Working as a book editor is a pretty idealistic proposition for many people. The idea of having a desk piled high with manuscripts, rubbing elbows with authors at glamorous book launches, and getting a first look at the most recent fiction is pretty appealing. However, how much do editors make? What do editors make?
In this post, we’ll examine the salary range for editors and the elements that affect it.
Table of Contents
How Much Money Do Editors Make?
The average Editor salary in the United States is $73,823 as of August 29, 2022, but the range typically falls between $63,664 and $83,601. Salary ranges can differ significantly based on a variety of significant factors, including education, credentials, additional skills, and the length of time you have been in your profession. Salary.com assists you in determining your precise pay target by providing more online, real-time compensation data than any other website.
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What Is The Earning Potential For Editors?
Editors in the US earn incomes ranging from $30,000 to $233,000, with a median pay of $66,150. While the top 86 percent of Editors earn $233,000 annually, the middle 57% earn between $66,300 and $121,000.
Factors That Influence An Editor’s Annual Salary
An editor’s pay is influenced by a variety of factors. These include:
Type of Editing: A full-time book editor who is employed by a major publication will probably earn more money than a freelancer who only edits articles occasionally.
Employer Type: According to the BLS, editors who work for governmental, nonprofit, and professional organizations make an average of $71,520 annually, while those who work for publishers of newspapers and periodicals make an average of $58,260.
Location: Editors who live in metropolitan areas with high costs of living, such as New York City, San Francisco, or Boston, frequently earn more than those who do in smaller, more affordable towns.
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Years of Experience: As with many other jobs, your chances of earning more money as an editor increase with time.
These elements account for the wide range in salaries for editors above the national average.
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How Much Tax Will An Editor Have To Pay?
You would pay an estimated average federal tax of 22% in 2018 as a single filer in this tax bracket. Editors may anticipate taking home $61,733 per year after paying a federal tax rate of 22 percent, or around $2,572 per paycheck.
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In the US, the average Editor’s salary is $73,940. 4 percent of an editor’s income, or $2,952, or more, is the average bonus they receive each year, according to 41% of those surveyed. San Francisco has the highest average total remuneration for editors at $91,592, which is 24 percent higher than the US average.
Top Publishers Don’t Pay Top Dollar Necessarily
For those unfamiliar with the lingo of the publishing world, “The Big 5” refers to the major players in the sector (at least in the US): Simon and Schuster, Macmillan, Hachette Book Group, Penguin Random House, and the Harper Collins publishing house.
Many would-be editors are attracted to these big publishers because of their glittering backlists, company perks, and industry clout. There is no guarantee that they will pay more for these bells and whistles, though. At Hachette, mid-level editorial positions pay $45,000 as of the time of publication, while graduate positions pay around $30,000; the latter is the industry norm, whether you work for a boutique firm or a publishing behemoth like Hachette.
Even though base book editor salaries are similar everywhere, Big 5 publishers frequently pay more for managerial positions due to the size and scope of production. That said, even if indie publishers have less titles to release each year, they tend to work in smaller, more tight-knit teams that are a little more dynamic when it comes to work delegation — which is a work life that some editors may prefer.
Big City Editors Get Bigger Bucks
The pay for book editors varies from city to city due to differences in living expenses as well as the concentration of publishing houses in various cities. According to this Forbes article, the highest salaries can be found on the East Coast, with Massachusetts taking first place ($89,280) and New York coming in second ($83,070) in close succession.
The differences between states can be glaring, with Louisiana ($42,340) and Montana ($41,030) having the lowest annual salaries overall. Unsurprisingly, this reflects variations in living expenses and the locations of commercial hubs.
Editor’s Job Description
The experts who edit written works are editors, who are responsible for spelling, grammar, and punctuation correction. For the final product to read clearly, they search the text for errors in syntax and grammar.
A piece’s overall flow as well as its mechanics are corrected by an editor. For better flow, the editor might rewrite sections of the text or rearrange paragraphs. Most editors simply improve the author’s original work to make it more effective without altering the piece’s meaning.
Editor’s Types
Depending on the type of work they edit, editors can be classified into various categories. Some common job titles editors can hold include:
Books and manuscripts are edited by book editors, who work for publishing houses.
Editors who specialize in the journalism profession edit the content of periodicals for magazines and newspapers.
Online editors: Online editors edit press releases, websites, blogs, and other content for websites. Self-published works and online content are edited by editors who are employed by retail websites like Amazon.
Freelance editor: For editors who are able to set their own hourly rate and work without having to submit time sheets to an employer, freelancing can be extremely lucrative. These independent professional editors can work concurrently for several magazines or websites to increase their earnings.
Developmental editors: Developmental editors may also provide writing coaching to authors as they plan the organization, topic, and structure of their books. In contrast to traditional book editing, developmental editing focuses on aiding the writing process rather than correcting the grammar of the final product.
Proofreader: Proofreading is a step in the editing process, and some people make a living solely from it.
A line editor goes line by line through a book or other piece of writing to make the writing more comprehensible and interesting.
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Editors Education Requirements
English grammar proficiency is essential for editors. This typically indicates that an article or book editor will hold a bachelor’s degree in journalism or English. However, some colleges offer certificates in journalism and editing that can help the average editor get a job at the entry-level.
Many editors first work as authors of books or articles. As a result, they become more suited to the job of editor while also learning how to write well. Others will work as editorial assistants to get experience in the field before applying for editorial jobs.
FAQs
What Does An Editor Make In Hong Kong At The Lowest Level?
Editors in Hong Kong make a minimum of HK$13,700 per month.
What Is The Highest Pay For An Editor In Hong Kong?
In Hong Kong, an editor can earn up to HK$48,600 per month.
How Much Money Do Film Editors Make?
The job of audio mixing and mastering falls to the film editor. Entry-level film and video editors can anticipate making between $31940 and $43230 annually, or $15 to $21 per hour, with little to no experience. As they gain more experience, their base pay will increase, just like in every other profession.
Conclusion
How much do editors make? The BLS estimates that an editor makes an average yearly pay of $63,400. Depending on where an editor works and the type of editing they do, this can be greater or lower.
