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The differences between deputy editors and copy 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 deputy editor and a copy editor. Additionally, a deputy editor has an average salary of $96,894, which is higher than the $62,599 average annual salary of a copy editor.
The top three skills for a deputy editor include SEO, editorial calendar and editor-in-chief. The most important skills for a copy editor are proofreading, house style, and digital publishing.
| Deputy Editor | Copy Editor | |
| Yearly salary | $96,894 | $62,599 |
| Hourly rate | $46.58 | $30.10 |
| Growth rate | -5% | -5% |
| Number of jobs | 13,475 | 4,866 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 83% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A deputy editor provides support to the senior editor in overseeing a publishing company's daily operations. They primarily edit and review written materials for print and online publication, supervise the writers, manage budgets and timelines, present regular reports to the senior editor, and conduct evaluations to ensure procedures adhere to standards. They also work together with fellow editors to plan story concepts and strategies, manage editorial calendars, and delegate responsibilities among writers. Moreover, there are also times when a deputy editor writes and develops articles.
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.
Deputy editors and copy editors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Deputy Editor | Copy Editor | |
| Average salary | $96,894 | $62,599 |
| Salary range | Between $50,000 And $186,000 | Between $39,000 And $98,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | The Daily Dot | PayPal |
| Best paying industry | Media | Finance |
There are a few differences between a deputy editor and a copy editor in terms of educational background:
| Deputy Editor | Copy Editor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 83% |
| Most common major | Journalism | English |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between deputy editors' and copy editors' demographics:
| Deputy Editor | Copy Editor | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 54.3% Female, 45.7% | Male, 39.2% Female, 60.8% |
| 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, 8.2% Asian, 7.3% White, 76.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 12% |