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The differences between editorial directors and senior writers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become an editorial director, becoming a senior writer takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, an editorial director has an average salary of $99,934, which is higher than the $80,145 average annual salary of a senior writer.
The top three skills for an editorial director include editorial content, web content and editorial strategy. The most important skills for a senior writer are project management, web content, and wordpress.
| Editorial Director | Senior Writer | |
| Yearly salary | $99,934 | $80,145 |
| Hourly rate | $48.05 | $38.53 |
| Growth rate | -5% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 11,143 | 15,995 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 80% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Average age | 44 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 2 |
An Editorial Director will plan, coordinate, and edit all written content for a publication or a website. As the Editorial Director, they are responsible for planning the company's vision for the publication, including its short- and long-term goals. They are also responsible for supervising other editors and developing the guidelines on the types of manuscripts they should seek. Other duties that Editorial Directors perform include planning the publication's contents, allocating work to editors-in-chief and editorial managers, and coordinating other departments' work as needed.
A senior writer is responsible for assisting junior writers in creating compositions and digital content according to business functions and client needs. A senior writer should have excellent communication skills, both written and oral, as well as extensive knowledge of composition structures and developing engaging pieces to attract the target audience and potential clients, driving resources for revenue and profits. They also coordinate with clients on any adjustments and instructions to support their goals and objectives.
Editorial directors and senior writers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Editorial Director | Senior Writer | |
| Average salary | $99,934 | $80,145 |
| Salary range | Between $68,000 And $144,000 | Between $54,000 And $117,000 |
| Highest paying City | New Haven, CT | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | California |
| Best paying company | McKinsey & Company Inc | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Professional |
There are a few differences between an editorial director and a senior writer in terms of educational background:
| Editorial Director | Senior Writer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 80% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Most common major | English | English |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between editorial directors' and senior writers' demographics:
| Editorial Director | Senior Writer | |
| Average age | 44 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 48.3% Female, 51.7% | Male, 55.8% Female, 44.2% |
| 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, 6.0% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 7.7% Asian, 4.9% White, 75.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 16% |