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The differences between digital 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 digital editor and a copy editor. Additionally, a copy editor has an average salary of $62,599, which is higher than the $60,710 average annual salary of a digital editor.
The top three skills for a digital editor include digital content, instagram and facebook. The most important skills for a copy editor are proofreading, house style, and digital publishing.
| Digital Editor | Copy Editor | |
| Yearly salary | $60,710 | $62,599 |
| Hourly rate | $29.19 | $30.10 |
| Growth rate | -5% | -5% |
| Number of jobs | 22,500 | 4,866 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 80% | Bachelor's Degree, 83% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Digital Editors research, create and produce images and content used on a website. They are involved in copywriting, editing, proofreading, and supervising artwork, graphics, and video. They use knowledge in SEO and social media marketing to optimize traffic. They determine KPI, track website traffic, and produce a report for presentation. They also work with cross-functional teams such as marketing and web design to improve overall content strategy. A Digital Editor must have in-depth knowledge of Adobe Creative Suites to render attractive web designs.
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.
Digital editors and copy editors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Digital Editor | Copy Editor | |
| Average salary | $60,710 | $62,599 |
| Salary range | Between $43,000 And $84,000 | Between $39,000 And $98,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | New York | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | ServiceNow | PayPal |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Finance |
There are a few differences between a digital editor and a copy editor in terms of educational background:
| Digital Editor | Copy Editor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 80% | Bachelor's Degree, 83% |
| Most common major | Journalism | English |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between digital editors' and copy editors' demographics:
| Digital Editor | Copy Editor | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 54.5% Female, 45.5% | Male, 39.2% Female, 60.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.6% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.1% Asian, 7.2% White, 76.3% 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% |