Proofreaders and Copy Markers Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for proofreaders and copy markerss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- District of Columbia$69,220
- New York$65,980
- Massachusetts$61,230
- New Jersey$59,790
- California$59,630
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Indiana$41,250
- West Virginia$41,650
- Wisconsin$42,590
- Michigan$43,130
- South Carolina$44,830
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $69,220 | $68,120 | $33 | +26.3% | 50 |
| 2 | New York | $65,980 | $59,740 | $32 | +20.4% | 1,030 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $61,230 | $57,160 | $29 | +11.7% | 190 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $59,790 | $56,700 | $29 | +9.1% | 160 |
| 5 | California | $59,630 | $57,490 | $29 | +8.8% | 300 |
| 6 | Washington | $58,310 | $53,890 | $28 | +6.4% | 60 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | $55,170 | $47,510 | $27 | +0.7% | 230 |
| 8 | Maryland | $54,840 | $53,920 | $26 | +0.1% | — |
| 9 | Ohio | $54,020 | $55,560 | $26 | -1.4% | 100 |
| 10 | Kentucky | $53,480 | $46,380 | $26 | -2.4% | 70 |
| 11 | Minnesota | $52,200 | $49,450 | $25 | -4.7% | — |
| 12 | Florida | $52,090 | $35,610 | $25 | -4.9% | 200 |
| 13 | Illinois | $52,010 | $50,060 | $25 | -5.1% | 300 |
| 14 | Missouri | $50,590 | $52,920 | $24 | -7.7% | 110 |
| 15 | Virginia | $49,850 | $48,090 | $24 | -9% | 90 |
| 16 | Kansas | $49,370 | $51,160 | $24 | -9.9% | 90 |
| 17 | Iowa | $47,950 | $44,680 | $23 | -12.5% | 110 |
| 18 | North Carolina | $47,740 | $46,140 | $23 | -12.9% | 70 |
| 19 | Georgia | $47,730 | $49,200 | $23 | -12.9% | — |
| 20 | Texas | $46,670 | $41,990 | $22 | -14.8% | 200 |
| 21 | Utah | $44,990 | $42,840 | $22 | -17.9% | — |
| 22 | South Carolina | $44,830 | $42,900 | $22 | -18.2% | 40 |
| 23 | Michigan | $43,130 | $35,530 | $21 | -21.3% | 140 |
| 24 | Wisconsin | $42,590 | $43,630 | $20 | -22.3% | 60 |
| 25 | West Virginia | $41,650 | $36,730 | $20 | -24% | 50 |
| 26 | Indiana | $41,250 | $40,920 | $20 | -24.7% | 80 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 23 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $66,620 | $64,550 | 110 |
| 2 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $59,740 | $67,880 | 970 |
| 3 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $57,840 | $61,820 | 170 |
| 4 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $55,360 | $60,980 | 120 |
| 5 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $55,320 | $53,270 | 70 |
| 6 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $55,280 | $55,870 | 70 |
| 7 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $55,020 | $54,050 | 30 |
| 8 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $54,900 | $60,240 | 130 |
| 9 | Kansas nonmetropolitan area | $54,890 | $48,020 | 40 |
| 10 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $53,020 | $49,520 | — |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing proofreaders and copy markerss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Legal Services | $85,540 | $86,780 | 170 |
| 2 | Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods (4232, 4233, 4235, 4236, 4237, and 4239 only) | $68,320 | $66,440 | 30 |
| 3 | Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services | $67,270 | $73,520 | 370 |
| 4 | Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods | $66,360 | $65,530 | 40 |
| 5 | Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services | $65,460 | $68,910 | 60 |
| 6 | Ambulatory Health Care Services | $62,780 | $64,030 | — |
| 7 | Sector 62 - Health Care and Social Assistance | $59,940 | $60,590 | 60 |
| 8 | Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations | $59,740 | $54,100 | — |
| 9 | Religious Organizations | $59,740 | $53,700 | — |
| 10 | Sector 81 - Other Services (except Public Administration) | $59,740 | $54,100 | — |
| 11 | Sector 42 - Wholesale Trade | $59,280 | $56,290 | 130 |
| 12 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $58,350 | $66,830 | 1,090 |
Workforce Deep-Dive
Distribution and demographics from Census ACS (2023, self-reported). Wage figures here are ACS averages and run lower than the authoritative BLS wages above; use them for shape, not exact pay.
Annual wage distribution
Pay by age band
Education level
Full-time vs part-time
Race / ethnicity
Top fields of study
Top Skills
Most important skills for this role (O*NET importance, 1–5 scale).
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do proofreaders and copy markers make in the U.S.?
The median proofreaders and copy markers salary in the United States is $51,120 per year (mean $54,800), and about 80% earn between $34,510 and $79,290.
How much do proofreaders and copy markers make per hour?
Roughly $26 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $54,800 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays proofreaders and copy markers the most?
District of Columbia has the highest average pay for proofreaders and copy markers at $69,220 per year (median $68,120).
What is the job outlook for proofreaders and copy markers?
Employment is projected to change -0.6% from 2024 to 2034 (Decline), with about 1,900 openings per year.