Career comparison
Editor vs. Writer
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. $76,910), 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. Writers write books, scripts, ads and articles for readers and audiences.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Editor | Writer | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $77,920 ($37.46/hr) | $76,910 ($36.98/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $41,250 – $153,700 | $44,310 – $139,870 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | -1.1% (a projected decline) | -0.3% (little or no change) |
| Openings per year | 7,900 | 11,900 |
| Typical entry education | Bachelor's degree | Bachelor's degree |
| Training time | Writing experience plus on-the-job learning | Years of practice |
| Key credential | Editing certificate | MFA in creative writing |
| Work setting | Editors work in offices and remotely.. | Writers work at home, in offices and on location.. |
What each job does
Editor
- Plan content
- Assign stories
- Edit copy
- Fact-check
- Write headlines
Writer
- Research topics
- Write drafts
- Revise
- Pitch ideas
- Meet deadlines
How they’re similar
Both careers involve creative work, desk work, remote-friendly 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 writer if…
- I love writing
- I’m self-disciplined
- I handle rejection
Still torn? Take the Editor fit quiz and the Writer fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, editor or writer?
Editors earn more at the median: $77,920 versus $76,910 for writers, 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 writers (Years of practice).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects writers to grow -0.3% from 2025–35, compared with -1.1% for editors.