Pay Rates for Magazine, Newspaper & Ad Editing

Editorial Responsibilities & How Much Editors Can Expect to Make

Aug 23, 2009

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Whether editing for newspaper, magazine or advertisement, many editing jobs are found in print media. Pay rates for editors vary from different regions and publications.

Editors' responsibilities can vary greatly from publication to publication, but editorial positions typically consist of editing for grammatical, typographical, spelling and content errors. Editors often assign articles and story ideas to staff, put together layouts and plan themes for the publications they edit. Editors must work closely with writers, photographers and publishers to produce quality material.

Pay rates vary for editors depending not only on experience and location but also by the type of publication. The pay rates are organized by how each publication usually pays editors, the average pay rate, followed by the high end and low end of payments. Advertising copy editing typically pays higher than magazines or newspapers.

Pay for Magazine and Trade Journal Content Editing

Magazine and trade journal content editors can expect to be paid by the hour or by the issue.

The average pay rate is $50 per hour or $4,000 per issue.
The high end of payment is $125 per hour or $6,500 per issue.
The low end of payment is $20 per hour or $2,000 per issue.

Pay for Copy Editing Magazines and Trade Journals

Magazine copy editors can expect to be paid by the hour or by the page.

The average pay rate is $40 per hour or $6.25 per page.
The high end of payment is $75 per hour or $10 per page.
The low end of payment is $25 per hour or $3 per page.

Pay for Proofreading Magazines and Trade Journals

Magazine and trade journal proofreaders can expect to be paid by the hour.

The average pay rate is $35 per hour.
The high end of payment is $75 per hour.
The low end of payment is $20 per hour.

Pay for Copy Editing Newspapers

Newspaper copy editors can expect to be paid by the hour.

The average pay rate is $30 per hour.
The high end of payment is $35 per hour.
The low end of payment is $25 per hour.

Pay for Copy Editing for Advertising

Advertising copy editors can expect to be paid by the hour or by the word.

The average pay rate is $60 per hour or $0.60 per word.
The high end of payment is $100 per hour or $1 per word.
The low end of payment is $20 per hour or $0.25 per word.

These figures are merely averages and can vary greatly depending on the area a writer lives in or his or her experience and qualifications. Beginning editors should expect to be paid on the lower end of the spectrum, but they also should not be afraid to bargain with clients and potential employers for higher pay.