Editors plan, review, and revise content for publication.
Editors plan, review, and revise content for publication.
Editors typically do the following:
Editors plan, coordinate, and revise material for publication in books, newspapers, or periodicals or on websites. Editors review story ideas and decide what material will appeal most to readers. During the review process, editors offer comments to improve the product and suggest titles and headlines. In smaller organizations, a single editor may do all the editorial duties or share them with only a few other people.
The following are examples of types of editors:
Assistant editors are responsible for a particular subject, such as local news, international news, feature stories, or sports. Most assistant editors work for newspaper publishers, television broadcasters, magazines, book publishers, or advertising and public relations firms.
Copy editors proofread text for errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling and check for readability, style, and agreement with editorial policy. They suggest revisions, such as changing words and rearranging sentences and paragraphs to improve clarity or accuracy. They also may carry out research, confirm sources, and verify facts, dates, and statistics. In addition, they may arrange page layouts of articles, photographs, and advertising.
Executive editors oversee assistant editors and generally have the final say about which stories are published and how those stories are covered. Executive editors typically hire writers, reporters, and other employees. They also plan budgets and negotiate contracts with freelance writers, who are sometimes called “stringers” in the news industry. Although many executive editors work for newspaper publishers, some work for television broadcasters, magazines, or advertising and public relations firms.
Managing editors typically work for magazines, newspaper publishers, and television broadcasters and are responsible for the daily operations of a news department.
Publication assistants who work for book-publishing houses may read and evaluate manuscripts, proofread uncorrected drafts, and answer questions about published material. Assistants on small newspapers or in smaller media markets may compile articles available from wire services or the Internet, answer phones, and proofread articles.
Editors held about 114,200 jobs in 2023. The largest employers of editors were as follows:
| Self-employed workers | 14% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 12 |
| Newspaper publishers | 12 |
| Motion picture and video industries | 7 |
| Media streaming distribution services, social networks, and other media networks and content providers | 6 |
Most editors work in offices, whether onsite with their employer or from a remote location. They often use desktop or electronic publishing software, scanners, and other electronic communications equipment.
Jobs are somewhat concentrated in major media and entertainment markets—Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and Washington, DC—but improved communications and Internet capabilities are allowing editors to work from a greater variety of locations.
Overseeing and coordinating multiple writing projects simultaneously is common among editors and may lead to stress or fatigue.
Self-employed editors face the added pressures of finding work on an ongoing basis and continually adjusting to new work environments.
Most editors work full time, and their schedules are generally determined by production deadlines and type of editorial position. Editors typically work in busy offices and have to deal with production deadline pressures and the stresses of ensuring that the information they publish is correct. As a result, editors often work many hours, especially at those times leading up to a publication deadline. These work hours can be even more frequent when an editor is working on digital material for the Internet or for a live broadcast.
A bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism, or English, combined with previous writing and proofreading experience, is typically required to be an editor.
Editors typically need a bachelor's degree in English or a related field, such as communications or journalism.
Candidates with other backgrounds who can show strong writing skills also may find jobs as editors. Editors who deal with specific subject matter may need related work experience. For example, fashion editors may need expertise in fashion that they gain through formal training or work experience.
Many editors start off as editorial assistants, writers, or reporters.
Those who are particularly skilled at identifying good stories, recognizing writing talent, and interacting with writers may be interested in editing jobs.
Editors can gain experience by working on high school and college newspapers and for magazines, radio and television stations, advertising and publishing companies. Magazines and newspapers may have offer student internships. For example, the American Society of Magazine Editors offers a Magazine Internship Program to qualified full-time students in their junior or senior year of college. Interns may write stories, conduct research and interviews, and gain general publishing experience.
Editors need to be proficient in computer use, including electronic publishing, graphics, Web design, social media, and multimedia production.
Some editors hold management positions and must make decisions related to running a business. For them, advancement generally means moving up to publications with larger circulation or greater prestige. Copy editors may move into original writing or substantive editing positions or become freelancers.
Creativity. Editors must be imaginative, curious, and knowledgeable in a broad range of topics. Some editors must regularly come up with interesting content or story ideas and attention-grabbing headlines.
Detail oriented. Editors must be meticulous to ensure that material is error free and matches the style of a publication.
Good judgment. Editors decide whether certain stories are ethical and whether there is enough evidence to publish them.
Interpersonal skills. In working with writers, editors must have tact and the ability to guide and encourage them in their work.
Writing skills. Editors ensure that all written content has correct grammar, punctuation, and syntax. Editors must be able to write clearly and logically.
Median annual wages, May 2023
The median annual wage for editors was $75,020 in May 2023. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $38,790, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $138,920.
In May 2023, the median annual wages for editors in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:
| Motion picture and video industries | $104,720 |
| Media streaming distribution services, social networks, and other media networks and content providers | 79,780 |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 77,690 |
| Newspaper publishers | 56,900 |
Most editors work full time, and their schedules are generally determined by production deadlines and type of editorial position. Editors typically work in busy offices and have to deal with production deadline pressures and the stresses of ensuring that the information they publish is correct. As a result, editors often work many hours, especially at those times leading up to a publication deadline. These work hours can be even more frequent when an editor is working on digital material for the Internet or for a live broadcast.
Percent change in employment, projected 2023-33
Employment of editors is projected to decline 2 percent from 2023 to 2033.
Despite declining employment, about 9,300 openings for editors are projected each year, on average, over the decade. All of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to other occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
As traditional print publications lose ground to other media formats, editors are shifting their focus to online media. Despite the growth in online media, decreases in traditional print magazine and newspaper readership will cause a decline in overall employment of editors.
| Occupational Title | SOC Code | Employment, 2023 | Projected Employment, 2033 | Change, 2023-33 | Employment by Industry | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percent | Numeric | ||||||
SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program | |||||||
Editors | 27-3041 | 114,200 | 111,900 | -2 | -2,300 | Get data | |
This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of editors.
| Occupation | Job Duties | ENTRY-LEVEL EDUCATION  | 2023 MEDIAN PAY | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Managers | Advertising, promotions, and marketing managers plan programs to generate interest in products or services. | Bachelor's degree | $156,580 |
 | Desktop Publishers | Desktop publishers use computer software to design page layouts for items that are printed or published online. | Associate's degree | $51,290 |
 | News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists | News analysts, reporters, and journalists keep the public updated about current events and noteworthy information. | Bachelor's degree | $57,500 |
 | Technical Writers | Technical writers prepare instruction manuals, how-to guides, journal articles, and other supporting documents to communicate complex and technical information more easily. | Bachelor's degree | $80,050 |
 | Writers and Authors | Writers and authors develop written content for various types of media. | Bachelor's degree | $73,690 |
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