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The differences between 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 an editor and a copy editor. Additionally, a copy editor has an average salary of $62,599, 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 a copy editor are proofreading, house style, and digital publishing.
| Editor | Copy Editor | |
| Yearly salary | $52,107 | $62,599 |
| Hourly rate | $25.05 | $30.10 |
| Growth rate | -5% | -5% |
| Number of jobs | 15,115 | 4,866 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 83% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| 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.
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.
Editors and copy editors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Editor | Copy Editor | |
| Average salary | $52,107 | $62,599 |
| Salary range | Between $34,000 And $78,000 | Between $39,000 And $98,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | New York | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Microsoft | PayPal |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Finance |
There are a few differences between an editor and a copy editor in terms of educational background:
| Editor | Copy Editor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 83% |
| Most common major | English | English |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between editors' and copy editors' demographics:
| Editor | Copy Editor | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 46.4% Female, 53.6% | 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% |