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The differences between staff writers and story 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 story editor takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a story editor has an average salary of $52,975, 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 story editor are fiction, story development, and ABC.
| Staff Writer | Story Editor | |
| Yearly salary | $44,844 | $52,975 |
| Hourly rate | $21.56 | $25.47 |
| Growth rate | 6% | -5% |
| Number of jobs | 80,547 | 11,458 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 82% | Bachelor's Degree, 82% |
| 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 selects and edits the best news and stories to prepare them for publishing. Similarly, a story editor confers with their production chief to select writers and materials. Hiring, assigning, and supervising writers is also the responsibility of a story writer. They review the writers' work, read material, and assesses its potential development into scripts.
Staff writers and story editors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Staff Writer | Story Editor | |
| Average salary | $44,844 | $52,975 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $68,000 | Between $32,000 And $86,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | New York |
| Best paying company | The New York Times Company | The New York Times Company |
| Best paying industry | Non Profits | Media |
There are a few differences between a staff writer and a story editor in terms of educational background:
| Staff Writer | Story Editor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 82% | Bachelor's Degree, 82% |
| Most common major | Journalism | Photography |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between staff writers' and story editors' demographics:
| Staff Writer | Story Editor | |
| Average age | 46 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 49.2% Female, 50.8% | Male, 53.7% Female, 46.3% |
| 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% |