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Manuscript editor education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a manuscript editor. Manuscript editors usually study english, journalism, or writing. 72% of manuscript editors hold a bachelor's degree, and 18% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 275 real manuscript editor resumes to see exactly what manuscript editor education sections show.
The most common colleges for manuscript editors are the University of Chicago and the University of Chicago.
There are also many online manuscript editor courses to help get the education required to be a manuscript editor.
What education do you need to become a manuscript editor?
What degree do you need to be a manuscript editor?
- Bachelor's, 72%
- Master's, 18%
- Doctorate, 7%
- Associate, 3%
- Other Degrees, 0%
What should I major in to become a manuscript editor?
- English, 35%
- Journalism, 9%
- Writing, 7%
- History, 7%
- Other Majors, 42%
Most common colleges for manuscript editors
| Manuscript editor common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Chicago | 11.67% |
| Temple University | 6.67% |
| SUNY Buffalo State | 6.67% |
| University of Virginia | 6.67% |
| University of New Mexico | 6.67% |
Best majors for manuscript editors
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | 35.0% |
| 2 | Journalism | 9.4% |
| 3 | Writing | 7.2% |
| 4 | History | 6.7% |
| 5 | Biology | 5.0% |
Best colleges for manuscript editors
The best colleges for manuscript editors are Northwestern University, Washington University in St Louis, and University of Southern California.
A manuscript editor with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for manuscript editors. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become manuscript editors.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
2. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
3. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
4. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
5. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
6. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
In-state tuition
$53,399
Enrollment
7,356
7. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
8. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,610
Enrollment
40,329
9. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
10. San Diego State University
San Diego, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,488
Enrollment
30,018
20 best online courses for manuscript editors
Advertising disclosure
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The Art of Publishing - Master Pub Med, Study design, Biostatistics, Journal choice, Manuscript writing & Referencing...
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Mastering Special Journals and Subsidiary Ledgers: A Comprehensive Guide to Streamlined Accounting Practices...
14. Writing With Flair: How To Become An Exceptional Writer
Ex-Wall Street Journal Editor Teaches How To Write With Impeccable Style...
15. How to Become a Freelance Editor: Make Money Copy Editing
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16. Payroll Accounting: Laws, Calculations, and Journal Entries
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17. Learn Adobe InDesign: Design a Magazine and More in InDesign
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Learn to Create a Full or Part-Time Income as a Freelance Article Writer!...
19. Press Coverage, Publicity & Public Relations For Branding
Public relations to reach 100,000+ people with influencer marketing, publicity, and press coverage for personal branding...
20. 15 Errors in Scientific Writing & How to Fix Them
For people with current or future careers in academia, medical writing, medical editing, copyediting, or copywriting...
Top 10 most affordable universities for manuscript editors
The most affordable schools for manuscript editors are Baruch College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and brigham young university.
If the best universities for manuscript editors are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for manuscript editors.
1. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
2. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
3. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
4. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
5. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
6. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
7. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
8. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
9. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
10. University of Houston - Victoria
Victoria, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$6,491
Cost of attendance
19,075
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for manuscript editors
The hardest universities for manuscript editors to get into are Northwestern University, Washington University in St Louis, and University of Southern California.
Some great schools for manuscript editors are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for manuscript editors based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
3. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
4. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
5. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
6. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
7. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
8. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
9. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
10. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
42%
SAT average
1,380
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for manuscript editors
The easiest schools for manuscript editors to get into are Notre Dame de Namur University, holy names university, and oklahoma wesleyan university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a manuscript editor without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for manuscript editors.
1. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
2. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
3. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
4. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
5. Grand View University
Des Moines, IA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,060
6. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
7. Saint Joseph's College of Maine
Standish, ME • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,069
8. Rochester University
Rochester Hills, MI • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,002
9. Our Lady of the Lake University
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,002
10. Rosemont College
Rosemont, PA • Private
Admissions rate
89%
SAT average
1,026
Average manuscript editor salary by education level
| Manuscript editor education level | Manuscript editor salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $69,981 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $63,380 |
| Doctorate Degree | $75,226 |
Manuscript editor education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025