Proofreader education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a proofreader. Proofreaders usually study english, journalism, or writing. 75% of proofreaders hold a bachelor's degree, and 10% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 6,174 real proofreader resumes to see exactly what proofreader education sections show.

The most common colleges for proofreaders are the New York University and the New York University.

There are also many online proofreader courses to help get the education required to be a proofreader.

What education do you need to become a proofreader?

What degree do you need to be a proofreader?

The most common degree for proofreaders is bachelor's degree, with 75% of proofreaders earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 10% and master's degree degree at 7%.

Bachelor's, 75%

Master's, 10%

Associate, 7%

High School Diploma, 4%

Other Degrees, 4%

What should I major in to become a proofreader?

You should major in english to become a proofreader. 36% of proofreaders major in english. Other common majors for a proofreader include journalism and writing.

English, 36%

Journalism, 11%

Writing, 8%

Communication, 8%

Other Majors, 37%

Most common colleges for proofreaders

Proofreaders often get their degrees at New York University, Temple University, and University of Texas at Austin. Here are the most common colleges for proofreaders in the US based on their resumes.

Proofreader common college	Percentages
New York University	10.90%
Temple University	6.58%
University of Texas at Austin	6.58%
University of California - Davis	6.39%
Pennsylvania State University	5.45%

Show more common proofreader colleges

Best majors for proofreaders

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	English	35.6%
2	Journalism	10.8%
3	Writing	8.2%
4	Communication	7.9%
5	Business	5.4%

Show more common proofreader majors

Best colleges for proofreaders

The best colleges for proofreaders are Northwestern University, Harvard University, and Carnegie Mellon University.

A proofreader with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for proofreaders. 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 proofreaders.

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,832

Enrollment

4,550

2. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

3. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

4. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$59,430

Enrollment

8,216

5. University of California, Berkeley

Berkeley, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$14,184

Enrollment

30,845

6. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$8,987

Enrollment

18,946

7. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,465

Enrollment

6,483

8. University of Houston

Houston, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$8,913

Enrollment

37,291

9. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$18,454

Enrollment

40,108

10. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$9,816

Enrollment

21,047

20 best online courses for proofreaders

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Top 10 most affordable universities for proofreaders

The most affordable schools for proofreaders are Baruch College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and california state university - long beach.

If the best universities for proofreaders 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 proofreaders.

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. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

4. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

5. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

6. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

7. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

8. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Cost of attendance

13,998

9. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

10. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$8,987

Cost of attendance

25,527

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for proofreaders

The hardest universities for proofreaders to get into are Northwestern University, Harvard University, and Carnegie Mellon University.

Some great schools for proofreaders 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 proofreaders 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

SAT average

1,508

2. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,520

3. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

4. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

5. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,545

6. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,512

7. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

8. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

9. Emory University

Atlanta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,449

10. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for proofreaders

The easiest schools for proofreaders to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, notre dame de namur university, and holy names university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a proofreader 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 proofreaders.

1. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

2. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

3. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

4. Saint Joseph's College of Maine

Standish, ME • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,069

5. Our Lady of the Lake University

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,002

6. Rochester University

Rochester Hills, MI • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,002

7. Grand View University

Des Moines, IA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,060

8. Rosemont College

Rosemont, PA • Private

Admissions rate

89%

SAT average

1,026

9. Centenary University

Hackettstown, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

67%

SAT average

987

10. La Roche College

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

99%

SAT average

1,008

Average proofreader salary by education level

Proofreaders with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $74,246 annually. With a Doctorate degree, proofreaders earn a median annual income of $70,193 compared to $62,021 for proofreaders with an Bachelor's degree.

Proofreader education level	Proofreader salary
Master's Degree	$74,246
High School Diploma or Less	$50,814
Bachelor's Degree	$62,021
Doctorate Degree	$70,193
Some College/ Associate Degree	$53,491

Proofreader education FAQs

What is the best college for Proofreaders?

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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