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The average salary for an assignment editor in the United States is $48,582 annually. This figure can vary based on location, experience, and the specific sector within the media industry. For instance, assignment editors working in larger metropolitan areas often earn higher salaries due to the increased demand for news coverage and the cost of living.
Entry-level assignment editors typically earn around $36,000 per year, while those with several years of experience can see their salaries rise to over $60,000. Senior positions often come with additional responsibilities, including overseeing editorial teams and making strategic decisions about news coverage.
Assignment editor salaries also differ by state. For example, California and New York frequently report the highest salaries due to the concentration of major news outlets. Conversely, states with fewer media organizations may offer lower salary averages. Understanding these regional differences is crucial for job seekers aiming to negotiate favorable compensation packages.
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The average assignment editor salary in New York, Connecticut, and New Hampshire are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average assignment editor salary states are Louisiana, Iowa, and Kansas.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $66,385 | $31.92 |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $59,361 | $28.54 |
| 3 | Connecticut | $60,367 | $29.02 |
| 4 | North Dakota | $52,669 | $25.32 |
| 5 | Washington | $52,405 | $25.19 |
| 6 | Virginia | $51,310 | $24.67 |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $58,094 | $27.93 |
| 8 | Illinois | $50,461 | $24.26 |
| 9 | Maryland | $50,843 | $24.44 |
| 10 | New Jersey | $51,234 | $24.63 |
| 11 | Minnesota | $53,208 | $25.58 |
| 12 | Vermont | $48,068 | $23.11 |
| 13 | Idaho | $48,413 | $23.28 |
| 14 | California | $50,552 | $24.30 |
| 15 | Massachusetts | $48,227 | $23.19 |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | $48,807 | $23.46 |
| 17 | West Virginia | $47,811 | $22.99 |
| 18 | Nevada | $47,116 | $22.65 |
| 19 | Rhode Island | $46,765 | $22.48 |
| 20 | Michigan | $46,229 | $22.23 |
| 21 | Wyoming | $42,549 | $20.46 |
| 22 | Utah | $43,628 | $20.98 |
| 23 | Delaware | $47,860 | $23.01 |
| 24 | Maine | $47,055 | $22.62 |
| 25 | New Mexico | $43,741 | $21.03 |
| 26 | Ohio | $44,240 | $21.27 |
| 27 | Hawaii | $42,806 | $20.58 |
| 28 | Texas | $42,076 | $20.23 |
| 29 | Colorado | $43,693 | $21.01 |
| 30 | Florida | $42,434 | $20.40 |
| 31 | North Carolina | $40,154 | $19.30 |
| 32 | Kentucky | $42,623 | $20.49 |
| 33 | Arizona | $42,559 | $20.46 |
| 34 | Oregon | $38,411 | $18.47 |
| 35 | Alaska | $34,946 | $16.80 |
| 36 | Wisconsin | $39,797 | $19.13 |
| 37 | Tennessee | $39,323 | $18.91 |
| 38 | Oklahoma | $40,978 | $19.70 |
| 39 | Arkansas | $39,273 | $18.88 |
| 40 | Georgia | $40,320 | $19.38 |
| 41 | Montana | $34,835 | $16.75 |
| 42 | South Carolina | $37,323 | $17.94 |
| 43 | Alabama | $37,444 | $18.00 |
| 44 | Nebraska | $27,700 | $13.32 |
| 45 | Missouri | $29,432 | $14.15 |
| 46 | Indiana | $35,027 | $16.84 |
| 47 | Kansas | $30,764 | $14.79 |
| 48 | Iowa | $31,498 | $15.14 |
| 49 | South Dakota | $33,087 | $15.91 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $31,961 | $15.37 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $27,386 | $13.17 |
The highest-paying cities for assignment editors are New York, NY, Bristol, CT, and Washington, DC.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $66,744 | $32.09 |
| 2 | Bristol, CT | $60,011 | $28.85 |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $59,306 | $28.51 |
| 4 | West Sacramento, CA | $55,146 | $26.51 |
| 5 | Minneapolis, MN | $53,249 | $25.60 |
| 6 | Federal Way, WA | $52,781 | $25.38 |
| 7 | Springfield, VA | $52,707 | $25.34 |
| 8 | Baltimore, MD | $51,133 | $24.58 |
| 9 | Chicago, IL | $50,952 | $24.50 |
| 10 | Philadelphia, PA | $49,280 | $23.69 |
| 11 | Boston, MA | $48,177 | $23.16 |
| 12 | Portland, ME | $47,787 | $22.97 |
| 13 | Southfield, MI | $46,408 | $22.31 |
| 14 | Albuquerque, NM | $43,945 | $21.13 |
| 15 | Columbus, OH | $43,663 | $20.99 |
| 16 | Denver, CO | $43,636 | $20.98 |
| 17 | El Paso, TX | $43,194 | $20.77 |
| 18 | Glendale, AZ | $42,735 | $20.55 |
| 19 | Oklahoma City, OK | $41,295 | $19.85 |
| 20 | Atlanta, GA | $40,218 | $19.34 |
An assignment editor's salary ranges from $31,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $74,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $74,000 | $6,167 | $36 |
| 75th Percentile | $60,000 | $5,000 | $29 |
| Average | $48,582 | $4,049 | $23 |
| 25th Percentile | $38,000 | $3,167 | $18 |
| 10th Percentile | $31,000 | $2,583 | $15 |
The highest paying types of assignment editors are senior editor, managing editor, and writer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Journalist | $60,828 | $5,069 | $29.24 | 11,488 |
| Reporter | $46,667 | $3,889 | $22.44 | 11,179 |
| Writer | $66,143 | $5,512 | $31.80 | 13,931 |
| News Reporter | $41,481 | $3,457 | $19.94 | 11,609 |
| Technical Writer | $65,329 | $5,444 | $31.41 | 75,090 |
| Editorial Internship | $32,356 | $2,696 | $15.56 | 51,667 |
Top companies hiring assignment editors now:
Assignment editor salaries at The Washington Post and The Boston Globe are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average assignment editor salary at companies like ESPN and Fox News are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Washington Post | $82,464 | $39.65 |
| 2 | The Boston Globe | $72,237 | $34.73 |
| 3 | ESPN | $66,328 | $31.89 |
| 4 | Fox News | $63,022 | $30.30 |
| 5 | Kenneth Copeland Ministries | $61,784 | $29.70 |
| 6 | AccuWeather | $59,904 | $28.80 |
| 7 | Sinclair Broadcast Group | $51,787 | $24.90 |
| 8 | ViacomCBS | $51,470 | $24.75 |
| 9 | TEGNA | $51,056 | $24.55 |
| 10 | Middle East Broadcasting Network | $50,340 | $24.20 |
| 11 | Gray Television | $50,073 | $24.07 |
| 12 | The E.W. Scripps Company | $46,479 | $22.35 |
| 13 | The Walt Disney Company | $45,818 | $22.03 |
| 14 | Nexstar Media Group | $45,174 | $21.72 |
| 15 | *n/a* | $44,535 | $21.41 |
| 16 | Paramount | $42,180 | $20.28 |
| 17 | WMSN FOX 47 News, Madison | $39,119 | $18.81 |
| 18 | Hearst | $38,162 | $18.35 |
The average assignment editor salary has risen by $8,444 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average assignment editor earned $40,138 annually, but today, they earn $48,582 a year. That works out to a 11% change in pay for assignment editors over the last decade.
Compare assignment editor salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare assignment editor salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $48,600 | $23.36 | +3.2% |
| 2024 | $47,000 | $22.61 | +3.1% |
| 2023 | $45,600 | $21.91 | +1.2% |
| 2022 | $45,000 | $21.65 | +2.7% |
| 2021 | $43,800 | $21.08 | +2.1% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fox Corporation | Assignment Editor, DC Bureau | Washington, DC | 06/25/2025 | $67,000 |
| Fox | Assignment Editor, DC Bureau | Ione, WA | 06/25/2025 | $67,000 |
| Tribune Media Company | Editor, Assignments | San Diego, CA | 06/05/2025 | $50,088 |
| Charter Spectrum | Assignment Editor-Spectrum News NY1 | New York, NY | 05/29/2025 | $50,714 |
| Tegna | Digital Assignment Editor | Ione, WA | 05/23/2025 | $62,610 |
| Nbcuniversal | Assignment Editor, NBC & Telemundo | Washington, DC | 05/23/2025 | $65,000 |
| Nbcuniversal | Overnight Assignment Editor, Network News Desk | New York, NY | 05/20/2025 | $75,000 |
| Tribune Media Company | Editor, Assignments | San Diego, CA | 05/18/2025 | $56,349 |
| Nexstar Media Group Inc. | Editor, Assignments | San Diego, CA | 05/16/2025 | $56,349 |
| Fox | Assignment Editor | Seattle, WA | 05/02/2025 | $79,327 |
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