How Much Does an Assistant Editor Make in the United States ? (2026 Salary Guide)

Assistant Editor Salary in the United States

As of May 01, 2026, the average annual salary for Assistant Editor in the US is $79,004, equivalent to $38 per hour, $1,519 weekly, or $6,584 monthly. These figures, sourced from Salary.com’s real-time job posting scans, highlight competitive earning potential for Assistant Editor in cities like San Jose, Santa Clara, and San Francisco.

Annually Salaries for Assistant Editor in the US vary widely, spanning from $65,189 to $90,511. Most professionals fall between the 25th percentile ($71,773) and 75th percentile ($85,027), while top earners (90th percentile) make $90,511 per year. This $13,254 pay gap underscores opportunities for salary growth through certifications, specialized skills like Project Management or Copyediting, or targeting high-paying regions like District of Columbia or California.

Location and experience significantly influence earnings. For example, District of Columbia Assistant Editor often earn 10.7% above national averages due to demand from Fortune 64 companies and industry startups. Professionals are advised to focus on high-growth sectors like to offset market challenges.

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Assistant Editor Salaries by Percentile
Percentile Salary Location Last Updated
10th Percentile Assistant Editor Salary $65,189 US May 01, 2026
25th Percentile Assistant Editor Salary $71,773 US May 01, 2026
50th Percentile Assistant Editor Salary $79,004 US May 01, 2026
75th Percentile Assistant Editor Salary $85,027 US May 01, 2026
90th Percentile Assistant Editor Salary $90,511 US May 01, 2026
25% $71,773 10% $65,189 90% $90,511 75% $85,027 $79,004 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click
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What is an Assistant Editor ?

Editors work on producing an issue of Bild, West Berlin, 1977. Previous front pages are affixed to the wall behind them. There are various editorial positions in publishing. Typically, one finds editorial assistants reporting to the senior-level editorial staff and directors who report to senior executive editors. Senior executive editors are responsible for developing a product for its final release. The smaller the publication, the more these roles overlap. The top editor at many publications may be known as the chief editor, executive editor, or simply the editor. A frequent and highly ...

Source: Wikipedia (as of 04/25/2019). Read more from Wikipedia

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Job Openings for Assistant Editor

Career Path for this job

  1. Down a level:

    Editor I

    0 - 2 years experience
    Bachelor's Degree

  2. This Job:

    Assistant Editor

    2 - 4 years experience
    Bachelor's Degree

  3. Up a level:

    Editor III

    4 - 7 years experience
    Bachelor's Degree

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Understand the total compensation opportunity for an Assistant Editor, base salary plus other pay elements

Average Base Salary

Core compensation

 
 
 
71773
85027
79004

Average Total Cash Compensation

Includes base and annual incentives

 
 
 
74800
96392
85216
These charts show the average base salary (core compensation), as well as the average total cash compensation for the job of Assistant Editor in the United States. The base salary for Assistant Editor ranges from $71,773 to $85,027 with the average base salary of $79,004. The total cash compensation, which includes base, and annual incentives, can vary anywhere from $74,800 to $96,392 with the average total cash compensation of $85,216.

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71773
85027

 

Recently searched related titles: Managing Editorial Assistant, Content Editor, Business Editor

Learn more about: Compensation Packages, Employee Flight Risk, Gender Pay Gap, Job Openings for This Role

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