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Editors

Typical education: Bachelor's degreeLower pressure

What they do

Plan, coordinate, revise, or edit written material. May review proposals and drafts for possible publication.

Kinds of work

  • Artistic: Creating, designing and expressing ideas through art, writing, music or performance.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.
  • Enterprising: Leading, persuading, selling and starting new projects or businesses.

Lower pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $77,920 Median per year · $37.46/hr Most earn $41,250–$153,700

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Read, evaluate and edit manuscripts or other materials submitted for publication, and confer with authors regarding changes in content, style or organization, or publication.
  • Interview and hire writers and reporters or negotiate contracts, royalties, and payments for authors or freelancers.
  • Make manuscript acceptance or revision recommendations to the publisher.
  • Arrange for copyright permissions.
  • Allocate print space for story text, photos, and illustrations according to space parameters and copy significance, using knowledge of layout principles.
  • Write text, such as headlines, stories, articles, editorials, or newsletters.

Job outlook

United States
1% fewer jobs by 2035, little or no change · about 7,900 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Newspaper publishers12.5%
  • Self-employed (their own business)9.0%
  • Media streaming distribution services, social networks, and other media networks and content providers6.7%
  • Computer systems design and related services4.2%
  • Colleges, universities, and professional schools4.0%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 2 to 4 years

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Bachelor's degreeExperience before this job: 2 to 4 years

Editing is not usually an entry-level job. Most editors first earn a bachelor's degree and then spend about 2 to 4 years in writing or publishing work before taking on editing duties, so plan on roughly 6 to 8 years from starting college to the role.

  1. Bachelor's degree in English, journalism, communications, or a similar field

    4 years

    You build strong writing, reading, and research skills and learn how publishing works, which you'll need before any employer trusts you with editing.

  2. News Reporter

    1-2 years

    Writing on deadline, checking facts, and working with sources teaches you the accuracy and clarity that editors look for in other people's work.

  3. Editor

    Starts after about 2-4 years of writing or publishing experience

    You plan, coordinate, revise, and edit written material and review drafts for possible publication.

Where it can lead

  1. Senior Editor

    3-5 years as an Editor of experience first

    You take on bigger projects, lead other editors or writers, and make more decisions about what gets published.

  2. Managing Editor

    5+ years as an Editor or Senior Editor of experience first

    You oversee the whole editorial workflow, including schedules, budgets, and staff, rather than focusing mainly on edits.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take English, writing, and journalism classesStrong reading and writing skills are the foundation every editor needs.
  • Join the school newspaper, yearbook, or literary magazineWorking on real publications teaches deadlines, revising, and working with a team.
  • Enter writing contests or submit pieces to student publicationsPublished or award-winning work gives you samples to show later and proves you can meet a standard.
  • Get a starter job or volunteer at a library or local newsletterAny job that involves reading, writing, or organizing information builds useful habits and a work history.

In college

  • Major in English, journalism, or communicationsThese majors build the writing, editing, and publishing knowledge that employers look for in editorial candidates.
  • Work on the college newspaper or magazine as a copy editorCopy editing is direct experience checking grammar, facts, and clarity, which is the core of the job.
  • Apply for internships at publishers, magazines, or news outletsInternships show you how editorial teams work and often lead to entry-level offers.
  • Take a campus job in the writing center or a campus office that writes and edits materialsGiving feedback on other people's writing builds the skills of revising and coordinating text.
  • Build a clips portfolioA collection of published or edited work is one of the strongest things you can show a hiring editor.

Tips for getting started

  • Build a portfolio of your best writing and any edits you've done, such as school newspaper articles, blog posts, or edited class projects, since employers often ask to see samples.
  • Get hands-on experience early through school publications, literary magazines, or writing for a local paper, because real editing work counts for a lot.
  • Practice careful proofreading and learn the style guide used in publishing, such as AP style for news, because accuracy is a core part of the job.

Related jobs that often lead here

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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