Copy Editor Salary in the United States

How much does a Copy Editor make in the United States?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for a Copy Editor in the United States is $65,418 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $31.

However, a Copy Editor's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $73,471
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $57,908 to $69,634
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $51,071
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View as table View as graph 25% $57,908 10% $51,071 90% $73,471 75% $69,634 $65,418 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Copy Editor Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $69,634 $5,803 $1,339 $33
Average $65,418 $5,452 $1,258 $31
25th Percentile $57,908 $4,826 $1,114 $28
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Key Factors That Influence Copy Editor Salaries

A Copy Editor'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 Copy Editor Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Copy Editor'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): $65,108
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $73,481
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $90,729
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $107,623
  • Expert (over 8 years): $106,500
Levels Salary
Copy Edit... Level Copy Editor$65,108
Copywrite... Level Copy Editor$73,481
Copywrite... Level Copy Editor$90,729
Copywrite... Level Copy Editor$107,623
Copywriti... Level Copy Editor$106,500
$65,108 0 yr
$73,481 < 2 yrs
$90,729 2-4 yrs
$107,623 5-8 yrs
$106,500 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Copy Editors

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: $82,512
  • San Francisco: $81,701
  • Oakland: $79,889

What Skills Can Increase a Copy Editor's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Presentation (Mentioned in 4.77% Job Postings): Presentation conveys information from a speaker to an audience. Presentations are typically demonstrations, introduction, lecture, or speech meant to inform, persuade, inspire, motivate, build goodwill, or present a new idea/product.
  • Digital Marketing (Mentioned in 2.42% Job Postings): Digital marketing is the marketing of products or services using digital technologies, mainly on the Internet, but also including mobile phones, display advertising, and any other digital medium. Digital marketing's development since the 1990s and 2000s has changed the way brands and businesses use technology for marketing. As digital platforms are increasingly incorporated into marketing plans and everyday life, and as people use digital devices instead of visiting physical shops, digital marketing campaigns are becoming more prevalent and efficient. Digital marketing methods such as search engine optimization (SEO), search engine marketing (SEM), content marketing, influencer marketing, content automation, campaign marketing, data-driven marketing, e-commerce marketing, social media marketing, social media optimization, e-mail direct marketing, Display advertising, e–books, and optical disks and games are becoming more common in our advancing technology. In fact, digital marketing now extends to non-Internet channels that provide digital media, such as mobile phones (SMS and MMS), callback, and on-hold mobile ring tones. In essence, this extension to non-Internet channels helps to differentiate digital marketing from online marketing, another catch-all term for the marketing methods mentioned above, which strictly occur online.
  • Direct Mail (Mentioned in 1.48% Job Postings): Direct mail is a form of marketing that involves sending a physical piece of promotional material through the U.S. Postal Service or other courier service to a home or business. Some recipients refer to it as junk mail.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Presentation 4.77%
Digital Marketing 2.42%
Direct Mail 1.48%
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 a Copy Editor's salary.
  • CRM: Can increase your salary by up to 16%.
  • Storytelling: Can increase your salary by up to 13%.
  • Direct Mail: Can increase your salary by up to 13%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
CRM
$75,885
16%
Storytelling
$73,923
13%
Direct Mail
$73,923
13%
Project Management
$73,923
13%
Insight
$73,923
13%
Content Creation
$73,268
12%
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How Education impacts a Copy Editor's Salary?

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

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Copy Editor with a Associate's Degree is between $55,294 and $59,066).

Copy Editor Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Copy Editor
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 3.7%
High School 3.7%
Associates 2.5%
Bachelors 77.5%
Masters 15.4%
Doctorate 0.7%
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Copy Editor Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Copy Editor'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 January 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Copy Editor

Salaries for a Copy Editor can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $58,328 in 2023 to around $58,298 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Copy Editor salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Copy Editor Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$58,328
2024
$58,576
2025
$58,298
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $58,328
2024 $58,576
2025 $58,298
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Copy Editor

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Copy Editor

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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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