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Editor salary
Average editor salary
$52,107
Understanding the Average Editor Salary
The average salary for an editor in the United States is $52,107 per year. This amount can vary based on several factors, including geographic location, level of experience, and the specific industry in which an editor works. For instance, editors in the publishing and media sectors tend to earn higher salaries, reflecting the demand for skilled professionals in these fields.
Salary Variations by State
Salary ranges for editors can differ significantly across states. For example, editors in California and New York often receive higher compensation compared to those in other states. Understanding regional salary trends is essential for aspiring editors to evaluate job opportunities effectively.
Career Advancement Opportunities
With experience, editors can move into higher-paying positions such as senior editor or editorial director. Additionally, specialized roles in digital content creation or project management can further enhance earning potential. By staying informed about industry trends and salary benchmarks, you can position yourself for success in your editorial career.
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Where can an Editor earn more?
Editor salary estimates from across the web
Average editor salary by state
The highest-paying states for editors are New York, Connecticut, and New Hampshire. The lowest average editor salary states are Iowa, Louisiana, and Kansas.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for editors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $67,529 | $32.47 |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $69,020 | $33.18 |
| 3 | Connecticut | $66,637 | $32.04 |
| 4 | Virginia | $60,905 | $29.28 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $62,495 | $30.05 |
| 6 | Washington | $60,799 | $29.23 |
| 7 | North Dakota | $57,640 | $27.71 |
| 8 | New Jersey | $64,552 | $31.03 |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $64,752 | $31.13 |
| 10 | Vermont | $54,481 | $26.19 |
| 11 | Rhode Island | $51,451 | $24.74 |
| 12 | Maryland | $53,520 | $25.73 |
| 13 | West Virginia | $53,133 | $25.54 |
| 14 | Delaware | $51,111 | $24.57 |
| 15 | California | $52,056 | $25.03 |
| 16 | Wyoming | $46,364 | $22.29 |
| 17 | Idaho | $49,020 | $23.57 |
| 18 | Maine | $53,728 | $25.83 |
| 19 | Michigan | $50,171 | $24.12 |
| 20 | Oregon | $48,586 | $23.36 |
| 21 | Georgia | $52,117 | $25.06 |
| 22 | Pennsylvania | $49,825 | $23.95 |
| 23 | Illinois | $49,167 | $23.64 |
| 24 | Colorado | $50,222 | $24.15 |
| 25 | New Mexico | $46,971 | $22.58 |
| 26 | Minnesota | $48,735 | $23.43 |
| 27 | Kentucky | $48,889 | $23.50 |
| 28 | North Carolina | $45,494 | $21.87 |
| 29 | Nevada | $46,183 | $22.20 |
| 30 | Arkansas | $44,343 | $21.32 |
| 31 | Oklahoma | $45,479 | $21.86 |
| 32 | Wisconsin | $44,178 | $21.24 |
| 33 | Hawaii | $42,754 | $20.55 |
| 34 | Alaska | $38,422 | $18.47 |
| 35 | Ohio | $43,597 | $20.96 |
| 36 | Arizona | $44,585 | $21.44 |
| 37 | Tennessee | $41,469 | $19.94 |
| 38 | South Carolina | $43,479 | $20.90 |
| 39 | Utah | $36,374 | $17.49 |
| 40 | Texas | $40,119 | $19.29 |
| 41 | Montana | $36,740 | $17.66 |
| 42 | Alabama | $42,112 | $20.25 |
| 43 | Florida | $38,234 | $18.38 |
| 44 | South Dakota | $36,729 | $17.66 |
| 45 | Nebraska | $31,453 | $15.12 |
| 46 | Indiana | $39,391 | $18.94 |
| 47 | Missouri | $33,573 | $16.14 |
| 48 | Iowa | $35,569 | $17.10 |
| 49 | Kansas | $34,682 | $16.67 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $34,804 | $16.73 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $30,100 | $14.47 |
Highest paying cities for editors
The highest-paying cities for editors are Washington, DC, New York, NY, and Worcester, MA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington, DC | $69,031 | $33.19 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $67,606 | $32.50 |
| 3 | Worcester, MA | $62,629 | $30.11 |
| 4 | McLean, VA | $62,453 | $30.03 |
| 5 | Seattle, WA | $61,394 | $29.52 |
| 6 | San Francisco, CA | $56,934 | $27.37 |
| 7 | Baltimore, MD | $53,688 | $25.81 |
| 8 | Duluth, GA | $52,261 | $25.13 |
| 9 | Boulder, CO | $50,377 | $24.22 |
| 10 | Philadelphia, PA | $49,960 | $24.02 |
| 11 | Chicago, IL | $49,549 | $23.82 |
| 12 | Minneapolis, MN | $48,757 | $23.44 |
| 13 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $42,753 | $20.55 |
| 14 | Austin, TX | $40,275 | $19.36 |
| 15 | Miami, FL | $38,343 | $18.43 |
| 16 | Salt Lake City, UT | $36,342 | $17.47 |
Editors are the most in-demand in these five cities:
Editor salary details
An editor's salary ranges from $34,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $78,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an editor's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $78,000 | $6,500 | $38 |
| 75th Percentile | $64,000 | $5,333 | $31 |
| Average | $52,107 | $4,342 | $25 |
| 25th Percentile | $42,000 | $3,500 | $20 |
| 10th Percentile | $34,000 | $2,833 | $16 |
Highest paying editor jobs
The highest paying types of editors are senior editor, managing editor, and writer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freelance Videographer/Editor | $48,481 | $4,040 | $23.31 | 5,409 |
| Technical Writer And Editor | $65,088 | $5,424 | $31.29 | 78,617 |
| Freelance Video Editor | $54,795 | $4,566 | $26.34 | 5,910 |
| Photographer, Editor | $51,131 | $4,261 | $24.58 | 11,039 |
| Social Media Editor | $53,943 | $4,495 | $25.93 | 37,769 |
| Writer | $66,143 | $5,512 | $31.80 | 13,931 |
Top companies hiring editors now:
Which companies pay editors the most?
Editor salaries at Microsoft and Apple are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average editor salary at companies like Google and Moody's are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Microsoft | $109,349 | $52.57 |
| 2 | Apple | $108,035 | $51.94 |
| 3 | $104,645 | $50.31 | |
| 4 | Moody's | $99,748 | $47.96 |
| 5 | Goldman Sachs | $99,191 | $47.69 |
| 6 | Partners Group LTD | $94,727 | $45.54 |
| 7 | Amazon | $90,802 | $43.65 |
| 8 | Bloomberg | $89,301 | $42.93 |
| 9 | Altice USA | $89,210 | $42.89 |
| 10 | The New York Times Company | $87,740 | $42.18 |
| 11 | Yahoo | $84,806 | $40.77 |
| 12 | Square | $84,074 | $40.42 |
| 13 | Law360 | $82,751 | $39.78 |
| 14 | The Washington Post | $81,523 | $39.19 |
| 15 | Tripadvisor | $80,591 | $38.75 |
| 16 | The Economist Newspaper Group | $80,350 | $38.63 |
| 17 | John Wiley & Sons | $78,996 | $37.98 |
| 18 | Thomson Reuters | $78,579 | $37.78 |
| 19 | MDRC | $78,299 | $37.64 |
| 20 | Lincoln Memorial University | $77,091 | $37.06 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Editor salary by industry
The average editor salary varies across industries:
- The average editor salary in the technology industry is $62,170, the highest of any industry.
- The average editor salary in the finance industry is $59,193.
- Editors in the transportation industry earn an average salary of $45,514, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for editors
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Technology | $62,170 | $29.89 |
| 2 | Non Profits | $59,193 | $28.46 |
| 3 | Media | $53,538 | $25.74 |
| 4 | Professional | $52,342 | $25.16 |
| 5 | Education | $51,197 | $24.61 |
| 6 | Transportation | $45,514 | $21.88 |
High paying editor jobs
Editor salary trends
The average editor salary has risen by $9,057 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average editor earned $43,050 annually, but today, they earn $52,107 a year. That works out to a 11% change in pay for editors over the last decade.
Compare editor salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average editor salary over time
Compare editor salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Editor salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $52,100 | $25.05 | +3.2% |
| 2024 | $50,400 | $24.25 | +3.1% |
| 2023 | $48,900 | $23.50 | +1.2% |
| 2022 | $48,300 | $23.22 | +2.7% |
| 2021 | $47,000 | $22.61 | +2.1% |
Recently added editor salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lexis Nexis | Editor | Enon, OH | 06/30/2025 | $72,500 |
| State of Texas | Editor | Austin, TX | 06/28/2025 | $49,000 |
| Lexis Nexis | Editor | Ione, CA | 06/28/2025 | $72,500 |
| Akin | Early Childhood Find Editor-Spanish Speaking | Seattle, WA | 06/28/2025 | $54,512 |
| University of Washington | Editor | Seattle, WA | 06/28/2025 | $97,920 |
| Ieee | Editor (E5058) | Piscataway, NJ | 06/27/2025 | $91,000 |
| Nintendo | Localization Editor-Spanish | Redmond, WA | 06/26/2025 | $56,996 |
| Arootah | Editor-In | New York, NY | 06/26/2025 | $120,000 |
| Bisnow | Central Editor | Chicago, IL | 06/26/2025 | $70,000 |
| Bisnow | East Coast Editor | Miami, FL | 06/26/2025 | $80,000 |
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