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Manuscript editor vs technical editor

The differences between manuscript editors and technical 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 technical editor. Additionally, a manuscript editor has an average salary of $62,481, which is higher than the $61,717 average annual salary of a technical editor.

The top three skills for a manuscript editor include public health, proofreading and XML. The most important skills for a technical editor are powerpoint, english language, and proofreading.

Manuscript editor vs technical editor overview

Manuscript EditorTechnical Editor
Yearly salary$62,481$61,717
Hourly rate$30.04$29.67
Growth rate-5%-5%
Number of jobs4,46778,423
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 72%Bachelor's Degree, 76%
Average age4444
Years of experience44

Manuscript editor vs technical editor salary

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

Manuscript EditorTechnical Editor
Average salary$62,481$61,717
Salary rangeBetween $36,000 And $107,000Between $47,000 And $80,000
Highest paying City-Oakland, CA
Highest paying state-Connecticut
Best paying company-Apple
Best paying industry-Technology

Differences between manuscript editor and technical editor education

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

Manuscript EditorTechnical Editor
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 72%Bachelor's Degree, 76%
Most common majorEnglishEnglish
Most common collegeNorthwestern UniversityNorthwestern University

Manuscript editor vs technical editor demographics

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

Manuscript EditorTechnical Editor
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 34.1% Female, 65.9%Male, 42.6% Female, 57.4%
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, 76.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage12%12%

Differences between manuscript editor and technical 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.
  • Show more

Technical editor example responsibilities.

  • Identify and initiate wholesale computer upgrade to accommodate new CMS while allocating and managing staff resources devote to developing the software.
  • Train course developers in advance features of FrameMaker and PowerPoint.
  • Remove PDF security from each document.
  • Update PDF variables for online help.
  • Research science, military, and historical-relate topics for DOD.
  • Create or obtain all necessary screen shots using SnagIt and Photoshop.
  • Show more

Manuscript editor vs technical editor skills

Common manuscript editor skills
  • Public Health, 18%
  • Proofreading, 17%
  • XML, 12%
  • Journal Articles, 9%
  • Peer Review, 8%
  • Editorial Changes, 8%
Common technical editor skills
  • PowerPoint, 16%
  • English Language, 11%
  • Proofreading, 6%
  • Subject Matter Experts, 5%
  • Training Materials, 5%
  • XML, 4%

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