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The differences between staff writers and content 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 staff writer, becoming a content editor takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a content editor has an average salary of $61,694, which is higher than the $44,844 average annual salary of a staff writer.
The top three skills for a staff writer include feature stories, news stories and event coverage. The most important skills for a content editor are digital content, web content, and digital marketing.
| Staff Writer | Content Editor | |
| Yearly salary | $44,844 | $61,694 |
| Hourly rate | $21.56 | $29.66 |
| Growth rate | 6% | -5% |
| Number of jobs | 80,547 | 18,586 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 82% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Average age | 46 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
A staff writer is an individual who works in the television (TV) or entertainment industry to provide standard content such as news reports, reviews, and features. Since writing content is important, staff writers must be able to collaborate and brainstorm ideas with other staff members in the production process. They must attend conferences, events, or seminars to meet other people in the industry. Staff writers must also possess knowledge in scriptwriting and an in-depth understanding of the entertainment industry.
A content editor is an individual who is responsible for proof-reading articles written by content writers and write blog posts to promote the products and services of an organization. Content editors are responsible for producing monthly newsletters and optimize written pieces to increase user engagement. They need to interact with the consumers with the purpose of sourcing feedback on the content's impact actively. Content editors must also conduct business research on current trends to give the company an edge over the competition.
Staff writers and content editors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Staff Writer | Content Editor | |
| Average salary | $44,844 | $61,694 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $68,000 | Between $41,000 And $91,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | New York |
| Best paying company | The New York Times Company | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Non Profits | Technology |
There are a few differences between a staff writer and a content editor in terms of educational background:
| Staff Writer | Content Editor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 82% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Most common major | Journalism | English |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between staff writers' and content editors' demographics:
| Staff Writer | Content Editor | |
| Average age | 46 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 49.2% Female, 50.8% | Male, 43.5% Female, 56.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.7% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 8.8% White, 71.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 3.5% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.0% Asian, 7.1% White, 76.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 12% |