Editor salary
From 153 certified H-1B filings (FY2025–FY2026). Base salary only.
- Occupation code 27-3041: Editors
At a glance
- Mostly Level II (mid-level). 35% of Editor filings are Level II, compared with 42% across all H-1B filings.
- Median up 17% since FY2020. From $72,750 in FY2020 to $84,953 in FY2026 (Q1–Q3). Nominal, not adjusted for inflation.
Editor H-1B salary overview
Employers filed 153 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications for Editor jobs in FY2025–FY2026 (occupation code 27-3041, Editors). The median base salary is $84,000, 32% below the median for all H-1B filings ($122,699), and half of the filings fall between $60,320 and $107,505. The most common wage level is Level II (mid-level), at 35% of filings.
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Percentiles from certified H-1B filings, base salary only. Metro areas with at least 10 filings.
Pay by level
Entry-level · 34% of filings
Mid-level · 35% of filings
Senior · 18% of filings
Expert · 13% of filings
Show the table
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Level I · Entry | $60,320 | 48 |
| Level II · Qualified | $84,906 | 50 |
| Level III · Experienced | $112,900 | 25 |
| Level IV · Fully competent | $143,900 | 19 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Editor pay by city
Median base salary in each metro area. Rent: HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027.
Show all 3 metro areas
| Metro area | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | $89,182 | 48 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $84,906 | 31 |
| Washington, DC | $94,000 | 21 |
Metro areas with at least 10 filings for this occupation.
What a Editor does
Plan, coordinate, revise, or edit written material. May review proposals and drafts for possible publication.
Typical tasks
- Verify facts, dates, and statistics, using standard reference sources.
- Write text, such as headlines, stories, articles, editorials, or newsletters.
- Read copy or proof to detect and correct errors in spelling, punctuation, and syntax.
- Prepare, rewrite and edit copy to improve readability, or supervise others who do this work.
- Develop story or content ideas, considering reader or audience appeal.
- Allocate print space for story text, photos, and illustrations according to space parameters and copy significance, using knowledge of layout principles.
Preparation
Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed. Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
O*NET occupation: Editors (27-3041.00). This section includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
H-1B pay vs. all U.S. workers
Across all U.S. workers in this occupation (Editors), the median annual wage was $77,920 in May 2025, with 91,690 people employed. The median H-1B base salary in FY2025–FY2026 is $84,000, 8% higher.
| H-1B filings | All U.S. workers (BLS, May 2025) | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $57,176 | $41,250 |
| 25th percentile | $60,320 | $57,300 |
| Median | $84,000 | $77,920 |
| 75th percentile | $107,505 | $106,100 |
| 90th percentile | $143,720 | $153,700 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). BLS wages cover all wage and salary workers and include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are the base salary offered on certified LCAs. The two sources cover different periods. BLS reports wages of $239,200 or more as a single top value.
Salary details
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $57,176 |
| 25th | $60,320 |
| 50th (median) | $84,000 |
| 75th | $107,505 |
| 90th | $143,720 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $72,750 | $60,403 | $98,750 | 134 |
| FY2021 | $68,640 | $56,160 | $89,440 | 109 |
| FY2022 | $72,000 | $51,646 | $93,642 | 115 |
| FY2023 | $82,500 | $59,877 | $99,029 | 80 |
| FY2024 | $83,814 | $62,234 | $108,530 | 80 |
| FY2025 | $77,482 | $59,530 | $95,000 | 89 |
| FY2026 | $84,953 | $69,140 | $114,550 | 64 |
Questions
How much does an H-1B Editor make?
The median base salary in certified H-1B filings for Editor jobs is $84,000 (153 filings, FY2025–FY2026). Half of the filings are between $60,320 and $107,505.
What does an entry-level Editor earn on an H-1B?
Level I (entry-level) filings have a median of $60,320. Level I accounts for 34% of Editor filings.
Do H-1B Editors earn more than other U.S. workers in the same job?
The H-1B median base salary ($84,000) is 8% higher than the median wage of all U.S. workers in this occupation ($77,920, BLS May 2025). The sources measure pay differently, so treat this as a rough comparison.