Occupations · Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
Editors
Plan, coordinate, revise, or edit written material. May review proposals and drafts for possible publication.
O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 27-3041.00
What it pays
A single “average salary” hides the spread. This is the whole distribution — the gap between the bottom and top bar is usually the number that matters.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 · national, cross-industry · annual wage
Pay over time
Median up 82% between 2003 and 2024, before inflation. The band shows the 10th to 90th percentile.
BLS OEWS, one release per year. Before May 2011 only national estimates were published, so geography detail starts there.
Where the jobs are
| Metro area | Median wage | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | $99,220 | 17,280 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $90,570 | 8,690 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $80,990 | 6,000 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | $71,600 | 2,820 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $79,370 | 2,560 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA | $99,720 | 2,350 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $87,330 | 2,110 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $77,220 | 1,910 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $74,520 | 1,410 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $56,160 | 1,390 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $72,800 | 1,120 |
| Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO | $77,190 | 1,010 |
BLS OEWS May 2024, metropolitan estimates · the 12 areas with the most people in this occupation
Typical education to enter: Bachelor's degree · BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
What people in this job actually do
Ordered by how important the work is rated.
- Read copy or proof to detect and correct errors in spelling, punctuation, and syntax.
- Verify facts, dates, and statistics, using standard reference sources.
- Read, evaluate and edit manuscripts or other materials submitted for publication, and confer with authors regarding changes in content, style or organization, or publication.
- Develop story or content ideas, considering reader or audience appeal.
- Prepare, rewrite and edit copy to improve readability, or supervise others who do this work.
- Oversee publication production, including artwork, layout, computer typesetting, and printing, ensuring adherence to deadlines and budget requirements.
- Write text, such as stories, articles, editorials, or newsletters.
- Supervise and coordinate work of reporters and other editors.
- Monitor news-gathering operations to ensure utilization of all news sources, such as press releases, telephone contacts, radio, television, wire services, and other reporters.
- Confer with management and editorial staff members regarding placement and emphasis of developing news stories.
- Plan the contents of publications according to the publication's style, editorial policy, and publishing requirements.
- Review and approve proofs submitted by composing room prior to publication production.
O*NET 30.3 task ratings, importance scale
Skills that matter most
Importance, rated 1 to 5.
O*NET 30.3 skills, importance scale
Software and tools
A dot marks what O*NET flags as in demand.
O*NET 30.3 software skills · hot-technology flag
What this work is actually like
Conditions rated against the average across all occupations — only what makes this job different is listed.
O*NET 30.3 Job Zones
Working conditions that stand out
O*NET 30.3 work context, frequency scale · observed 2017-07
How people actually get in
Share of workers by the education they hold.
O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2017-07
What kind of person the work suits
Occupational interest profile, rated 1 to 7.
O*NET 30.2 occupational interests (RIASEC)
Tasks O*NET flags as emerging
- Respond to questions from the public.
- Write text, such as headlines, stories, articles, editorials, or newsletters.
O*NET 30.3 emerging tasks
What you take with you
Skills rated for how well they transfer into other occupations.
O*NET 30.3 transferable skills, importance scale
Knowledge the work draws on
Abilities it leans on
O*NET 30.3 abilities and knowledge, importance scale
How this job is advertised
The same work is posted under many titles — this is what to search for.
O*NET 30.3 job titles reported for this occupation
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What changed since 2015
Comparing O*NET release 20.1 (2015-10-01) with 30.3 (2026-05-01). Signs, not colour alone, carry the meaning. 2 entries that were only relabelled between releases are left out.
Now listed 24
No longer listed 10
Diff across the O*NET releases held here in full since October 2015, following occupations through merges and retirements. O*NET re-surveys occupations on a rolling cycle, so “no change” can also mean “not re-surveyed”.
Related jobs
O*NET 30.3 related occupations
Also called
O*NET 30.3 alternative titles
The same work in Europe
| ESCO occupation | ISCO | Match |
|---|---|---|
| editor-in-chief | 2642.1.8 | broader |
| magazine editor | 2642.1.12 | broader |
| copy editor | 2642.1.5 | broader |
| book editor | 2641.1 | broader |
| editorial assistant | 3343.2 | broader |
| newspaper editor | 2642.1.13 | broader |
| fact checker | 2642.1.10 | broader |
| columnist | 2642.1.4 | broader |
| book publisher | 1349.7 | broader |
Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)
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