Editorial Coordinator: Career and Salary Facts
Research what it takes to become an editorial coordinator. Learn about the job duties, educational requirements, outlook and salary to find out if this is the career for you.
What Is an Editorial Coordinator?
Editorial coordinators oversee and participate in the production of a variety of communication products, such as periodicals, books, and websites. They use their strong writing skills to create and edit content, as well as organize contributors and schedules. In addition, they also ensure the relevance of the visuals included in the stories, if any, such as photos and graphics.
The following chart depicts the required education, duties and job statistics for this field.
<table border="1"><tr><td><b>Education Required</b></td><td>Bachelor's degree</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Education Field of Study</b></td><td>Journalism, communication, English, public relations</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Key Responsibilities</b></td><td>Interpersonal communication, writing, management</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Job Growth (2020-2030)</b></td><td> 5% <i>(for all editors)</i>*</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Median Salary</b></td><td> $63,400 <i>(for all editors, 2020)</i>*<br/> $96,894 <i>(for editorial directors, 2021)</i>**</td></tr>
</table><p><i>Sources: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, **PayScale.com</i>
</p><h3 id="section---WhatEducationDoINeedToBecomeAnEditorialCoordinator">What Education Do I Need to Become an Editorial Coordinator?</h3><p>Many employers in the editorial and media fields require workers to hold at least a bachelor's degree. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), successful candidates often major in journalism, communication, English or public relations because writing is a key component of the position (<i>www.bls.gov</i>). However, other educational backgrounds may be sufficient as long as you possess excellent written and oral communication skills. Most colleges and universities offer 2-year, 4-year and graduate degree programs in relevant areas that cover the following topics:
</p><ul><li>Mass communication
</li><li>News reporting
</li><li>Editorial writing and AP Style
</li><li>Copyediting
</li><li>Media law and ethics
</li><li>Photojournalism
</li></ul><h3 id="section---WhatJobDutiesMightIHave">What Job Duties Might I Have?</h3><p>A number of different work environments exist for editorial coordinators, and your place of employment will determine the specific job duties you'll have. For example, coordinators at a newspaper may be responsible for overseeing writers and assigning topics for stories, while those at a book publisher might proofread and edit manuscripts. However, general tasks that will likely be similar from one position to the next may include:
</p><ul><li>Scheduling and coordinating meetings
</li><li>Tracking and managing project progress
</li><li>Meeting publication deadlines and production goals
</li><li>Assisting the editor or publisher with administrative tasks
</li><li>Designing and creating distribution materials
</li></ul><h3 id="section---WhatCouldIExpectToEarn">What Could I Expect to Earn?</h3><p>Compensation could vary greatly depending on the type and size of company you work for. However, many editorial coordinator positions require previous experience and usually pay higher than entry-level assistant positions. Though the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) does not specify wages for an editorial coordinator, its closest related position of editor lists an annual median wage of $63,400 for 2020. According to December 2021 reports on <i>PayScale.com</i>, editorial directors earned $96,894 on average. The BLS predicted a five percent increase in the employment growth between 2020 and 2030 in the editorial field.
</p><h3 id="section---WhatAreSomeRelatedAlternativeCareers">What Are Some Related Alternative Careers?</h3><p>If you have an interest in creating or writing content for media such as publications, films, TV programs, online sites and other productions, you may opt to pursue a career as a writer or author. Alternatively, if you are interested in reporting news and events happening in your community, the country, or internationally, you may also look into becoming a reporter, correspondent or news analyst. While reporters and correspondents present news to inform the public, broadcast news analysts interpret news to educate the public about issues that can have impact in their lives. Any of these career choices requires a bachelor's degree and good written and oral communication skills.</p>