Occupations · Office and Administrative Support
Proofreaders and Copy Markers
Read transcript or proof type setup to detect and mark for correction any grammatical, typographical, or compositional errors. Excludes workers whose primary duty is editing copy. Includes proofreaders of braille.
O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 43-9081.00
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 101% 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 | $60,130 | 1,170 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | $45,900 | 190 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $49,910 | 170 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $54,680 | 160 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $65,170 | 150 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $40,240 | 120 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA | $70,300 | 70 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $50,740 | 70 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $58,150 | 60 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $46,960 | 60 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $37,330 | 60 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $50,740 | 60 |
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.
- Mark copy to indicate and correct errors in type, arrangement, grammar, punctuation, or spelling, using standard printers' marks.
- Read corrected copies or proofs to ensure that all corrections have been made.
- Correct or record omissions, errors, or inconsistencies found.
- Compare information or figures on one record against same data on other records, or with original copy, to detect errors.
- Route proofs with marked corrections to authors, editors, typists, or typesetters for correction or reprinting.
- Consult reference books or secure aid of readers to check references with rules of grammar and composition.
- Typeset and measure dimensions, spacing, and positioning of page elements, such as copy and illustrations, to verify conformance to specifications, using printer's ruler or layout software.
- Consult with authors and editors regarding manuscript changes and suggestions.
- Archive documents, conduct research, and read copy, using the internet and various computer programs.
- Write original content, such as headlines, cutlines, captions, and cover copy.
- Read proof sheets aloud, calling out punctuation marks and spelling unusual words and proper names.
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 2016-07
How people actually get in
Share of workers by the education they hold.
O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2016-07
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
- Check the facts of stories using the internet.
- Design page layouts using text, photographs, graphics, and other elements.
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 14
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 |
|---|---|---|
| proofreader | 4413.1 | broader |
| typesetter | 7321.1.6 | broader |
| copy editor | 2642.1.5 | broader |
Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)
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