Proofreaders and Copy Markers
Arts, Audio/Video Technology and CommunicationsO*NET 43-9081.00United States
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.
- Median annual earnings
- $41,489
- Projected change
- +7.3%
- Typical education
- Bachelor's degree
- Employment
- 7.84K jobs
50th percentile, United States
2025 to 2035
47.3% of the workforce
Growing to 8.41K by 2035
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The work
What proofreaders and copy markers do
Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.
- 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.
- Consult with authors and editors regarding manuscript changes and suggestions.
- 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.
Pay and outlook
What the job pays and where it is heading
Annual earnings range
Reported earnings by percentile, United States
- 10th percentile
- $25,027
- 25th percentile
- $31,619
- 50th percentile
- $41,489
- 75th percentile
- $59,430
- 90th percentile
- $122,874
The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $41,489 and half earn less.
Employment outlook
2025 to 2035 projection
+7.3%faster than average
20257,842 jobs
2035 projected8,413 jobs
571 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.
Preparation
Education levels
What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.
- Bachelor's degree
- 47.3%
- Associate degree
- 23.2%
- Some college
- 12%
- High school diploma or less
- 11.2%
- Certificate
- 6.2%
Skills
Skills employers ask for
Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.
How the work gets done
Core competencies
Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.
- Reading Comprehension
- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Writing
- Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Speaking
- Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Active Listening
- Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Critical Thinking
- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Monitoring
- Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Time Management
- Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Active Learning
- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Complex Problem Solving
- Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Quality Control Analysis
- Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
- Coordination
- Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Social Perceptiveness
- Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Learning Strategies
- Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
- Systems Evaluation
- Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
- Systems Analysis
- Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
- Persuasion
- Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
- Mathematics
- Using mathematics to solve problems.
- Instructing
- Teaching others how to do something.
- Negotiation
- Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
In the market
Job titles and employers
Recent job postings in United StatesCommon job titles
- 01Proofreaders271 postings
- 02Creative Strategists198 postings
- 03Internal Communications Associates188 postings
- 04Creative Writing Interns126 postings
- 05Language Specialists101 postings
- 06Project Associates98 postings
- 07Quality Reviewers62 postings
- 08Document Specialists61 postings
- 09Copy Supervisors54 postings
- 10Home Shopping Personal Shoppers54 postings
- 11Reviewers54 postings
- 12Quality Control Associates51 postings
- 13Designers41 postings
- 14Word Processors34 postings
- 15Group Copy Supervisors32 postings
- 16Brand Designers31 postings
- 17Copy Managers31 postings
- 18Legal Proofreaders28 postings
- 19Creative Leads27 postings
- 20Transcriptionists27 postings
Top employers
- 01Robert Half97 postings
- 02Capital One61 postings
- 03R.R. Donnelley & Sons52 postings
- 04Publicis Groupe48 postings
- 05Jones Road Beauty45 postings
- 06Amazon33 postings
- 07Insight Global30 postings
- 08Welocalize21 postings
- 09Innodata19 postings
- 10Contract Land Staff17 postings
- 11Global Channel Management15 postings
- 12Mediamonks14 postings
- 13Burnett Specialists13 postings
- 14ManpowerGroup13 postings
- 15Productive Playhouse13 postings
- 16County Of San Mateo12 postings
- 17Weisscomm Group12 postings
- 18AppleOne11 postings
- 19Eversana11 postings
- 20Nike11 postings
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