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Manuscript editor vs copy editor

The differences between manuscript 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 a manuscript editor and a copy editor. Additionally, a copy editor has an average salary of $62,599, which is higher than the $62,481 average annual salary of a manuscript editor.

The top three skills for a manuscript editor include public health, proofreading and XML. The most important skills for a copy editor are proofreading, house style, and digital publishing.

Manuscript editor vs copy editor overview

Manuscript EditorCopy Editor
Yearly salary$62,481$62,599
Hourly rate$30.04$30.10
Growth rate-5%-5%
Number of jobs4,4674,866
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 72%Bachelor's Degree, 83%
Average age4444
Years of experience44

Manuscript editor vs copy editor salary

Manuscript editors and copy editors have different pay scales, as shown below.

Manuscript EditorCopy Editor
Average salary$62,481$62,599
Salary rangeBetween $36,000 And $107,000Between $39,000 And $98,000
Highest paying City-Washington, DC
Highest paying state-New Jersey
Best paying company-PayPal
Best paying industry-Finance

Differences between manuscript editor and copy editor education

There are a few differences between a manuscript editor and a copy editor in terms of educational background:

Manuscript EditorCopy Editor
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 72%Bachelor's Degree, 83%
Most common majorEnglishEnglish
Most common collegeNorthwestern UniversityNorthwestern University

Manuscript editor vs copy editor demographics

Here are the differences between manuscript editors' and copy editors' demographics:

Manuscript EditorCopy Editor
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 34.1% Female, 65.9%Male, 39.2% Female, 60.8%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 3.5% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 6.9% White, 76.9% 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 Percentage12%12%

Differences between manuscript editor and copy editor duties and responsibilities

Manuscript editor example responsibilities.

  • Manage editorial team to create secondary-education textbooks.
  • Typeset editorial content and manage paste-up board production.
  • Revise fiction manuscript through content organization, proofreading, and line editing
  • Provide editing services for both fiction and non-fiction manuscripts.
  • Proofread galleys as final quality check, adding author responses to queries before typesetting and production.
  • Provide manuscript support services, including editing, proofreading, and formatting, for approximately 100 full-time faculty members.
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Copy editor example responsibilities.

  • Manage copy editing and proofreading responsibilities of weekly business newspaper and special supplements.
  • Collaborate with managing editor and editor-in-chief to develop and post news coverage and multimedia projects.
  • Supervise editorial services and manage workload for multiple complex projects offering professional development training for educators via online and classroom delivery.
  • Compile NHL, NBA, NFL, golf and college roundups, and laid out the scoreboard page.
  • Call upon to produce special pages for NHL and NBA previews.
  • Serve as lead copy editor for NASCAR, college football, college basketball and NFL sections.
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Manuscript editor vs copy editor skills

Common manuscript editor skills
  • Public Health, 18%
  • Proofreading, 17%
  • XML, 12%
  • Journal Articles, 9%
  • Peer Review, 8%
  • Editorial Changes, 8%
Common copy editor skills
  • Proofreading, 12%
  • House Style, 8%
  • Digital Publishing, 6%
  • Fact Check, 6%
  • SEO, 5%
  • Web Content, 5%

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