Newspaper Editors
Overview
Introduction
Newspaper editors assign, review, edit, rewrite, and lay out all copy in a newspaper except advertisements. Editors sometimes write stories or editorials that offer opinions on issues. They review the editorial page and copy written by staff or syndicated columnists. A large metropolitan daily newspaper staff may include various editors who process thousands of words into print (or digital publication) daily. A small town staff of a weekly newspaper, however, may include only one editor, who might be both owner and star reporter. La...
Quick Facts
Median Salary
Employment Prospects
Minimum Education Level
Experience
Skills
Personality Traits
Earnings
Salaries for newspaper editors vary from small to large communities, but editors (especially those at larger newspapers) generally are well compensated. Other factors affecting compensation include quality of education and previous experience, job level, and the newspapers circulation. Large metropolitan dailies offer higher-paying jobs, while outlying weekly papers pay less.
According t...
Work Environment
The environments in which editors work vary widely. For the most part, publishers of all kinds realize that a quiet atmosphere is conducive to work that requires tremendous concentration. It takes an unusual ability to edit in a noisy place. Most editors work in private offices or cubicles. Even in relatively quiet surroundings, however, editors often have many distractions. In many cases, edit...
Outlook
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, employment for editors and writers is highly competitive, with job opportunities for newspaper editors projected to decline by 19.4 percent from 2023 through 2033. Opportunities will be better on small daily and weekly newspapers, where the pay is lower. Online publications are also expected to offer more opportunities for editors. Job opportunities fo...
