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Editorial Assistant Salary in the United States

How much does an Editorial Assistant make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for an Editorial Assistant in the United States is $56,750 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $27.

However, an Editorial Assistant's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $68,950
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $54,488 to $63,136
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $52,429
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Editorial Assistant Salaries

An Editorial Assistant's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Editorial Assistant Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Editorial Assistant's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $56,581
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $56,941
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $58,370
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $58,656
  • Expert (over 8 years): $58,847
Levels Salary
Entry Level Editorial Assistant$56,581
Intermediate Level Editorial Assistant$56,941
Senior Level Editorial Assistant$58,370
Specialist Level Editorial Assistant$58,656
Expert Level Editorial Assistant$58,847
View as Graph

How Do Editorial Assistants Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Editorial Assistants. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $62,834.
  • California: $62,595.
  • Massachusetts: $61,761.

Top Paying Cities for Editorial Assistant

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $71,579
  • San Francisco: $70,795
  • Oakland: $69,303

What Skills Can Increase an Editorial Assistant's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Storytelling (Mentioned in 5.61% Job Postings): Planning, creating and presenting stories or narratives to achieve diverse personal and business goals.
  • Photoshop (Mentioned in 2.21% Job Postings): Photoshop is an image creation, graphic design and photo editing software developed by Adobe. It is used to demonstrate knowledge of image resolution, image size, and image file format for web, video, and print.
  • Competitive Environment (Mentioned in 1.54% Job Postings): Ability to gather, analyze, and communicate information about the competitive business market.
Skills Demand Percentage
Storytelling 5.61%
Photoshop 2.21%
Competitive Environment 1.54%
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What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on an Editorial Assistant's salary.

  • Economics: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
  • Content Development: Can increase your salary by up to 10%.
  • Insight: Can increase your salary by up to 10%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Economics $62,993
11%
Content Development $62,425
10%
Insight $62,425
10%
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Editorial Assistant Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Editorial Assistant salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $63,420. While startup companies pay approximate $53,647.

Editorial Assistant Salary by Company Size

Company Size Employees Average Salary
Startup 1~50 $53,647
Growth Stage 51~500 $56,737
Established 501~5000 $61,241
Enterprise 5000+ $63,420

Editorial Assistant Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Editorial Assistant roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 100% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Software & Networking and Aerospace & Defense sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 50% above the average. In contrast, Editorial Assistant positions in Telecom or Transportation typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Editorial Assistant as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for an Editorial Assistant

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Software & Networking$85,125$41.050%

How Education impacts an Editorial Assistant's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Editorial Assistant enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an Editorial Assistant with a Bachelor's Degree is between $53,352 and $57,286.

Editorial Assistant Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Editorial Assistant
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 3.1%
High School 3.1%
Associates 3.1%
Bachelors 75.2%
Masters 18.1%
Doctorate 0.4%
View as Graph

Editorial Assistant Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Editorial Assistant's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$54,488
Average $56,750/year
$63,136
$4,541
Average $4,729/month
$5,261
$1,048
Average $1,091/week
$1,214
$26
Average $27/hour
$30
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $63,136 $5,261 $1,214 $30
Average $56,750 $4,729 $1,091 $27
25th Percentile $54,488 $4,541 $1,048 $26

Editorial Assistant Salary Growth & Career Path

Editorial Assistant

Next Role

For an Editorial Assistant, the most direct path to higher earnings is advancing to the Editorial Manager role. This promotion typically comes with a significant pay increase, bringing the average annual salary to $130,817 - a projected growth of 131% over your current level.

Most common benefits for Editorial Assistant

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Editorial Assistant

Here are companies hiring for Editorial Assistant and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Editorial Assistant

1. Where can an Editorial Assistant earn the most?

An Editorial Assistant's earning potential can vary widely depending on several factors, including location, industry, experience, education, and the specific employer. According to the latest salary data by Salary.com, an Editorial Assistant earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of an Editorial Assistant is $71,579.

2. What is the highest pay for Editorial Assistant?

The highest pay for Editorial Assistant is $68,950.

3. What is the lowest pay for Editorial Assistant?

The lowest pay for Editorial Assistant is $52,429.

4. What are the responsibilities of Editorial Assistant?

Proofreads and edits a variety of documents and/or digital content. Reads content to detect errors in spelling, punctuation, and syntax. Verifies facts, dates, and statistics using standard reference sources. Ensures that all content meets required and accepted format and standards. Requires a high school diploma. Typically reports to a supervisor. Works under moderate supervision. Gaining or has attained full proficiency in a specific area of discipline. Typically requires 1-3 years of related experience.

5. What industry pays the highest salary for Editorial Assistant?

The Software & Networking industry offers the highest average compensation for Editorial Assistant roles, with salaries approximately 50% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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