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The differences between editors and journalists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become an editor, becoming a journalist takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a journalist has an average salary of $60,828, 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 journalist are news stories, multimedia, and story development.
| Editor | Journalist | |
| Yearly salary | $52,107 | $60,828 |
| Hourly rate | $25.05 | $29.24 |
| Growth rate | -5% | -10% |
| Number of jobs | 15,115 | 11,488 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Average age | 44 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 2 |
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.
A journalist is responsible for creating written correspondence, covering various subjects as the management requires. This task involves a lot of research investigations, conducting interviews, and gathering reliable sources to verify the authenticity of data before releasing the articles on news portals and other social platforms. Journalists should have excellent communication skills, both written and oral, conveying information to the target audience with high accuracy and efficiency. They analyze opinions and testimonies, create eye-catching headlines, and ensure adherence to deadlines.
Editors and journalists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Editor | Journalist | |
| Average salary | $52,107 | $60,828 |
| Salary range | Between $34,000 And $78,000 | Between $38,000 And $95,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | New York | New York |
| Best paying company | Microsoft | Bloomberg |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Finance |
There are a few differences between an editor and a journalist in terms of educational background:
| Editor | Journalist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | English | Journalism |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between editors' and journalists' demographics:
| Editor | Journalist | |
| Average age | 44 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 46.4% Female, 53.6% | Male, 46.6% Female, 53.4% |
| 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, 6.4% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.6% Asian, 9.6% White, 66.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 10% |