How much does a Proofreaders and Copy Markers make?

The median annual wage for Proofreaders and Copy Markers is $51,120 ($25 per hour). Pay ranges from about $34,510 at the 10th percentile to $79,290 at the 90th percentile.

What is the average salary for a Proofreaders and Copy Markers?

The average (mean) annual salary is $54,800, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.

Which state pays Proofreaders and Copy Markerss the most?

District of Columbia has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $68,120.

Is Proofreaders and Copy Markers a growing occupation?

BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 4.6K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.

What does a Proofreaders and Copy Markers do?

Mark copy to indicate and correct errors in type, arrangement, grammar, punctuation, or spelling, using standard printers' marks.; Read corrected copies or proofs to ensure that all corrections have been made.; Correct or record omissions, errors, or inconsistencies found..

Proofreaders and Copy Markers Salary

Office and Administrative Support Occupations · 4.6K employed in the U.S.

Median annual

$51,120

Median hourly

$25

Average annual

$54,800

Typical range

$34,510–$79,290

Pay distribution

10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.

10th$34,510

25th$41,170

Median$51,120

75th$62,390

90th$79,290

What this role pays

The median annual salary for Proofreaders and Copy Markers is $51,120 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $25 an hour at a full-time schedule.

Read transcript or proof type setup to detect and mark for correction any grammatical, typographical, or compositional errors. Excludes workers whose primary duty is editing copy.

Most earn between $34,510 and $79,290 a year. There are roughly 4.6K people employed as proofreaders and copy markers in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.

Salary calculator

Convert your pay and see where it lands for Proofreaders and Copy Markers.

Pay amountPay period

Hours / weekWeeks / year

Hourly: $24.58
Daily: $197
Weekly: $983
Bi-weekly: $1,966
Monthly: $4,260
Annual: $51,120

$51,120 a year is around the 50th percentile for Proofreaders and Copy Markerss. The median is $51,120.

Proofreaders and Copy Markers — U.S., May 2025
Percentile	Hourly	Annual
10th percentile	$16.60	$34,510
25th percentile	$19.80	$41,170
Median	$24.60	$51,120
75th percentile	$30.00	$62,390
90th percentile	$38.10	$79,290
Average (mean)	$26.40	$54,800
Employment	4,580 people

Key skills

Reading Comprehension
Writing
Speaking
Active Listening
Critical Thinking
Monitoring
Time Management
Active Learning
Judgment and Decision Making
Complex Problem Solving

Highest-paying states

Median annual wage by state.

1District of Columbia$68,120
2New York$59,740
3California$57,490
4Massachusetts$57,160
5New Jersey$56,700
6Ohio$55,560
7Maryland$53,920
8Washington$53,890
9Missouri$52,920
10Kansas$51,160
11Illinois$50,060
12Minnesota$49,450

Top-paying metro areas

Median annual wage by metro area.

1Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$66,620
2New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$59,740
3Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$57,840
4Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV$55,360
5Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO$55,320
6St. Louis, MO-IL$55,280
7Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN$55,020
8Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD$54,900
9Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA$53,020
10Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL$52,440
11Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI$52,250
12Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN$51,970

Related job titles

Employers advertise Proofreaders and Copy Markers roles under these titles.

Related occupations

What a Proofreaders and Copy Markers does

Mark copy to indicate and correct errors in type, arrangement, grammar, punctuation, or spelling, using standard printers' marks.
Read corrected copies or proofs to ensure that all corrections have been made.
Correct or record omissions, errors, or inconsistencies found.
Compare information or figures on one record against same data on other records, or with original copy, to detect errors.
Route proofs with marked corrections to authors, editors, typists, or typesetters for correction or reprinting.
Consult reference books or secure aid of readers to check references with rules of grammar and composition.
Archive documents, conduct research, and read copy, using the internet and various computer programs.
Write original content, such as headlines, cutlines, captions, and cover copy.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Proofreaders and Copy Markers make?: The median annual wage for Proofreaders and Copy Markers is $51,120 ($25 per hour). Pay ranges from about $34,510 at the 10th percentile to $79,290 at the 90th percentile.
What is the average salary for a Proofreaders and Copy Markers?: The average (mean) annual salary is $54,800, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
Which state pays Proofreaders and Copy Markerss the most?: District of Columbia has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $68,120.
Is Proofreaders and Copy Markers a growing occupation?: BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 4.6K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
What does a Proofreaders and Copy Markers do?: Mark copy to indicate and correct errors in type, arrangement, grammar, punctuation, or spelling, using standard printers' marks.; Read corrected copies or proofs to ensure that all corrections have been made.; Correct or record omissions, errors, or inconsistencies found..