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The average salary for a story editor stands at $52,975 annually, equating to approximately $25 per hour. This figure can fluctuate based on various factors, including geographic location, years of experience, and the specific industry. For instance, story editors in major metropolitan areas often earn more due to a higher cost of living.
Understanding salary ranges by state is crucial for job seekers. States like California and New York typically offer higher salaries for story editors, reflecting their large media markets and competitive job environments. For example, in California, the average salary can exceed $60,000 annually.
Story editors can find roles in diverse settings, including publishing houses, television networks, and online media platforms. By gaining experience and expanding your skill set, you can not only increase your earning potential but also open doors to higher-level editorial positions.
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The highest-paying states for story editors are New York, Connecticut, and California. The lowest average story editor salary states are Alaska, Montana, and South Dakota.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $74,760 | $35.94 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $65,988 | $31.73 |
| 3 | California | $61,197 | $29.42 |
| 4 | Virginia | $56,579 | $27.20 |
| 5 | Washington | $55,279 | $26.58 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $59,676 | $28.69 |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $61,171 | $29.41 |
| 8 | Maryland | $54,919 | $26.40 |
| 9 | Illinois | $54,634 | $26.27 |
| 10 | North Dakota | $53,313 | $25.63 |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | $52,363 | $25.17 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $52,900 | $25.43 |
| 13 | Nevada | $52,090 | $25.04 |
| 14 | New Mexico | $52,108 | $25.05 |
| 15 | New Jersey | $55,233 | $26.55 |
| 16 | Texas | $50,897 | $24.47 |
| 17 | Massachusetts | $51,718 | $24.86 |
| 18 | Minnesota | $54,515 | $26.21 |
| 19 | Wyoming | $47,342 | $22.76 |
| 20 | Georgia | $50,464 | $24.26 |
| 21 | Oklahoma | $50,596 | $24.32 |
| 22 | Utah | $48,683 | $23.41 |
| 23 | Michigan | $49,240 | $23.67 |
| 24 | Arkansas | $48,887 | $23.50 |
| 25 | Vermont | $48,453 | $23.29 |
| 26 | Rhode Island | $50,701 | $24.38 |
| 27 | Colorado | $49,071 | $23.59 |
| 28 | Kentucky | $49,690 | $23.89 |
| 29 | Tennessee | $48,392 | $23.27 |
| 30 | Delaware | $51,443 | $24.73 |
| 31 | Arizona | $50,223 | $24.15 |
| 32 | North Carolina | $46,521 | $22.37 |
| 33 | Hawaii | $52,418 | $25.20 |
| 34 | Ohio | $48,193 | $23.17 |
| 35 | Oregon | $41,882 | $20.14 |
| 36 | Florida | $44,082 | $21.19 |
| 37 | Iowa | $44,755 | $21.52 |
| 38 | South Carolina | $46,242 | $22.23 |
| 39 | Alabama | $46,248 | $22.23 |
| 40 | Maine | $46,922 | $22.56 |
| 41 | Wisconsin | $41,585 | $19.99 |
| 42 | Idaho | $41,536 | $19.97 |
| 43 | Alaska | $36,615 | $17.60 |
| 44 | Missouri | $34,883 | $16.77 |
| 45 | Montana | $36,076 | $17.34 |
| 46 | Nebraska | $31,906 | $15.34 |
| 47 | Indiana | $38,886 | $18.70 |
| 48 | Kansas | $36,772 | $17.68 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $38,374 | $18.45 |
| 50 | South Dakota | $35,651 | $17.14 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $33,384 | $16.05 |
The highest-paying cities for story editors are New York, NY, Burbank, CA, and Beverly Hills, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $75,084 | $36.10 |
| 2 | Burbank, CA | $59,999 | $28.85 |
| 3 | Beverly Hills, CA | $59,956 | $28.82 |
| 4 | Santa Monica, CA | $59,946 | $28.82 |
| 5 | Los Angeles, CA | $59,908 | $28.80 |
| 6 | Culver City, CA | $59,889 | $28.79 |
| 7 | Torrance, CA | $59,714 | $28.71 |
A story editor's salary ranges from $32,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $86,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $86,000 | $7,167 | $41 |
| 75th Percentile | $68,000 | $5,667 | $33 |
| Average | $52,975 | $4,415 | $25 |
| 25th Percentile | $41,000 | $3,417 | $20 |
| 10th Percentile | $32,000 | $2,667 | $15 |
The highest paying types of story editors are senior editor, managing editor, and editor, freelance.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Technical Editor | $61,717 | $5,143 | $29.67 | 78,423 |
| Managing Editor | $89,060 | $7,422 | $42.82 | 16,781 |
Top companies hiring story editors now:
Story editor salaries at The New York Times Company and Snap are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average story editor salary at companies like Motion Theory and Condé Nast are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The New York Times Company | $98,631 | $47.42 |
| 2 | Snap | $61,562 | $29.60 |
| 3 | Motion Theory | $49,010 | $23.56 |
| 4 | Condé Nast | $48,877 | $23.50 |
| 5 | Untitled | $48,876 | $23.50 |
| 6 | Black Bear Realty Inc | $47,965 | $23.06 |
| 7 | Concorde | $46,202 | $22.21 |
| 8 | BBC Worldwide Transportation | $46,008 | $22.12 |
| 9 | automätik | $45,907 | $22.07 |
The average story editor salary has risen by $9,208 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average story editor earned $43,767 annually, but today, they earn $52,975 a year. That works out to a 11% change in pay for story editors over the last decade.
Compare story editor salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare story editor salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $53,000 | $25.47 | +3.2% |
| 2025 | $51,300 | $24.65 | +3.1% |
| 2024 | $49,700 | $23.89 | +1.2% |
| 2023 | $49,100 | $23.61 | +2.7% |
| 2022 | $47,800 | $22.98 | +2.1% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cornell University | Managing Story Editor-Center for Conservation Media | Ithaca, NY | 06/14/2025 | $95,162 |
| Industrial Light & Magic | Story Editor | Fine, NY | 05/27/2025 | $82,000 |
| The Walt Disney Company | Story Editor | New York, NY | 05/15/2025 | $82,000 |
| Will Packer Media LLC | Story Editor | Los Angeles, CA | 02/14/2025 | $80,000 |
| The New York Times Company | Story Editor | New York, NY | 01/12/2025 | $122,529 |
| Andrew Wommack Ministries | GTN Story Editor II | Woodland Park, CO | 12/07/2024 | $43,138 |
| The New York Times Company | Story Editor | New York, NY | 12/04/2024 | $122,529 |
| The New York Times Company | Story Editor, Graphics | New York, NY | 10/24/2024 | $140,000 |
| Andrew Wommack Ministries Inc. | GTN Story Editor II | Woodland Park, CO | 10/22/2024 | $43,138 |
| The New York Times Company | Story Editor, Graphics | New York, NY | 04/04/2024 | $140,000 |
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