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The differences between staff 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 staff writer, becoming an editor takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, an editor has an average salary of $52,107, 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 an editor are web content, video content, and SEO.
| Staff Writer | Editor | |
| Yearly salary | $44,844 | $52,107 |
| Hourly rate | $21.56 | $25.05 |
| Growth rate | 6% | -5% |
| Number of jobs | 80,547 | 15,115 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 82% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| 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.
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.
Staff writers and editors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Staff Writer | Editor | |
| Average salary | $44,844 | $52,107 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $68,000 | Between $34,000 And $78,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | New York |
| Best paying company | The New York Times Company | Microsoft |
| Best paying industry | Non Profits | Technology |
There are a few differences between a staff writer and an editor in terms of educational background:
| Staff Writer | Editor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 82% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Most common major | Journalism | English |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between staff writers' and editors' demographics:
| Staff Writer | Editor | |
| Average age | 46 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 49.2% Female, 50.8% | Male, 46.4% Female, 53.6% |
| 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, 3.6% 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% |