 | Writing | 7.6% |
| 5 | Liberal Arts | 3.5% |
Best colleges for copy editor/proofreaders
The best colleges for copy editor/proofreaders are Northwestern University, Harvard University, and Carnegie Mellon University.
A copy editor/proofreader with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for copy editor/proofreaders. 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 copy editor/proofreaders.
1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,832
Enrollment
4,550
2. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
4. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
5. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$14,184
Enrollment
30,845
6. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
7. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,465
Enrollment
6,483
8. University of Houston
Houston, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$8,913
Enrollment
37,291
9. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
10. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$9,816
Enrollment
21,047
20 best online courses for copy editor/proofreaders
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Top 10 most affordable universities for copy editor/proofreaders
The most affordable schools for copy editor/proofreaders are Baruch College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and california state university - long beach.
If the best universities for copy editor/proofreaders 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 copy editor/proofreaders.
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. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
4. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
5. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
6. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
7. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,587
Cost of attendance
13,043
8. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
9. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
10. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Cost of attendance
25,527
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for copy editor/proofreaders
The hardest universities for copy editor/proofreaders to get into are Northwestern University, Harvard University, and Carnegie Mellon University.
Some great schools for copy editor/proofreaders 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 copy editor/proofreaders 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. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
3. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
4. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
5. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
7%
SAT average
1,545
6. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
7. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
8. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
9. Emory University
Atlanta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,449
10. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for copy editor/proofreaders
The easiest schools for copy editor/proofreaders to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, notre dame de namur university, and holy names university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a copy editor/proofreader 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 copy editor/proofreaders.
1. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
2. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
3. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
4. Saint Joseph's College of Maine
Standish, ME • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,069
5. Our Lady of the Lake University
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,002
6. Rochester University
Rochester Hills, MI • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,002
7. Grand View University
Des Moines, IA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,060
8. Rosemont College
Rosemont, PA • Private
Admissions rate
89%
SAT average
1,026
9. Centenary University
Hackettstown, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
67%
SAT average
987
10. La Roche College
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
99%
SAT average
1,008
Average copy editor/proofreader salary by education level
| Copy editor/proofreader education level | Copy editor/proofreader salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $110,562 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $74,419 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $91,630 |
| Doctorate Degree | $104,270 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $78,515 |
Copy editor/proofreader education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025