Acquires manuscripts for a publishing house and works with authors to shape them into finished books. BLS does not publish separate figures for editors; it counts them within editor (SOC 27-3041), whose median pay is $77,920 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
- SOC 27-3041
- Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Book Editor in four numbers
- Median pay
- $77,920a year, or $37.46/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $41KTop 10% $154K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- -1.1%DecliningBLS EP, 2025–2035This career−1.1%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career −1.1% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 7,900105,000 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025105K
- Projected 2035103.8K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 105K Projected 2035 103.8K - Typical education
- Bachelor'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
Also advertised as: Trade Book Editor, Developmental Editor, Senior Editor (Publishing), Associate Editor (Publishing), Editorial Director.
Pay
How much do Editors make?
Every book editor in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$77,920
Middle half earn $57,300 to $106,100
- 10th
- $41,250
- 25th
- $57,300
- 75th
- $106,100
- 90th
- $153,700
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $41,250 |
| 25th | $57,300 |
| Median | $77,920 |
| 75th | $106,100 |
| 90th | $153,700 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $77,920
- Median hourly wage
- $37.46/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $90,060
- People employed
- 91,690
Versus all US occupations
At $77,920, Editors earn 53% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $26,940 a year.
Versus arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations
Inside the Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media group, where the middle occupation pays $68,060, this is 14% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $153,700 or more while the bottom 10% earn $41,250, a gap of 3.7×. That is an unusually wide spread, which usually tracks specialisation, employer type and years of experience.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 54% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
New York pays the most at $101,480, and still leads at $94,032 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Editors the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1New York | $101,480 | $94,032 | 16,800 |
| 2California | $98,030 | $88,539 | 14,830 |
| 3Connecticut | $85,950 | $82,955 | 1,050 |
| 4District of Columbia | $83,920 | $76,360 | 3,310 |
| 5Massachusetts | $83,170 | $78,643 | 3,100 |
| 6New Jersey | $81,680 | $75,070 | 2,120 |
| 7Virginia | $80,590 | $79,710 | 2,720 |
| 8Rhode Island | $77,960 | $76,222 | 340 |
| 9Colorado | $77,870 | $75,564 | 1,830 |
| 10Washington | $77,850 | $72,748 | 1,860 |
Job outlook
Is Book Editor a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Declining. -1.1% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Editors | −1.1% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Declining
BLS projects employment of Editors to change -1.1% over 2025–2035, while total US employment is projected to rise 3.5%. That is 1,100 fewer jobs.
Annual openings
About 7,900 openings are projected each year, 7.5% of the 105,000 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Book Editor
Most book editors have a bachelor's degree in English, journalism, history or another humanities field. The traditional entry point is an editorial assistant job at a publisher, where you read submissions, write reader reports and learn the business before moving up to assistant editor, associate editor and editor.
Summer and graduate programs help people break in, including the Columbia Publishing Course, the Denver Publishing Institute and NYU's MS in Publishing. The Association of American Publishers tracks industry news and careers, and many freelance developmental editors join the Editorial Freelancers Association. Building relationships with agents and showing strong taste in a genre are what move editors up.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Bachelor's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
Less than 5 years
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Medium preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
The work
What does a Book Editor do?
Book editors at publishing houses decide which books get published and then help make them better. They read submissions from literary agents, pitch the projects they love at acquisitions meetings, and negotiate terms. Once a book is signed, the editor works with the author on structure, pacing, character and argument through rounds of developmental and line edits.
Editors also act as the book's advocate inside the company. They write cover copy, brief the art department on cover design, present titles to sales and marketing teams, and coordinate with copyeditors, production staff and publicists through publication. Editors at independent presses, university presses and children's publishers do similar work, often with smaller teams and broader responsibilities.
Day-to-day tasks
- Read and evaluate manuscripts and proposals from literary agents
- Pitch projects at acquisitions meetings and negotiate offers
- Write editorial letters on structure, pacing and argument
- Line edit manuscripts with authors
- Write jacket copy and brief cover designers
- Present books to sales and marketing teams
- Manage schedules from manuscript delivery to publication
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Book editors work at publishing houses concentrated in New York, along with university presses and independent publishers around the country. Many now work hybrid schedules. Reading manuscripts often spills into evenings and weekends. The job involves a lot of meetings, email with authors and agents, and quiet editing time.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeSeated for more than half the working day.
Standing
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayDealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Reading Comprehension5.0
- Writing4.4
- Active Listening4.0
- Speaking4.0
- Critical Thinking3.9
- Active Learning3.3
- Monitoring3.3
- Learning Strategies3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 5.0 |
| Writing | 4.4 |
| Active Listening | 4.0 |
| Speaking | 4.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.9 |
| Active Learning | 3.3 |
| Monitoring | 3.3 |
| Learning Strategies | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Time Management3.4
- Complex Problem Solving3.3
- Judgment and Decision Making3.3
- Social Perceptiveness3.1
- Negotiation3.1
- Management of Personnel Resources3.1
- Coordination3.0
- Persuasion3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Time Management | 3.4 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.3 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.3 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.1 |
| Negotiation | 3.1 |
| Management of Personnel Resources | 3.1 |
| Coordination | 3.0 |
| Persuasion | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Data mining software · in demand
- Desktop publishing software · in demand
- Document management software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Enterprise application integration software · in demand
- Graphics or photo imaging software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Operating system software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Process mapping and design software · in demand
- Project management software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Book Editor?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code AEC) built on O*NET's Editor profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Book Editor |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 1 |
| Investigative | 3 |
| Artistic | 6 |
| Social | 3 |
| Enterprising | 5 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around creating, designing and working without a fixed set of rules, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Artistic5.6
- Conventional4.7
- Enterprising4.5
- Investigative2.9
- Social2.6
- Realistic1.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Book Editor
O*NET related occupations
- Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
- Office and Administrative Support
- Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
- Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
- Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
- Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
More arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media careers
Median annual pay, with editors highlighted
- Art Director$114,850
- Technical Writer$90,390
- Editor$77,920
- Book Editor$77,920
- Writer and Author$76,910
- Public Relations Specialist$74,750
- Interior Designer$67,190
- Graphic Designer$62,960
- Photographer$44,660
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Art Director | $114,850 |
| Technical Writer | $90,390 |
| Editor | $77,920 |
| Book Editor | $77,920 |
| Writer and Author | $76,910 |
| Public Relations Specialist | $74,750 |
| Interior Designer | $67,190 |
| Graphic Designer | $62,960 |
| Photographer | $44,660 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Book Editor appears on
Questions
Book Editor: frequently asked questions
How much do Editors make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for editors. It counts them within editor, whose median pay is $77,920 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $57,300 and $106,100, and the top 10% earn $153,700 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Book Editor?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Editors, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as medium preparation. Employers typically expect less than 5 years of related work experience first.
Is Book Editor a growing career?
No. BLS projects employment to fall 1.1% over 2025–2035, a loss of 1,100 jobs (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 7,900 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Book Editor do?
Book editors at publishing houses decide which books get published and then help make them better. A typical task: read and evaluate manuscripts and proposals from literary agents. Employers most often ask for Data mining software, Desktop publishing software, Document management software.
Which states pay Editors the most?
The highest state medians for Editors are New York ($101,480), California ($98,030), Connecticut ($85,950) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Book Editor?
O*NET scores Editors highest on the Artistic, Conventional and Enterprising interest areas, so the work mixes creating, designing and working without a fixed set of rules with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ENFJ, ENTJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.