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The differences between scientific writers and editors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a scientific writer, becoming an editor takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a scientific writer has an average salary of $99,550, which is higher than the $52,107 average annual salary of an editor.
The top three skills for a scientific writer include IND, NDA and abstracts. The most important skills for an editor are web content, video content, and SEO.
| Scientific Writer | Editor | |
| Yearly salary | $99,550 | $52,107 |
| Hourly rate | $47.86 | $25.05 |
| Growth rate | 6% | -5% |
| Number of jobs | 15,960 | 15,115 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Average age | 46 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
Scientific writers are professionals who are responsible for conducting research and writing articles that are related to scientific topics for many different kinds of publications and scientific journals. These writers are required to conduct interviews with scientists and other important people to ensure accurate information about the essays they are writing. They must adapt and comply with in-house style guides as well as perform copy-editing and proofreading duties. Scientific writers must also build up a network of contacts with other professionals in the industry such as press officers, PR executives, and researchers.
An editor is the one responsible for polishing and refining a story, article, and any material for publication in newspapers, magazines, books, or websites. Editors have the power to either accept or reject a material as they need to ensure that every manuscript which will be offered for publishing is at the best version as it can be. There are several types of editors, from copy editors, books to managing editors, but they have few skills in common, like strong writing skills, good judgment, and leadership abilities to help guide the whole editorial team. Most of them work in the office, but it is quite becoming more regular for them to work remotely.
Scientific writers and editors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Scientific Writer | Editor | |
| Average salary | $99,550 | $52,107 |
| Salary range | Between $66,000 And $150,000 | Between $34,000 And $78,000 |
| Highest paying City | Richmond, VA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Virginia | New York |
| Best paying company | Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center | Microsoft |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Technology |
There are a few differences between a scientific writer and an editor in terms of educational background:
| Scientific Writer | Editor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Most common major | Biology | English |
| Most common college | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between scientific writers' and editors' demographics:
| Scientific Writer | Editor | |
| Average age | 46 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 39.2% Female, 60.8% | Male, 46.4% Female, 53.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 7.6% Asian, 8.6% White, 72.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 3.6% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 7.3% White, 76.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 12% |