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Careersβ€ΊRolesβ€ΊScience Editor
Mid-Level

Science Editor

You make science readable without making it wrong β€” editing articles, books, or features so they're accurate, clear, and engaging for people who aren't experts. Where science meets the general reader.

Career Level
Junior
Mid
Senior
Director
VP
Executive
Work Personality
A
C
E
I
S
R
Artisticcreative, expressive
Conventionalorganizing, detail-oriented
Based on Holland Code framework
Industries that often hire Science Editors
Technology & Information Β· 60%Professional Services Β· 18%Consumer Services Β· 6%Education Β· 5%Administrative Services Β· 4%Financial Services Β· 2%
Job markets for Science Editors
Employment concentration Β· ~187 areas
Based on employment in related occupations
Mapped SOC categories:
Arts & Media
BLS Occupational Employment Statistics
Jump to:What it's likeCareer pathsBy the numbers
What it's like

What it's like to be a Science Editor

The work blends editing with science literacy β€” shaping structure and prose, checking claims, working with writers and experts, and keeping it both accurate and readable. The tension is constant, and simplifying without distorting is the whole challenge. Much of the craft is catching the error that would mislead a reader.

Magazines, publishers, science outlets, and institutions frame the work, and media's financial strain shapes it. Deadlines press, you juggle writers and accuracy, and making it catchy can collide with getting it right. The field increasingly blends with digital, audience metrics, and multimedia.

It tends to fit the curious and clear-minded β€” people who love science and language and can serve both at once. If you want to do original research or write under your own name, the editor's chair may feel secondary. But if making real science reach and move people is satisfying, the work matters more than the byline.

What people in this role value
IndependenceHigh
AchievementAbove avg
RecognitionAbove avg
Working ConditionsModerate
RelationshipsModerate
SupportModerate
O*NET Work Values survey
✦ Editorial β€” written by Truest from industry research and career patterns
Career Paths

Where this role sits in the broader career landscape β€” and where it can take you.

Earning potential across this track
$239K$179K$119K$60K$0KLower paying387 metro areas, sorted by salary level
All experience levels1
This level's estimated range
INDUSTRIES PAYING ABOVE AVERAGE
Technology & Information$121K+90%
Energy & Utilities$114K+80%
Professional Services$113K+77%
Financial Services$98K+54%
Wholesale & Distribution$89K+40%
Compared to Arts & Media average across all industries
1 BLS OEWS May 2024 covers all Science Editors (SOC 27-3041.00), not just this title Β· BEA RPP 2023
* Top salaries exceed this figure. BLS caps reported wages at ~$240K to protect individual privacy in high-earning roles.
Related rolesExplore Arts & Media β†’
Science EditorCopy EditorNews Copy EditorReviewerPhoto EditorNews EditorCopy ReaderArt EditorBook EditorAcute EditorMarket EditorDigital EditorFashion EditorMake Up EditorMedical EditorRewrite EditorBusiness EditorMagazine EditorAssignment EditorContinuity ReaderDictionary EditorManuscript EditorManuscript ReaderProduction EditorAdvertising Editor+1 more
Exploring the Science Editor career path? Truest helps you figure out if it's the right fit β€” and plan your path forward.
Explore career tools
✦ Editorial β€” career progression and interview guidance based on industry patterns
The Broader Landscape

Roles like this one sit within a broader occupational category. The numbers below reflect that full landscape β€” helpful for context, but your specific experience will depend on level, specialty, and where you work.

$36K–$141K
Salary Range
10th – 90th percentile
95K
U.S. Employment
+0.6%
10yr Growth
10K
Annual Openings

How this category is changing

$68K$65K$62K$59K$57K201920202021202220232024$57K$68K
BLS OEWS May 2024 Β· BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034

Skills & Requirements

Reading ComprehensionWritingCritical ThinkingActive ListeningSpeakingTime ManagementQuality Control AnalysisSocial PerceptivenessComplex Problem SolvingSystems Analysis
O*NET OnLine Β· Bureau of Labor Statistics
Mapped SOC Codes
27-3041.00

Explore related roles

Roles with similar work and overlapping career paths

midCopy Editor$49KmidNews Copy Editor$49KmidReviewer$62KmidPhoto Editor$59KmidNews Editor$73KmidCopy Reader$62K
View all Arts & Media roles β†’

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Federal data: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (May 2024) Β· BLS Employment Projections Β· O*NET OnLine
Truest editorial: Fit check, role profile, things that vary, advancement analysis, lateral moves, interview questions.