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The differences between senior 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 senior writer, becoming an editor takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a senior writer has an average salary of $80,145, which is higher than the $52,107 average annual salary of an editor.
The top three skills for a senior writer include project management, web content and wordpress. The most important skills for an editor are web content, video content, and SEO.
| Senior Writer | Editor | |
| Yearly salary | $80,145 | $52,107 |
| Hourly rate | $38.53 | $25.05 |
| Growth rate | 4% | -5% |
| Number of jobs | 15,995 | 15,115 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 79% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Average age | 42 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
A senior writer is responsible for assisting junior writers in creating compositions and digital content according to business functions and client needs. A senior writer should have excellent communication skills, both written and oral, as well as extensive knowledge of composition structures and developing engaging pieces to attract the target audience and potential clients, driving resources for revenue and profits. They also coordinate with clients on any adjustments and instructions to support their goals and objectives.
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.
Senior writers and editors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Writer | Editor | |
| Average salary | $80,145 | $52,107 |
| Salary range | Between $54,000 And $117,000 | Between $34,000 And $78,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | California | New York |
| Best paying company | Apple | Microsoft |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Technology |
There are a few differences between a senior writer and an editor in terms of educational background:
| Senior Writer | Editor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 79% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Most common major | English | English |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between senior writers' and editors' demographics:
| Senior Writer | Editor | |
| Average age | 42 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 55.8% Female, 44.2% | Male, 46.4% Female, 53.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.0% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 7.7% Asian, 4.9% White, 75.5% 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 | 16% | 12% |