Salary of a Freelance Copy Editor
As a freelance copy editor, it is your business to safeguard the credibility of a publication by scrutinizing it for accuracy. Unlike salaried copy editors, you work on a project-by-project basis. You must solicit your own work. You must maintain your own health insurance. You do not have the security of a regular paycheck. Unlike an experienced copy editor who generally does not earn more than $70,000 (U.S. dollars) annually, according to State University, your income potential as a freelancer is unlimited.
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Your Early Experience Will Pay Later
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Your experience now will pay later on. You can begin copy editing at the high school level by volunteering to work on your high school yearbook or newspaper. You are generally not paid for this work, but it will serve you well later as a portfolio reference and by giving you hands-on experience copy editing.
If you are good with words and possess advanced English skills, you may be able to tutor younger students in English for a small fee. You can charge by the hour or by the page.
College-Level Copy Editing
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You may initially find a job copy editing by working for a university or college writing center. These jobs usually do not pay more than minimum wage. However, it will give you professional experience and a portfolio reference.
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Post-Graduate Freelancing as a Copy Editor
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Freelance copy editors must sell their expertise. Professional copy editors have usually earned a Bachelor's or Master's degree in English, media journalism or public relations.
With experience and proficiency, you can confidently charge $20.00 an hour to proofread documents for students, professionals, small businesses and other publications, as of 2010.
You can start advertising your service for free on sites like Craigslist.com and by word of mouth. You can also advertise your services for free by creating a free website at wix.com or webstarts.com, for example.
Median Wages of Freelance Copy Editors
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The median range of copy editors as of 2010 is between $20.00 and $35.00 per hour, according to the Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA). Magazines and newspapers pay more per hour on the average for independent copy editing than book publishers.
Copy editors involved in editing manuscripts for book publishers may be paid by the manuscript page, and these rates can vary significantly depending on the book publisher. The industry standard for a manuscript page, according to the EFA, is 250 words.
The Average Income of a Freelance Copy Editor
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According to Simply Hired, the average annual income of a freelance copy editor is $49,000, as of November 2010. This figure will vary depending upon your experience, the company you work for, your geographical location and the industry you are working in.
Advanced Freelance Copy Editing Rates
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The Editorial Freelancer's Association is the largest and oldest national professional organization of editorial freelancers and offers a general guideline of common editorial rates, regardless of whether you are working for a flat rate or by the hour. According to the association, a professional proofreader earns $25.00 to $35.00 per hour. Basic freelance copy editing is $25.00 to $40.00 per hour. Heavy copy editing is $40.00 to $50.00 per hour. Substantive line editing pays $40.00 to $65.00 per hour. Developmental copy editing is $50.00 to $80.00 per hour.
Doing layouts for newsletters pays on the average between $40.00 to $70.00 per hour, while doing layouts for books pays $45.00 to $85.00 per hour.
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