Publishing Editor
Publishing editors work with authors to turn a manuscript or a piece of content into something ready for readers, then see it through the schedule that gets it published.
- Median salary*
- $65,000
3.5%vs last year, before tax
- People employed*
- 4,200
0.0%vs last year
- Projected growth*
- +2.1%
to 2035
- AI exposure*
- Moderate
- automation risk
- Average hours*
- 37.5/wk
−2.5h vs all jobs
- Shortage status*
- Not in shortage
national
Publishing editors assess, develop and prepare manuscripts and other content for print or digital release, working with authors, designers and production staff to get a title finished on time. Most work for book and magazine publishers, digital media platforms, academic publishers, or corporate and government communications teams. The role is often confused with copywriting: an editor reshapes writing someone else has done rather than producing original copy, and may specialise in acquisitions, developmental editing, copy-editing or managing a title through production.
How much do publishing editors earn?
The median full-time salary for a publishing editor is $65,000 per annum, before tax, up $13,900 since 2018.
Pay moves more with the employer and the sector than with the job title. Trade publishers generally pay less than academic, corporate and government employers, and an editor managing a list usually earns more than one working through manuscripts. Freelance editors set their own rates, which can be higher but come without paid leave or a steady flow of work.
What does a publishing editor do day to day?
The list below is what fills most weeks; the exact mix shifts with seniority and whatever stage the current work is at.
- Reading submissions quickly enough to form a judgement from the opening pages
- Sending authors detailed notes on structure, character and pacing without flattening their voice
- Working through a manuscript line by line to catch inconsistencies in style, fact and continuity
- Chasing authors, designers and printers to keep several titles on schedule at once
- Sitting in on pitch meetings and briefing cover designers or marketing on how a title should be positioned
What skills do publishing editors need?
Employers look for project management, content creation and writing, backed by Microsoft Word fluency and strong written communication.
Specialist skills
- Project management
- Content creation and writing
Software and tools
- Microsoft Word
- Adobe InDesign
- Editorial management systems (e.g. Coppice, Lotus)
- Project management software (Asana, Monday.com)
- Style guides (Chicago Manual of Style, AP Stylebook)
General skills
- Written communication
- Attention to detail
- Problem solving
- Stakeholder management
- Time and deadline management
Is the job growing?
About 4,200 people work as publishing editors in Australia, and employment is projected to grow 2.1% over the decade to 2035. That's modest growth: demand is steady rather than booming.
How do you become a publishing editor?
Here's the path most publishing editors take, step by step.
- 1Start with a degree in publishing, English or communications
A three-year bachelor degree is the usual entry point, and degrees in publishing, English, communications and journalism all lead in. The writing, editing and production units are the ones that carry into the job.
- 2Build a portfolio before you finish studying
Internships with a publisher, work on a student magazine or literary journal, and freelance proofreading all give you something to show. Entry-level editorial roles tend to go to people who have already handled real copy.
- 3Take a first editorial role and learn how a title is made
Editorial assistant, editorial coordinator and production assistant are the common starting jobs. The work is administrative at first, tracking manuscripts, permissions and schedules, and it is where you learn the production process from the inside.
- 4Specialise as your experience grows
Editors move into copy-editing, developmental editing, acquisitions or list management, depending on whether they prefer working on the text or on the publishing program. The Institute of Professional Editors accredits experienced editors, which carries weight for senior and freelance work.
- 5Career changers can add a postgraduate qualification
A graduate certificate, graduate diploma or master's in publishing or editing gives people from other fields the specific grounding. Short courses in structural editing are a lighter option for people who already write or proofread.
Ready to apply as a publishing editor?
Whether you're working toward becoming a publishing editor or already are one and want a hand with the next step (sharpening your resume for ATS screening, tightening your cover letter, or knowing what you'll actually be asked at interview), here are examples grounded in this specific role, not generic templates.
What jobs can a publishing editor move to?
Moving into Production Manager typically comes with the biggest pay rise, worth $54,500 a year more on average.
| Move to | Typical pay change | Overlap | Retraining |
|---|---|---|---|
| Production Manager Publishing editors understand schedules, budgets and production workflows, moving into production management after reskilling in manufacturing or media production.Known move | +$54,500 | 18% | reskill |
| Public Relations Officer Publishing editors bring clear writing and audience awareness to public relations, reskilling in stakeholder messaging and campaign work.Known move | +$41,400 | 44% | reskill |
| Journalist Publishing editors bring writing, research and structural editing skills to journalism, needing only a short course in news reporting.Known move | +$24,500 | 53% | short course |
| Author Publishing editors bring deep knowledge of manuscript structure and market expectations to authorship, with a short course in creative writing. | +$13,000 | 60% | short course |
| Screenwriter Publishing editors bring story structure and pacing skills to screenwriting, adding a short course in script craft and format. | +$10,400 | 54% | short course |
Moves are chosen from Jobs and Skills Australia's Data on Occupation Mobility, which follows income tax records between 2011-12 and 2020-21, together with entry requirements and skill overlap. A known move is one people were seen making in that data. Pay change compares median full-time pay for the two roles.
Who works as a publishing editor?
The typical publishing editor is 42 years old; 68% are women, 72% work full-time, and full-timers average 37.5 hours a week.
- 42
- Median age
- 68%
- Female share
- 72%
- Full-time
- −2.5h
- vs all-jobs avg
What's it like being a publishing editor?
Editing is quiet, concentrated work with a long lead time: drafts, proofs and schedules pass for months before anything reaches a reader. The pressure comes from dates set by printers, seasonal catalogues and marketing, and from authors who miss them. It suits people who read closely, enjoy fixing the structure of someone else's writing, and can hold a firm line on a manuscript without souring the relationship with its author.
What people like
- Working closely with authors. The back-and-forth is the heart of the job: you suggest a cut or a new scene, and watch the writer find a better version of it.
- Holding the finished book. Months of drafts and proof rounds end in an object you can hand to someone, which is a different satisfaction from finishing a piece of your own writing.
- The variety of what lands on your desk. A crime novel, a textbook chapter and a government annual report can all be in the same week, so the subject matter keeps changing.
- Reading something good before anyone else. You meet manuscripts at the draft stage, long before reviews or readers do, and you get to influence what they finally see.
What people find hard
- Judging submissions from a few pages. You read quickly and decide fast, and most of what arrives will not go any further than your desk.
- Deadlines you cannot move. Printers, catalogues and marketing campaigns fix dates long in advance, so editorial time has to absorb whatever goes wrong upstream.
- Pay that lags the skill. Entry-level editorial roles pay less than comparable writing and project management jobs, and it can take years to close that gap.
- Quiet, screen-bound days. Much of the week is spent alone with a manuscript and a style guide, which some editors find absorbing and others find isolating.
Based on our synthesis of professional-body surveys and public accounts of the role, not first-person verified reviews.
Which industries employ publishing editors?
Book and magazine publishing employs the largest share of publishing editors, followed by Digital media and online content platforms.
Top employing industries
- 1Book and magazine publishing
- 2Digital media and online content platforms
- 3Academic and educational publishing
- 4Corporate and government communications
Ranked by employment share; the source doesn't publish an exact percentage per industry.
| Bachelor degree | 52% | |
|---|---|---|
| Postgraduate | 26% | |
| Diploma / Advanced Diploma | 13% | |
| Other | 9% |
Will AI replace publishing editors?
Publishing editing sits in the middle: the text-handling parts of the job are well within what AI tools can already do, while the editorial decisions are not. Software can summarise a submission, flag consistency errors and check a manuscript against a style guide, which changes how much of the week goes on first readings and mechanical proofing. Choosing which books to publish, and getting an author to a better draft, still depends on reading the whole manuscript and knowing how to deliver a difficult note.
Share of typical working time by exposure level
- Structural and line editingAI suggestions help with repetition, continuity and style queries, while decisions about structure, pacing and what a chapter is doing stay with the editor.35%moderate
- Working with authors on their draftsExplaining why a character doesn't work, or where a chapter loses its way, depends on knowing the book and the writer, and on delivering the note in a way they can act on.30%low
- Production scheduling and chasingEditorial management systems and project tools already track milestones and send reminders to authors, designers and printers without anyone drafting an email.20%high
- Reading and assessing submissionsTools can summarise a manuscript and pull out its premise and comparable titles, but an editor still decides which few pages from the pile get a serious read.15%high
Common questions about becoming a publishing editor
Straight answers to the questions people ask most.
How much do publishing editors earn?
Publishing editors earn a median of $65,000 per year before tax. Trade publishing tends to sit at the lower end of that, while academic, corporate and government employers pay more, and senior editors with a list of their own earn above it.
How do you become a publishing editor?
Most publishing editors start with a degree in publishing, English, communications or a related field, then take an entry role such as editorial assistant or editorial coordinator. Internships, student magazines and freelance proofreading build the portfolio those roles ask for. A postgraduate qualification in publishing or editing is the usual route for career changers.
Are publishing editors in demand?
Publishing editors are currently not in shortage, and employment is projected to grow 2.1% over the decade to 2035 over the decade to 2035. The occupation is small, with about 4,200 people working as publishing editors, so openings largely come from editors leaving or retiring rather than from new positions.
Will AI replace publishing editors?
Not entirely, but it is changing parts of the job. Software can summarise submissions, check consistency and flag style issues faster than an editor can, which reduces the time spent on first readings and mechanical proofing. Deciding which titles are worth publishing, and getting an author to a stronger draft, still depends on reading the whole book and knowing how to put a difficult note to its writer.
Do you need a degree to be a publishing editor?
Most people in the role hold one. Of the people currently working as publishing editors, 52% hold a bachelor degree and 26% hold a postgraduate qualification, though diploma-level study in publishing or editing is an alternative route into some corporate and government editorial teams.
What can publishing editors move into?
Publishing editors often move into journalism, public relations or authorship, because the research, writing and editorial judgement carry across. Journalists earn $24,500 more and usually need only a short course in news reporting, while public relations officers earn $41,400 more and typically retrain in stakeholder messaging. Many experienced editors also go freelance or start their own editing business, which is often where earnings grow.
Related roles
Not sure this is you? Take the career quiz and get a ranked shortlist of roles that fit how you like to work.