Annual Salary
£22,000 to £45,000
Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)
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Sub-editors check written content before it's published in newspapers, magazines and on websites.
Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)
You could work: evenings / weekends; flexibly
There will be
2.4% more Sub-editor jobs in 2027.
You will:
You could work in an office.
You can get into this job through:
You’ll usually need a degree in a relevant subject like:
You can find relevant courses accredited by the National Council for the Training of Journalists.
You can do a postgraduate journalism course if your first degree is not in a related subject.
You'll usually need:
The National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) has advice on bursaries and funding to encourage greater diversity in journalism.
You can work towards this role by starting with a higher apprenticeship like:
You may be able to work your way into this job by starting as a reporter with a regional newspaper or magazine. This can help you to build up your experience of proofreading and text editing.
It will also allow you to develop a portfolio of work that you can use to showcase your skills to potential employers.
You'll need to get some experience before applying for your first job in newspaper or magazine journalism and moving on to sub editing.
You could:
You'll find it helpful to take a sub-editing course if you've already got some experience in journalism, PR or media communications.
Courses are offered by organisations like:
You'll also need to be able to use desktop publishing software for many sub-editing jobs.
You may find it useful to join organisations like the Society of Editors and Professional Publishers Association, for professional recognition, training opportunities and to make industry contacts.
You can find out more about becoming a sub-editor from:The Publishers Association; National Council for the Training of Journalists
You can find out more about media and publishing careers from:Discover Creative Careers
With experience, you may be able to progress to production editor or chief sub-editor.
You could also use your journalism experience to move into PR or work as a press or communications officer.
You can find out more about becoming a sub-editor from:
You'll need: