Get a Salary Report for



- Compare Your Salary
- Evaluate a Job Offer


- Price a New Hire
- Give a Raise



- Benchmark Jobs
- Create a Comp Plan

Copy Editor Salary

Change Country United States » Job » Copy Editor Overview » Copy Editor Salary
Updated: 21 May 2013
Find Out Exactly What You Should Be Paid
Job Title:
Years in Field/Career:
Location:
United States (change)
- OR -
Job Satisfaction
Highly satisfied Image
Highly satisfied
Rated 4 out of 5 based on 127 Copy Editor votes.
Follow Us On:
follow us on twitter    linkedin  
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
Salary and career advice to put you a step ahead.
newsletter icon

ADVERTISEMENT
Copy Editor 2013 Total Pay (?
XAll compensation data shown are gross, national 10th to 90th percentile ranges. Pay can vary greatly by location. To view local data, take the PayScale survey.
)
$25,039 - $70,383
(Median)
0
25K
40K
52K
70K
MEDIAN: $39,711
10%
50%
75%
90%

Copy Editor Job Listings

jobs by Indeed job search
Search for more jobs:
national salary data
National Salary Data

National Salary Data

 (?
XAll compensation data shown are gross, national 10th to 90th percentile ranges. Pay can vary greatly by location. To view local data, take the PayScale survey.
)
$0$24K$48K$72K
Salary$28,957 - $63,495  
   
Bonus$0.00 - $2,500  
Profit Sharing$245.66 - $1,983  
Total Pay (?
XTotal Pay combines base annual salary or hourly wage, bonuses, profit sharing, tips, commissions, overtime pay and other forms of cash earnings, as applicable for this job. It does not include equity (stock) compensation, cash value of retirement benefits, or the value of other non-cash benefits (e.g. healthcare).
)
$25,039 - $70,383  
PayScale
Country: United States | Currency: USD | Updated: 21 May 2013 | Individuals Reporting: 553

Job Description for Copy Editor

The basic function of copy editor is to review, make changes, and sometimes rewrite articles written by others. Copy editors are often considered a "last line of defense" before a written piece is published for the public eye to see. They usually work for newspapers, magazine productions, and other types of written publishing companies. Being a writer or reporter is often a prerequisite for doing this job, as there is a considerable amount of knowledge that needs to be learned before they can do what is expected of them properly. They check facts, make sure the writing fits the selective style of the company, correct grammar and spelling mistakes, and ensure the article is logically sound. A copy editor must consider other corrections for the work before it is published. He or she also makes visual layout changes to a publication when concerning newspapers and magazine pages. As far as education goes, a Bachelor's degree in English, journalism, or communications is usually expected or required.
Copy Editor Tasks
  • Check facts and ask questions to the author.
  • Ensure that text agrees with the approved style.
  • Check text to ensure copy is well written and logically structured.
  • Correct grammar and spelling.
  • Check documents and other items for readability, style, and agreement with editorial policy.
Your Copy Editor Connections Invite your friends

Please log in with Facebook to see who you know.


Facebook_Login

company salaries
Companies and Industries for Copy Editor Salaries

Popular Industries

Salary Range

Newspaper Publisher$26,686 - $65,444
Publishing$27,692 - $63,197
Marketing, Advertising, and Media Management$27,641 - $62,736
Advertising Agency$27,943 - $63,743
Educational or Learning Materials$29,049 - $67,269
Popular Employers

Salary Range

There is not enough data available to display this chart.

key statistics
Key Statistics for Copy Editor Salaries and Jobs

Female
73%
female alumni
 
Male
27%
male alumni
Salary:$33,163 - $49,450 $30,797 - $57,352
Years of Experience
Less than 1 year
5%
1-4 years
44%
5-9 years
20%
10-19 years
17%
20 years or more
13%
Top Degrees

Salary Range

Most Common Health Benefits
medical benefits Medical: 67% dental benefits Dental: 57%
vision benefits Vision: 43% employee benefits None: 31%

alumni reports
Special Features

ceo incomes
Fortune 100 CEO Income Compared to Average Worker at Company
Many CEOs earn millions a year, but how does their pay compare to the average worker at their company? We list the highest earners.
More Special Features
»
Which jobs, cities and industries are seeing wages rise or fall? Track the latest compensation trends with The PayScale Index Q1 2013 results.
» You think you have a bad boss? We reveal the Top 5 Jobs That Hate Their Boss.

career path
Career Path for Copy Editor Jobs

Common Past Jobs
Common Future Jobs

Copy Editor

Salary Range

$25,039 - $70,383
payscale
Editor
$28,094 - $73,232
Proofreader
$21,771 - $56,027
Editorial Assistant
$22,030 - $40,271
 
Common Future Jobs

Copy Editor

Salary Range

$25,039 - $70,383
payscale
Managing Editor
$30,790 - $87,897
Newspaper Editor
$23,887 - $74,425
Sr. Editor
$40,032 - $97,405
 

career path
Salary Map for Copy Editor Jobs

Highest Salaries By City for Copy Editor Jobs

Top Cities by Popularity for Copy Editor Jobs

Highest Salaries By City Top Cities by Popularity

average job salaries
More Charts for Copy Editor Jobs

Next Steps
Start the survey
- OR -
Sign in with LinkedIn
PayScale Research
Center