# Editors

> Plan, coordinate, revise, or edit written material. May review proposals and drafts for possible publication.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/editors
- SOC code: 27-3041.00
- Career family: Arts, design and media
- Median annual pay: $77,920 (10th percentile $41,250, 90th percentile $153,700)
- Projected growth: Decline, -1.1%
- Openings a year: 7,900
- Typical entry education: Bachelor's degree
- Bright outlook: no
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code ACE)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 1 |
| Investigative (I) | 32 |
| Artistic (A) | 73 |
| Social (S) | 26 |
| Enterprising (E) | 52 |
| Conventional (C) | 61 |

## What you'd do

- Getting Information (importance 96/100)
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships (importance 95/100)
- Communicating with People Outside the Organization (importance 95/100)
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work (importance 93/100)
- Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others (importance 92/100)
- Documenting/Recording Information (importance 91/100)
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events (importance 90/100)
- Thinking Creatively (importance 90/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 89/100)
- Performing for or Working Directly with the Public (importance 88/100)

## Skills

Reading Comprehension, Writing, Active Listening, Speaking, Critical Thinking, Time Management, Active Learning, Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Monitoring

## Knowledge

English Language, Communications and Media, Customer and Personal Service, Design, Administration and Management, Computers and Electronics, Law and Government, Personnel and Human Resources, Education and Training, Geography

## Also called

Acquisitions Editor, Acute Editor, Advertising Editor, Art Editor, Assignment Editor, Book Editor, Business Editor, Communications Editor, Content Editor, Continuity Editor

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Communication and Media Studies](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/0901) (CIP 0901, 1,386 colleges)
- [Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/2313) (CIP 2313, 792 colleges)
- [Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/0909) (CIP 0909, 621 colleges)
- [Journalism](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/0904) (CIP 0904, 544 colleges)
- [Literature](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/2314) (CIP 2314, 121 colleges)
- [Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/0999) (CIP 0999, 113 colleges)
- [Business/Corporate Communications](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5205) (CIP 5205, 74 colleges)
- Publishing (CIP 0910, 35 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [University of Pennsylvania UPENN](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-pennsylvania-upenn-3009) | Communication and Media Studies | $65,287 | $114,266 | not reported |
| [Northwestern University-Illinois](https://www.collegesref.com/college/northwestern-university-illinois-1966) | Communication and Media Studies | $64,034 | $93,541 | $19,500 |
| [Syracuse University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/syracuse-university-2667) | Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | $63,858 | $90,535 | $24,250 |
| [Southern Methodist University SMU](https://www.collegesref.com/college/southern-methodist-university-smu-2498) | Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | $56,398 | $89,330 | $17,375 |
| [Cornell University-New York](https://www.collegesref.com/college/cornell-university-new-york-710) | Communication and Media Studies | $63,499 | $88,463 | $10,000 |
| [University of Southern California USC](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-southern-california-usc-3050) | Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | $63,165 | $87,946 | $12,125 |
| [George Washington University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/george-washington-university-1066) | Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | $63,370 | $85,459 | $19,500 |
| [Santa Clara University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/santa-clara-university-2371) | Communication and Media Studies | $62,295 | $84,206 | $19,000 |

## Related careers

- [Proofreaders and Copy Markers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/proofreaders-and-copy-markers): $51,120 median pay
- [Film and Video Editors](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/film-and-video-editors): $75,420 median pay
- [News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/news-analysts-reporters-and-journalists): $62,200 median pay
- [Poets, Lyricists and Creative Writers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/poets-lyricists-and-creative-writers): $76,910 median pay
- [Writers and Authors](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/writers-and-authors): $76,910 median pay
- [Technical Writers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/technical-writers): $90,390 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.