Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$41,250
- 25th Percentile — Junior$57,300
- 50th Percentile — Median$77,920
- 75th Percentile — Senior$106,100
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$153,700
The top 10% of Editors earn $153,700 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $41,250, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| New York | $116,740 | +29.6% |
| California | $111,810 | +24.2% |
| District of Columbia | $109,290 | +21.4% |
| New Jersey | $107,030 | +18.8% |
| Connecticut | $95,580 | +6.1% |
| Massachusetts | $89,740 | -0.4% |
| Virginia | $89,740 | -0.4% |
| Washington | $83,960 | -6.8% |
| Idaho (est.) | $83,756 | -7.0% |
| Maryland | $83,200 | -7.6% |
| Vermont | $81,310 | -9.7% |
| Georgia | $80,920 | -10.1% |
| Illinois | $80,620 | -10.5% |
| Colorado | $79,150 | -12.1% |
| North Carolina | $77,380 | -14.1% |
| Florida | $77,370 | -14.1% |
| Ohio | $77,140 | -14.3% |
| Delaware | $77,120 | -14.4% |
| Rhode Island | $76,890 | -14.6% |
| New Hampshire | $75,310 | -16.4% |
| Oregon | $74,780 | -17.0% |
| Alaska | $73,930 | -17.9% |
| Arizona | $73,920 | -17.9% |
| Utah | $73,400 | -18.5% |
| Nevada | $73,330 | -18.6% |
| Kentucky | $72,640 | -19.3% |
| Alabama | $72,280 | -19.7% |
| Pennsylvania | $72,000 | -20.1% |
| Wisconsin | $70,670 | -21.5% |
| New Mexico | $70,400 | -21.8% |
| Kansas | $69,630 | -22.7% |
| Minnesota | $69,290 | -23.1% |
| Missouri | $68,130 | -24.4% |
| Montana | $67,960 | -24.5% |
| South Carolina | $67,920 | -24.6% |
| Iowa | $67,790 | -24.7% |
| Tennessee | $66,960 | -25.6% |
| Michigan | $66,850 | -25.8% |
| Hawaii | $66,010 | -26.7% |
| Maine | $63,910 | -29.0% |
| Indiana | $63,020 | -30.0% |
| Louisiana | $62,750 | -30.3% |
| West Virginia | $62,040 | -31.1% |
| North Dakota | $60,420 | -32.9% |
| South Dakota | $60,200 | -33.2% |
| Mississippi | $58,480 | -35.1% |
| Texas | $57,300 | -36.4% |
| Oklahoma | $55,610 | -38.3% |
| Wyoming | $53,200 | -40.9% |
| Nebraska | $52,460 | -41.7% |
| Arkansas | $52,010 | -42.2% |
What Factors Affect Editors Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Editors is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: New York pays an average of $116,740, while Arkansas pays $52,010 — a gap of $64,730 per year.
The middle half of Editors earn between $57,300 and $106,100 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $41,250, while the top 10% earn more than $153,700.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
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Related career salary benchmarks
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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Editors?
The average salary for Editors in the United States is $90,060 per year, with a median of $77,920.
What is the starting salary for Editors?
Entry-level Editors typically earn between $41,250 and $57,300 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Editors the most?
New York pays Editors the most at $116,740 per year on average, followed by California ($111,810) and District of Columbia ($109,290).
How much do Editors make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $90,060, Editors earn approximately $43.3 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Editors a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 91,690 Editors jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $90,060 and a median of $77,920 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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