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Editorial Assistant Salary in the United States

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

As of March 01, 2026, the average salary for an Editorial Assistant in the United States is $56,707 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): $68,867
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $54,383 to $63,072
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $52,267
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View as table View as graph 25% $54,383 10% $52,267 90% $68,867 75% $63,072 $56,707 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Editorial Assistant Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $63,072 $5,256 $1,213 $30
Average $56,707 $4,726 $1,091 $27
25th Percentile $54,383 $4,532 $1,046 $26
Check out Editorial Assistant Job Openings in the United States
Editorial Assistant bersetzungskoordination Hauptstrasse Maulburg Germany

Endress+Hauser Flowtec AG - New Bremen, OH

Journals Editorial Coordinator

ASM International - Cleveland, OH

Editorial Internships Ohio Magazine

Cleveland Studios - Cleveland, OH

Editorial Internships Cleveland Magazine

Cleveland Studios - Cleveland, OH

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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): $56,534
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $56,897
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $58,322
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $58,607
  • Expert (over 8 years): $58,797
Levels Salary
Entry Level Editorial Assistant$56,534
Intermediate Level Editorial Assistant$56,897
Senior Level Editorial Assistant$58,322
Specialist Level Editorial Assistant$58,607
Expert Level Editorial Assistant$58,797
$56,534 0 yr
$56,897 < 2 yrs
$58,322 2-4 yrs
$58,607 5-8 yrs
$58,797 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Editorial Assistants

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: $71,525
  • San Francisco: $70,821
  • Oakland: $69,251

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.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Storytelling 5.61%
Photoshop 2.21%
Competitive Environment 1.54%
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
$62,945
11%
Content Development
$62,378
10%
Insight
$62,378
10%
Content Management Systems
$62,378
10%
Analysis
$61,811
9%
Organizing
$61,244
8%
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How Education impacts an Editorial Assistant's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Editorial Assistants 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 an Editorial Assistant with a Associate's Degree is between $52,346 and $55,914).

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%
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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 March 01, 2026

Editorial Assistant Salary Growth & Career Path

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 $113,178 - a projected growth of 100% over your current level.

Most common benefits for Editorial Assistant

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

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

Find Your Next Editorial Assistant Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Editorial Assistant job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

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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 $71,525.

2. What is the highest pay for Editorial Assistant?

The highest pay for Editorial Assistant is $68,867.

3. What is the lowest pay for Editorial Assistant?

The lowest pay for Editorial Assistant is $52,267.

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.

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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