Career comparison
Editor vs. Journalist
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Editors earn more at the median ($77,920 vs. $62,200), while editors usually get to work faster (Writing experience plus on-the-job learning of training). Editors plan, review and improve writing for publications, websites and books. Journalists find, report and tell the stories that keep the public informed.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Editor | Journalist | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $77,920 ($37.46/hr) | $62,200 ($29.91/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $41,250 – $153,700 | $36,240 – $144,140 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | -1.1% (a projected decline) | -5.9% (a projected decline) |
| Openings per year | 7,900 | 3,400 |
| Typical entry education | Bachelor's degree | Bachelor's degree |
| Training time | Writing experience plus on-the-job learning | 4 years |
| Key credential | Editing certificate | Journalism degree |
| Work setting | Editors work in offices and remotely.. | Journalists work in newsrooms, remotely and in the field, often on deadline.. |
What each job does
Editor
- Plan content
- Assign stories
- Edit copy
- Fact-check
- Write headlines
Journalist
- Find and pitch stories
- Interview sources
- Research records and data
- Verify facts
- Write and produce stories
How they’re similar
Both careers involve creative work and working independently. Both are part of the arts, media & design field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose editor if…
- I love words
- I catch mistakes
- I give tactful feedback
Choose journalist if…
- I’m curious about everything
- I love writing
- I can handle deadlines
Still torn? Take the Editor fit quiz and the Journalist fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, editor or journalist?
Editors earn more at the median: $77,920 versus $62,200 for journalists, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Editors typically train faster (Writing experience plus on-the-job learning) than journalists (4 years).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects editors to grow -1.1% from 2025–35, compared with -5.9% for journalists.