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The differences between editors and authors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an editor and an author. Additionally, an author has an average salary of $78,368, which is higher than the $52,107 average annual salary of an editor.
The top three skills for an editor include web content, video content and SEO. The most important skills for an author are veterans, JAN, and DOD.
| Editor | Author | |
| Yearly salary | $52,107 | $78,368 |
| Hourly rate | $25.05 | $37.68 |
| Growth rate | -5% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 15,115 | 953 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Average age | 44 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
An editor is the one responsible for polishing and refining a story, article, and any material for publication in newspapers, magazines, books, or websites. Editors have the power to either accept or reject a material as they need to ensure that every manuscript which will be offered for publishing is at the best version as it can be. There are several types of editors, from copy editors, books to managing editors, but they have few skills in common, like strong writing skills, good judgment, and leadership abilities to help guide the whole editorial team. Most of them work in the office, but it is quite becoming more regular for them to work remotely.
An author is an individual individual responsible for developing creative stories published in formats such as books, movies, or television scripts. Authors conduct research of information that may be included in their works, whether they are fictional or non-fictional. Before publicly making their work available, authors must present a draft to editors for feedback and approval. Authors may work as self-employed or freelance and sell their written content to book publishers or advertising agencies.
Editors and authors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Editor | Author | |
| Average salary | $52,107 | $78,368 |
| Salary range | Between $34,000 And $78,000 | Between $51,000 And $118,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Beverly, MA |
| Highest paying state | New York | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Microsoft | John Wiley & Sons |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between an editor and an author in terms of educational background:
| Editor | Author | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Most common major | English | Business |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between editors' and authors' demographics:
| Editor | Author | |
| Average age | 44 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 46.4% Female, 53.6% | Male, 49.5% Female, 50.5% |
| 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, 5.9% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 7.6% Asian, 4.9% White, 75.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 16% |