What it pays
Government survey numbers — not estimates, not ads.
Half of all Editors in the U.S. earn more than $77,920 a year — the middle 80% land between $41,250 and $153,700. About 91,690 people in the U.S. do this work. Figures are for the U.S. occupation group “Editors”. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics survey, published 2025.) In India, Professionals earn about ₹38,298 a month on average — around ₹4.6 lakh a year (government PLFS survey via ILOSTAT, occupation-family figure).
$77,920typical pay / year
91,690people in this work
$153,700+top 10% earn
₹4.6 lakha year in India (family avg)
Think you get this job?Six quick questions on how it really works — with a hint and the reason behind every answer.
Test yourself →The work, task by task
These are the real jobs-to-be-done, not a wish list. Each task shows where we found it, and the prompt underneath is written for that exact task.
Analysing4
Evaluate submissions for publication
+Review the three submitted feature packages and decide which to send to peer review: score each on novelty,…
Evaluate submissions for publication
+Review the three submitted feature packages and decide which to send to peer review: score each on novelty, evidence, and clarity; list required rewrites for the top pick and recommend a 1,200–1,800 word length by Monday noon.
The tools that do the workGoogle Docsjob descriptionsO*NETWikipedia
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Work with writers to develop ideas
+Proofread the 1,500-word science feature for grammar, accuracy of datasets cited, and consistency of units,…
Work with writers to develop ideas
+Proofread the 1,500-word science feature for grammar, accuracy of datasets cited, and consistency of units, insert inline corrections, note any flagged factual issues, and return to the reporter with a style-sheet checklist by tomorrow morning.
The tools that do the workAdobe AcrobatGoogle Docsjob descriptionsO*NET
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Check facts and verify citations
+Check facts in the draft feature on CRISPR base editors: verify each scientific claim against primary…
Check facts and verify citations
+Check facts in the draft feature on CRISPR base editors: verify each scientific claim against primary literature, confirm citations link to the cited paper and DOI, flag any unsupported leaps, and supply corrected references by Wednesday.
The tools that do the workGoogle Docsjob descriptionsO*NET
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Recruit and manage writers and reporters
+Recruit two freelance science reporters for the climate tech desk, assign Roshan to short explainer pieces…
Recruit and manage writers and reporters
+Recruit two freelance science reporters for the climate tech desk, assign Roshan to short explainer pieces and Maya to investigations, circulate beats and deadlines, set weekly check-ins starting Monday, and draft contracts including rates and turnaround expectations.
The tools that do the workGoogle Docsjob descriptionsO*NET
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Keeping the record2
Oversee layout, design, and multimedia elements
+Approve the layout mock for the cover feature, verify captions match image credits and pull quotes stay on…
Oversee layout, design, and multimedia elements
+Approve the layout mock for the cover feature, verify captions match image credits and pull quotes stay on one column, note any copy edits needed and return corrected proofs to design by 5pm Friday.
The tools that do the workAdobe InDesignAdobe Acrobatjob descriptionsO*NET
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Proofread and edit stories or pieces
+Line-edit the draft interview with Dr. Nguyen to sharpen the narrative voice, trim tangents to two short pull…
Proofread and edit stories or pieces
+Line-edit the draft interview with Dr. Nguyen to sharpen the narrative voice, trim tangents to two short pull quotes, fact-check three technical claims, and send the revised version with queries to the author by Tuesday.
The tools that do the workGoogle Docsjob descriptionsO*NET
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The daily work19
Condense the original material
+Condense the interview transcript and lab notes into a 400-word magazine briefing that preserves the study’s…
Condense the original material
+Condense the interview transcript and lab notes into a 400-word magazine briefing that preserves the study’s main finding, the experimental method, two quotable lines from Dr. Elena Ruiz, and one caveat about sample size, ready for copyedit by Thursday morning.
The tools that do the workGoogle DocsWikipedia
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Refine and deliver the final product
+Polish the 400-word briefing into the final magazine piece, check all citations and figure captions, embed…
Refine and deliver the final product
+Polish the 400-word briefing into the final magazine piece, check all citations and figure captions, embed one pull-quote from Dr. Elena Ruiz, export a print-ready PDF and email it to Editor Sam by 5 p.m. with a short note on editorial changes.
The tools that do the workGoogle DocsAdobe AcrobatWikipedia
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Decide when to ignore certain errors
+Review the draft for factual and typographical errors and flag only those that affect the scientific claim,…
Decide when to ignore certain errors
+Review the draft for factual and typographical errors and flag only those that affect the scientific claim, the methods, or at-risk quotes; leave cosmetic phrasing and minor comma issues for copyedit unless Editor Sam insists otherwise.
The tools that do the workGoogle DocsWikipedia
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Undo past corrections when necessary
+Revert the paragraph where I removed the methodological detail after the reviewer challenge, restoring the…
Undo past corrections when necessary
+Revert the paragraph where I removed the methodological detail after the reviewer challenge, restoring the original sentence about sample handling and add a short editor’s note explaining why the detail is necessary.
The tools that do the workGoogle DocsWikipedia
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Reorganize scenes that have been shot
+Reorder the filmed B-roll, interview clips, and lab footage into a new scene sequence that opens with the lab…
Reorganize scenes that have been shot
+Reorder the filmed B-roll, interview clips, and lab footage into a new scene sequence that opens with the lab shot, follows with the experiment montage, and closes on the emotional interview beat, then produce a tagged viewing list for the editor.
The tools that do the workAdobe After EffectsESCO
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Decide which special effects are needed
+Assess the draft script and mark which visuals need effects: data-overlay graphics for Fig. 2, animated…
Decide which special effects are needed
+Assess the draft script and mark which visuals need effects: data-overlay graphics for Fig. 2, animated molecular model for the mechanism, and subtle color grading on microscopy; recommend which can be deferred for budget reasons.
The tools that do the workAdobe After EffectsESCO
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Work closely with sound editors
+Sit with Mira and the sound editors tomorrow morning, walk through the script scene by scene, flag every line…
Work closely with sound editors
+Sit with Mira and the sound editors tomorrow morning, walk through the script scene by scene, flag every line that needs a sonic cue or room tone, agree precise in/out times for each cue and a shortlist of three reference sounds to source.
The tools that do the workApple macOSESCO
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Comply with media law and ethical guidelines
+Check the draft script, all contributor agreements, and the interview tapes for legal risks and conflicts of…
Comply with media law and ethical guidelines
+Check the draft script, all contributor agreements, and the interview tapes for legal risks and conflicts of interest, flag anything needing a release or anonymisation, and produce a short clearance memo for the editor by Tuesday noon.
The tools that do the workGoogle Docsjob descriptions
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Meet deadlines and budget requirements
+Prepare the schedule and cost outline for the feature: estimate time for reporting, editing, licensing photos…
Meet deadlines and budget requirements
+Prepare the schedule and cost outline for the feature: estimate time for reporting, editing, licensing photos and graphics, and deliver a one-page plan showing milestones and a hard publication date to the managing editor by Friday.
The tools that do the workGoogle Docsjob descriptions
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Allocate space for text, photos, and illustrations
+Lay out the story plan that assigns column inches or screen seconds for headline, body text, two photos, one…
Allocate space for text, photos, and illustrations
+Lay out the story plan that assigns column inches or screen seconds for headline, body text, two photos, one infographic and caption copy, then send the layout brief to the picture desk and designer today.
The tools that do the workAdobe InDesignjob descriptions
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Fact-check and ensure content ethics
+Cross-check every factual claim in the draft against primary sources and the interview recordings, list…
Fact-check and ensure content ethics
+Cross-check every factual claim in the draft against primary sources and the interview recordings, list unresolved discrepancies with source links and proposed corrections, and deliver the fact-check report to the editor-in-chief before publication.
The tools that do the workGoogle Docsjob descriptions
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Prepare written, visual, audible, or cinematic material
+Assemble the final copy, selected photos, audio clips and captions, confirm licenses and quality, export…
Prepare written, visual, audible, or cinematic material
+Assemble the final copy, selected photos, audio clips and captions, confirm licenses and quality, export print and web-ready files, and hand the package to production with a one-sentence publish brief.
The tools that do the workAdobe InDesignAdobe PhotoshopWikipedia
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Correct errors in the work
+Run the published piece through a quick error sweep: correct typos, verify captions match images, adjust data…
Correct errors in the work
+Run the published piece through a quick error sweep: correct typos, verify captions match images, adjust data labels, note the corrections made in the edit log, and notify the editor that fixes are complete.
The tools that do the workGoogle DocsWikipedia
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Write text, such as stories, articles, editorials, or newsletters.
+Write a 700-word magazine feature on the spike in zoonotic disease research funding, interview two lead…
Write text, such as stories, articles, editorials, or newsletters.
+Write a 700-word magazine feature on the spike in zoonotic disease research funding, interview two lead researchers, explain why this funding matters for pandemic prevention, and give the newsroom a 48-hour deadline to fact-check quotes and figures before publication.
The tools that do the workGoogle DocsO*NET
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Select local, state, national, and international news items received from wire services, based on assessment of items' significance and interest value.
+Scan today’s wire items on climate, biotech, and health, pick the top three with local relevance for our…
Select local, state, national, and international news items received from wire services, based on assessment of items' significance and interest value.
+Scan today’s wire items on climate, biotech, and health, pick the top three with local relevance for our readership, write blunt one-sentence news leads for each, and flag any that need follow-up reporting by noon.
The tools that do the workGoogle AnalyticsGoogle DocsO*NET
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Arrange for copyright permissions.
+Secure written permission to reprint the lab photograph from Dr. Ana Martinez, confirm copyright holder and…
Arrange for copyright permissions.
+Secure written permission to reprint the lab photograph from Dr. Ana Martinez, confirm copyright holder and licensed use for print and web, negotiate any fee under $200, and return signed clearance to our legal desk within three days.
The tools that do the workGoogle DocsO*NET
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Read material to determine index items and arrange them alphabetically or topically, indicating page or chapter location.
+Read the draft book manuscript chapters on CRISPR, mark indexable names, techniques and diseases, assign…
Read material to determine index items and arrange them alphabetically or topically, indicating page or chapter location.
+Read the draft book manuscript chapters on CRISPR, mark indexable names, techniques and diseases, assign alphabetical entries with chapter and page numbers, and deliver a clean index file by next Friday.
The tools that do the workExtensible markup language XMLO*NET
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Approve final versions of content
+Review the prepress files for the spring science issue, sign off that all copy matches sources, image…
Approve final versions of content
+Review the prepress files for the spring science issue, sign off that all copy matches sources, image captions are accurate, and figure credits are present, then approve final version for print run scheduled Tuesday morning.
The tools that do the workAdobe Acrobatjob descriptions
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Collaborate with writers, photographers, designers
+Set up a briefing with reporter Maya, photographer Luis and designer Priya to map the story flow for the…
Collaborate with writers, photographers, designers
+Set up a briefing with reporter Maya, photographer Luis and designer Priya to map the story flow for the vaccine access package, assign captions and pull quotes, and circulate a two-page brief with deadlines by end of day tomorrow.
The tools that do the workGoogle Docsjob descriptions
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Built on public evidence: O*NET®, ESCO, Wikipedia, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ILOSTAT. All sources & licenses
Built on public evidence: O*NET®, ESCO, Wikipedia, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ILOSTAT. All sources & licenses