Proofreaders and Copy Markers
Proofreaders and Copy Markers (SOC 43-9081) earn a median $51,120 a year ($24.58 an hour) in the United States, with 4,580 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is District of Columbia.
What proofreaders and copy markers do
Proofreaders and copy markers read a transcript or proof of type setup to detect errors and mark them for correction. The errors may be grammatical, typographical, or compositional. They mark copy with standard printers' marks to show and fix errors of type, layout, grammar, punctuation, or spelling, and they correct or record omissions, errors, or inconsistencies they find. To catch mistakes, they compare information or figures on one record against the same data on other records or against the original copy. Corrected copies or proofs are read again to make sure every correction was made. Proofs with marked corrections are routed to authors, editors, typists, or typesetters for correction or reprinting, and the proofreader consults authors and editors about manuscript changes and suggestions. Reference books, or readers who help check references, are used to test the text against the rules of grammar and composition. Proofreaders of braille are included, but workers whose primary duty is editing copy are not.
Typical entry: O*NET survey respondents most often report a bachelor's degree as the education level for this occupation.
Also called: Braille Proofreader, Checker, Clerical Proofreader, Content Coordinator, Copy Coordinator.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $16.59 | $19.79 | $24.58 | $29.99 | $38.12 | $26.35 | 4,580 |
| Annual | $34,510 | $41,170 | $51,120 | $62,390 | $79,290 | $54,800 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where proofreaders and copy markers earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $21.21 | $21.22 | $32.75 | $41.01 | $49.61 | $33.28 | 50 | 0.08 | 2.66 |
| Annual | $44,130 | $44,140 | $68,120 | $85,300 | $103,200 | $69,220 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $18.79 | $24.54 | $28.72 | $37.57 | $46.78 | $31.72 | 1,030 | 0.11 | 3.61 |
| Annual | $39,080 | $51,050 | $59,740 | $78,140 | $97,300 | $65,980 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $16.50 | $21.83 | $27.64 | $35.52 | $39.19 | $28.67 | 300 | 0.02 | 0.55 |
| Annual | $34,320 | $45,400 | $57,490 | $73,880 | $81,500 | $59,630 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $24.94 | $27.13 | $27.48 | $32.29 | $35.81 | $29.44 | 190 | 0.05 | 1.74 |
| Annual | $51,870 | $56,430 | $57,160 | $67,150 | $74,480 | $61,230 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $18.54 | $25.16 | $27.26 | $34.48 | $39.13 | $28.74 | 160 | 0.04 | 1.27 |
| Annual | $38,560 | $52,330 | $56,700 | $71,720 | $81,400 | $59,790 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York | Hourly | $18.79 | $24.54 | $28.72 | $37.57 | $46.78 | $31.72 | 1,030 | 0.11 | 3.61 |
| Annual | $39,080 | $51,050 | $59,740 | $78,140 | $97,300 | $65,980 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $16.50 | $21.83 | $27.64 | $35.52 | $39.19 | $28.67 | 300 | 0.02 | 0.55 |
| Annual | $34,320 | $45,400 | $57,490 | $73,880 | $81,500 | $59,630 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $16.32 | $18.16 | $24.07 | $28.53 | $37.04 | $25.00 | 300 | 0.05 | 1.66 |
| Annual | $33,950 | $37,770 | $50,060 | $59,350 | $77,030 | $52,010 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $18.27 | $21.29 | $22.84 | $31.80 | $39.59 | $26.52 | 230 | 0.04 | 1.27 |
| Annual | $38,000 | $44,280 | $47,510 | $66,150 | $82,340 | $55,170 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $16.16 | $16.86 | $17.12 | $30.82 | $57.28 | $25.05 | 200 | 0.02 | 0.68 |
| Annual | $33,620 | $35,070 | $35,610 | $64,100 | $119,150 | $52,090 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $17.74 | $23.48 | $32.03 | $36.00 | $40.96 | $31.04 | 110 | 0.02 | 0.61 |
| Annual | $36,900 | $48,840 | $66,620 | $74,890 | $85,200 | $64,550 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $18.65 | $24.72 | $28.72 | $38.93 | $47.29 | $32.64 | 970 | 0.10 | 3.48 |
| Annual | $38,790 | $51,410 | $59,740 | $80,980 | $98,360 | $67,880 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $24.94 | $27.13 | $27.81 | $32.29 | $35.81 | $29.72 | 170 | 0.06 | 2.18 |
| Annual | $51,870 | $56,430 | $57,840 | $67,150 | $74,480 | $61,820 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $21.21 | $22.74 | $26.62 | $32.75 | $41.01 | $29.32 | 120 | 0.04 | 1.31 |
| Annual | $44,130 | $47,290 | $55,360 | $68,120 | $85,300 | $60,980 | ||||
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | Hourly | $21.62 | $21.62 | $26.60 | $26.87 | $28.21 | $25.61 | 70 | 0.04 | 1.43 |
| Annual | $44,960 | $44,960 | $55,320 | $55,900 | $58,670 | $53,270 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $18.65 | $24.72 | $28.72 | $38.93 | $47.29 | $32.64 | 970 | 0.10 | 3.48 |
| Annual | $38,790 | $51,410 | $59,740 | $80,980 | $98,360 | $67,880 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $17.55 | $18.35 | $24.98 | $29.44 | $37.04 | $25.60 | 260 | 0.06 | 1.99 |
| Annual | $36,510 | $38,170 | $51,970 | $61,230 | $77,040 | $53,250 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $24.94 | $27.13 | $27.81 | $32.29 | $35.81 | $29.72 | 170 | 0.06 | 2.18 |
| Annual | $51,870 | $56,430 | $57,840 | $67,150 | $74,480 | $61,820 | ||||
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Hourly | $19.16 | $22.36 | $26.40 | $36.19 | $42.83 | $28.96 | 130 | 0.04 | 1.50 |
| Annual | $39,860 | $46,500 | $54,900 | $75,270 | $89,090 | $60,240 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $21.21 | $22.74 | $26.62 | $32.75 | $41.01 | $29.32 | 120 | 0.04 | 1.31 |
| Annual | $44,130 | $47,290 | $55,360 | $68,120 | $85,300 | $60,980 | ||||
Top industries employing proofreaders and copy markers
Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers employ 26.6% of proofreaders and copy markers nationally (1,220 jobs) at a median $43,230 a year ($20.78 an hour), followed by Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (8.1%) and Employment Services (7.4%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers NAICS 513100 | 1,220 | 26.6% | $43,230 | $20.78 |
| Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services NAICS 541800 | 370 | 8.1% | $67,270 | $32.34 |
| Employment Services NAICS 561300 | 340 | 7.4% | $51,410 | $24.72 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services NAICS 541600 | 260 | 5.7% | $54,990 | $26.44 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises NAICS 551100 | 200 | 4.4% | $51,030 | $24.53 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (4,580). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $43,940 for proofreaders and copy markers in May 2021 and $51,120 in May 2025, with employment of 5,340 and 4,580.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $43,940 | $21.12 | 5,340 |
| May 2022 | $45,410 | $21.83 | 5,120 |
| May 2023 | $48,790 | $23.46 | 5,490 |
| May 2024 | $49,210 | $23.66 | 5,160 |
| May 2025 | $51,120 | $24.58 | 4,580 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
29 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia profile | $32.75 | $68,120 | $44,130 | $103,200 | 50 | 0.08 | 2.66 |
| 2 | New York profile | $28.72 | $59,740 | $39,080 | $97,300 | 1,030 | 0.11 | 3.61 |
| 3 | California profile | $27.64 | $57,490 | $34,320 | $81,500 | 300 | 0.02 | 0.55 |
| 4 | Massachusetts profile | $27.48 | $57,160 | $51,870 | $74,480 | 190 | 0.05 | 1.74 |
| 5 | New Jersey profile | $27.26 | $56,700 | $38,560 | $81,400 | 160 | 0.04 | 1.27 |
| 6 | Ohio profile | $26.71 | $55,560 | $29,670 | $71,980 | 100 | 0.02 | 0.64 |
| 7 | Maryland profile | $25.92 | $53,920 | $42,900 | $65,530 | ** | ** | ** |
| 8 | Washington profile | $25.91 | $53,890 | $39,990 | $105,840 | 60 | 0.02 | 0.53 |
| 9 | Missouri profile | $25.44 | $52,920 | $28,600 | $69,850 | 110 | 0.04 | 1.22 |
| 10 | Kansas profile | $24.60 | $51,160 | $24,960 | $67,760 | 90 | 0.06 | 2.18 |
| 11 | Illinois profile | $24.07 | $50,060 | $33,950 | $77,030 | 300 | 0.05 | 1.66 |
| 12 | Minnesota profile | $23.77 | $49,450 | $42,720 | $57,590 | ** | ** | ** |
| 13 | Georgia profile | $23.66 | $49,200 | $34,980 | $58,910 | ** | ** | ** |
| 14 | Virginia profile | $23.12 | $48,090 | $41,270 | $60,510 | 90 | 0.02 | 0.70 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania profile | $22.84 | $47,510 | $38,000 | $82,340 | 230 | 0.04 | 1.27 |
| 16 | Kentucky profile | $22.30 | $46,380 | $41,200 | $72,830 | 70 | 0.04 | 1.19 |
| 17 | North Carolina profile | $22.18 | $46,140 | $36,020 | $56,730 | 70 | 0.01 | 0.45 |
| 18 | Iowa profile | $21.48 | $44,680 | $38,430 | $66,350 | 110 | 0.07 | 2.36 |
| 19 | Wisconsin profile | $20.98 | $43,630 | $28,400 | $62,820 | 60 | 0.02 | 0.74 |
| 20 | South Carolina profile | $20.63 | $42,900 | $35,670 | $60,390 | 40 | 0.02 | 0.53 |
| 21 | Utah profile | $20.60 | $42,840 | $38,560 | $52,920 | ** | ** | ** |
| 22 | Texas profile | $20.19 | $41,990 | $32,010 | $65,460 | 200 | 0.01 | 0.47 |
| 23 | Indiana profile | $19.67 | $40,920 | $36,530 | $51,030 | 80 | 0.03 | 0.85 |
| 24 | West Virginia profile | $17.66 | $36,730 | $22,060 | $68,910 | 50 | 0.08 | 2.63 |
| 25 | Florida profile | $17.12 | $35,610 | $33,620 | $119,150 | 200 | 0.02 | 0.68 |
| 26 | Michigan profile | $17.08 | $35,530 | $32,180 | $63,090 | 140 | 0.03 | 1.05 |
| – | Colorado profile | * | * | * | * | 120 | 0.04 | 1.39 |
| – | Connecticut profile | * | * | * | * | 70 | 0.04 | 1.45 |
| – | Oklahoma profile | * | * | * | * | 40 | 0.02 | 0.77 |
Part of Office and Administrative Support Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 43-9081 Proofreaders and Copy Markers.
*- Wage estimate not available.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 43-9081, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 43-9081.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.