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Copy editor salary
Average copy editor salary
$62,599
Understanding Copy Editor Salaries
As of October 2025, the average salary for a copy editor stands at $62,599 per year, or approximately $30 per hour. Salaries can vary based on several factors, including geographic location, years of experience, and the specific industry in which a copy editor works. For instance, copy editors in metropolitan areas or working for large corporations often see higher pay scales compared to those in smaller markets.
Salary by State
In some states, the demand for copy editors drives salaries higher. States like California and New York consistently report the highest average salaries, often exceeding $70,000 annually. In contrast, regions with lower demand may offer salaries closer to the national average. It’s also worth noting that specialized copy editors, such as those in technical or medical fields, may command higher wages due to their expertise.
Job Opportunities
Copy editors can find opportunities across various sectors, including publishing, advertising, and online media. Positions can range from freelance gigs to full-time roles in established companies. By exploring job listings on platforms like Zippia, aspiring copy editors can identify positions that match their skills and desired salary range.
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Where can a Copy Editor earn more?
Copy editor salary estimates from across the web
Average copy editor salary by state
The highest-paying states for copy editors are New Jersey, Connecticut, and New Hampshire. The lowest average copy editor salary states are Utah, Missouri, and Montana.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for copy editors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $90,484 | $43.50 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $88,094 | $42.35 |
| 3 | Connecticut | $83,186 | $39.99 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $78,312 | $37.65 |
| 5 | New York | $72,174 | $34.70 |
| 6 | Virginia | $69,778 | $33.55 |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $78,929 | $37.95 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | $70,429 | $33.86 |
| 9 | Vermont | $64,718 | $31.11 |
| 10 | West Virginia | $68,130 | $32.75 |
| 11 | California | $65,881 | $31.67 |
| 12 | North Dakota | $62,002 | $29.81 |
| 13 | Michigan | $63,260 | $30.41 |
| 14 | Washington | $62,795 | $30.19 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $63,925 | $30.73 |
| 16 | North Carolina | $59,309 | $28.51 |
| 17 | Delaware | $64,744 | $31.13 |
| 18 | Illinois | $58,521 | $28.14 |
| 19 | Wyoming | $53,651 | $25.79 |
| 20 | Maine | $64,042 | $30.79 |
| 21 | New Mexico | $57,852 | $27.81 |
| 22 | Kentucky | $61,800 | $29.71 |
| 23 | Georgia | $58,616 | $28.18 |
| 24 | Hawaii | $59,071 | $28.40 |
| 25 | Maryland | $54,374 | $26.14 |
| 26 | Nevada | $57,619 | $27.70 |
| 27 | Colorado | $57,195 | $27.50 |
| 28 | Tennessee | $56,768 | $27.29 |
| 29 | Idaho | $55,829 | $26.84 |
| 30 | Oklahoma | $56,599 | $27.21 |
| 31 | Florida | $54,086 | $26.00 |
| 32 | Arkansas | $55,057 | $26.47 |
| 33 | Ohio | $54,909 | $26.40 |
| 34 | South Carolina | $56,075 | $26.96 |
| 35 | Wisconsin | $52,951 | $25.46 |
| 36 | Arizona | $54,429 | $26.17 |
| 37 | Oregon | $44,028 | $21.17 |
| 38 | Minnesota | $50,969 | $24.50 |
| 39 | Texas | $48,077 | $23.11 |
| 40 | Alabama | $52,718 | $25.35 |
| 41 | Utah | $41,284 | $19.85 |
| 42 | Indiana | $49,472 | $23.78 |
| 43 | Missouri | $41,019 | $19.72 |
| 44 | Alaska | $34,908 | $16.78 |
| 45 | Kansas | $42,497 | $20.43 |
| 46 | Iowa | $42,398 | $20.38 |
| 47 | Nebraska | $37,133 | $17.85 |
| 48 | Montana | $39,948 | $19.21 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $43,952 | $21.13 |
| 50 | South Dakota | $42,034 | $20.21 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $37,889 | $18.22 |
Highest paying cities for copy editors
The highest-paying cities for copy editors are Washington, DC, Jersey City, NJ, and Hartford, CT.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington, DC | $90,542 | $43.53 |
| 2 | Jersey City, NJ | $88,191 | $42.40 |
| 3 | Hartford, CT | $82,565 | $39.69 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $78,223 | $37.61 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $72,468 | $34.84 |
| 6 | Philadelphia, PA | $70,907 | $34.09 |
| 7 | Arlington, VA | $70,802 | $34.04 |
| 8 | San Francisco, CA | $70,260 | $33.78 |
| 9 | Olympia, WA | $64,009 | $30.77 |
| 10 | Skokie, IL | $59,012 | $28.37 |
| 11 | Atlanta, GA | $58,470 | $28.11 |
| 12 | Las Vegas, NV | $57,298 | $27.55 |
| 13 | Denver, CO | $57,147 | $27.47 |
| 14 | Oklahoma City, OK | $56,475 | $27.15 |
| 15 | Columbia, SC | $56,422 | $27.13 |
| 16 | Asheville, NC | $56,291 | $27.06 |
| 17 | Columbus, OH | $54,769 | $26.33 |
| 18 | Phoenix, AZ | $54,589 | $26.24 |
| 19 | Baltimore, MD | $54,509 | $26.21 |
| 20 | Saint Paul, MN | $51,181 | $24.61 |
Copy editor salary details
A copy editor's salary ranges from $39,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $98,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a copy editor's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $98,000 | $8,167 | $47 |
| 75th Percentile | $79,000 | $6,583 | $38 |
| Average | $62,599 | $5,217 | $30 |
| 25th Percentile | $49,000 | $4,083 | $24 |
| 10th Percentile | $39,000 | $3,250 | $19 |
Highest paying copy editor jobs
The highest paying types of copy editors are senior editor, managing editor, and publisher.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Publisher | $71,539 | $5,962 | $34.39 | 10,303 |
| Editing Internship | $35,035 | $2,920 | $16.84 | 49,315 |
| Editorial Internship | $32,356 | $2,696 | $15.56 | 51,667 |
| Editor, Freelance | $67,947 | $5,662 | $32.67 | 8,608 |
| Editor/Director | $53,599 | $4,467 | $25.77 | 9,107 |
| Writer And Editor | $61,482 | $5,124 | $29.56 | 14,865 |
Top companies hiring copy editors now:
Which companies pay copy editors the most?
Copy editor salaries at PayPal and PRWeek are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average copy editor salary at companies like The New York Times Company and National Council Licensure Examination are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PayPal | $122,050 | $58.68 |
| 2 | PRWeek | $94,828 | $45.59 |
| 3 | The New York Times Company | $92,782 | $44.61 |
| 4 | National Council Licensure Examination | $87,716 | $42.17 |
| 5 | SourceMedia | $86,253 | $41.47 |
| 6 | IPRO | $83,983 | $40.38 |
| 7 | NRDC | $82,161 | $39.50 |
| 8 | The Washington Post | $82,156 | $39.50 |
| 9 | Workiva | $81,242 | $39.06 |
| 10 | Ramsey | $79,439 | $38.19 |
| 11 | Sdl Plc | $78,672 | $37.82 |
| 12 | Nintendo | $76,857 | $36.95 |
| 13 | ICF | $75,531 | $36.31 |
| 14 | Saint Xavier University | $75,392 | $36.25 |
| 15 | AXIOS HR | $75,124 | $36.12 |
| 16 | David Zwirner | $75,068 | $36.09 |
| 17 | Michigan State University | $71,300 | $34.28 |
| 18 | University of Southern California | $69,141 | $33.24 |
| 19 | Salesforce | $69,124 | $33.23 |
| 20 | Accenture | $67,909 | $32.65 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Copy editor salary trends
The average copy editor salary has risen by $10,881 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average copy editor earned $51,718 annually, but today, they earn $62,599 a year. That works out to a 11% change in pay for copy editors over the last decade.
Compare copy editor salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average copy editor salary over time
Compare copy editor salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Copy editor salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $62,600 | $30.10 | +3.2% |
| 2024 | $60,600 | $29.13 | +3.1% |
| 2023 | $58,700 | $28.23 | +1.2% |
| 2022 | $58,000 | $27.90 | +2.7% |
| 2021 | $56,500 | $27.16 | +2.1% |
Recently added copy editor salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mjh Life Sciences, LLC | Copy Editor, Clinical | Cranbury, NJ | 06/29/2025 | $45,000 |
| Thomson Reuters | Attorney Copy Editor | Pope, MS | 06/28/2025 | $56,000 |
| Zoho | Copy Editor-Manageengine | Austin, TX | 06/28/2025 | $65,000 |
| State of Indiana | Copy Editor | Indianapolis, IN | 06/14/2025 | $42,900 |
| New York Post | Copy Editor, Features | New York, NY | 06/05/2025 | $62,400 |
| Lexis Nexis | Copy Editor | Ione, CA | 05/27/2025 | $72,500 |
| National Pen | SR. Product Copy Editor | Shelbyville, TN | 05/26/2025 | $80,000 |
| Cella Inc. | Copy Editor | Los Angeles, CA | 05/24/2025 | $62,610 |
| National Journal | Copy Editor | Washington, DC | 05/22/2025 | $50,000 |
| Solugenix | Copy Editor | Los Angeles, CA | 05/22/2025 | $71,981 |
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