This is a list of the average salaries for a number of writing and editing professions. The figures represent typical scales for a mid-sized metropolitan area in the United States. Larger markets tend to pay more and smaller markets tend to pay less. Remember that these are typical salaries for people who are employed by other companies. There is a much greater income variation among people who freelance or own their own businesses.
Note: These figures were compiled using a variety of sources including salary information at indeed.com, salary.com,stc.org.
- Acquisitions Editor: $37,000 to $57,000
- Assistant Editor: $26,000 to $40,000
- Associate Editor: 33,000 to 44,000
- Blogger: $17,000 to $38,000
- Copy Editor: $21,000 to 42,000
- Copywriter: $41,000 to $63,000
- Editor: $37,000 to $54,000
- Editorial Assistant: $24,000 to $38,000
- Editor-in-Chief: $51,000 to $95,000
- E-learning Developer: $42,000 to 75,000
- Fact Checker / Researcher: $25,000 to $37,000
- Grant Writer: $35,000 to $47,000
- Junior Copywriter: $29,000 to $44,000
- Junior Technical Writer: $31,000 to $42,000
- Legal Editor: $36,000 to $45,000
- Managing Editor: $37,000 to 49,000
- Medical Copy Editor: $29,000 to 44,000
- Medical Editor: $37,000 to 52,000
- News Editor: $25,000 to 35,000
- Newspaper Reporter: $24,000 to $51,000
- Online Editor: $31,000 to $50,000
- Proofreader: $29,000 to $41,000
- Proposal Writer: $41,000 to 69,000
- Public Relations Writer: $34,000 to $46,000
- Publications Assistant: $25,000 to $37,000
- Senior Copywriter: $54,000 to $80,000
- Senior Editor: $42,000 to $66,000
- Senior Technical Writer: $56,000 to $81,000
- Speech Writer: $51,000 to $73,000
- Technical Copy Editor: $36,000 to $52,000
- Technical Editor: $36,000 to $57,000
- Technical Writer: $42,000 to $63,000
- Web Editor: $22,000 to $44,000