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Editorial Assistant Jobs

Career overview

The editorial assistant role is the formal entry point into editorial careers at most publishing operations, and one of the most competed-for positions in media. As Mediabistro has covered, paid editorial internships at publications with genuine cultural weight are rare enough that they are worth paying close attention to when they appear. The title covers a wide range of actual responsibilities depending on the employer. At a book publisher, an editorial assistant reads manuscript submissions, handles author and agent correspondence, writes copy for seasonal catalogs, and learns the acquisitions process from the ground up. At a magazine, the same title involves fact-checking, managing editorial calendars, coordinating with contributors, and often writing. At a digital publisher, an editorial assistant may be publishing content to a CMS, pulling audience analytics, and drafting headlines alongside more traditional copy editing work.

The largest concentration of editorial assistant openings sits in the book publishing world centered in New York, where major houses, including Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, Hachette, and Macmillan, along with hundreds of mid-size and independent imprints, maintain assistant-level positions as the formal pipeline into editorial careers. Magazine publishing, both print and digital, offers another significant cluster: legacy titles at Hearst and Condé Nast, digital-native outlets, and niche publications with dedicated editorial teams all hire at the assistant level. Corporate content teams, nonprofit communications departments, and digital news organizations run their own versions of entry-level editorial roles, often under titles like editorial coordinator or content associate. As Mediabistro has tracked, even established business titles like Inc. continue investing in structured editorial teams with entry-level positions, in some cases covered by WGA East collective bargaining agreements that include published salary ranges and benefits, a relative rarity in digital media.

The skills required of editorial assistants have expanded as digital publishing has become the norm. Mediabistro's coverage of digital newsrooms documents that editors at every level now handle SEO optimization, social media distribution, audience analytics, and CMS publishing alongside traditional editorial duties. For editorial assistants at digital outlets, comfort with platforms like WordPress, Arc Publishing, or Chorus is an increasingly common baseline expectation. AI tools have entered the workflow too: the Society for Professional Journalists has reported that newsrooms adopting AI tools are hiring specifically for roles built around AI integration, a category that grows directly out of the editorial assistant pipeline. For an EA today, demonstrating some familiarity with AI-assisted content tools alongside strong foundational editing skills is a meaningful differentiator in competitive applicant pools.

Entry-level editorial roles, including editorial assistants and associate editors, typically earn $38,000 to $55,000, based on Mediabistro's salary benchmarks for media professionals. Book publishing editorial assistant roles in New York tend toward the lower end of that range, reflecting a persistent gap between the prestige of the work and its compensation that has been documented across the industry for years. Digital-media editorial assistants often earn somewhat more, particularly at tech-adjacent or brand editorial teams where pay reflects a broader competitive market. WGA-covered editorial roles at legacy titles represent an important tier with published salary ranges and union protections, benefits that matter for candidates evaluating total compensation against New York's cost of living. Remote and distributed editorial opportunities at digital publications can partially offset that burden for candidates who would otherwise be priced out of book and magazine assistant roles.

For more than 25 years, Mediabistro has been where editorial careers in media begin. The listings here reflect active entry-level hiring across book publishing, magazine media, digital news, and brand editorial, from paid internships at institutions like Kirkus Reviews to assistant-level openings at digital-native publishers nationwide.

Skills Employers Are Looking For

  • Copy editing and proofreading
  • AP Style and Chicago Manual of Style
  • Fact-checking and source verification
  • Editorial calendar management
  • Manuscript reading and editorial coverage writing
  • CMS publishing (WordPress, Arc, Chorus)
  • Headline and metadata writing
  • Contributor and freelancer coordination
  • SEO basics and audience analytics
  • Social media content support and distribution
  • Research and reporting assistance
  • AI-assisted content workflow familiarity
  • Author and agent correspondence
  • Catalog and back-cover copy writing

Frequently Asked Questions

What does an editorial assistant actually do day to day?

The answer varies by employer type. At a book publisher, the work is heavily administrative in the early months: managing submission queries from agents, reading manuscripts and writing editorial coverage reports, handling author correspondence, maintaining rights and contracts records, and writing catalog and back-cover copy. At a magazine or digital publication, the work tilts more toward production: fact-checking stories before publication, managing editorial calendars, coordinating with contributors, publishing content to a CMS, and drafting social media posts. Mediabistro's coverage of editorial internships at publications like Kirkus Reviews captures what hands-on experience looks like in practice: fact-checking, cataloging book submissions for review, contributing to social media channels, and writing for the publication under editorial mentorship.

Is book publishing the only place to find editorial assistant jobs?

Book publishing is the most visible employer of editorial assistants, particularly in New York, but it is far from the only one. Magazines, digital news organizations, nonprofit media outlets, trade publications, and corporate brand editorial teams all hire at the assistant level, often under alternative titles like editorial coordinator, content associate, or junior editor. As Mediabistro has reported, digital-native publishers and established business titles like Inc. maintain structured entry-level editorial roles, some with union coverage and published salary ranges. Candidates who expand their search beyond major book publishers discover a substantially larger pool of opportunities, many of which offer higher starting salaries and more hands-on digital skill development than traditional publishing positions.

Do editorial assistants need a specific degree?

English, journalism, and communications are the most common backgrounds, but publishers hire broadly from across the liberal arts, including history, political science, philosophy, and area studies, particularly when a candidate's subject expertise matches the publisher's list. What matters more than the specific degree is writing ability, reading depth, and demonstrated editorial judgment, usually evidenced through published clips, internship experience, or strong writing samples. Many editorial assistants at book publishers also come through publishing certificate programs at institutions like Columbia, NYU, or the Denver Publishing Institute, which offer concentrated industry exposure and alumni networks that matter more in book publishing hiring than in most other media fields.

How do I build an editorial portfolio to land my first editorial job?

Published clips are the foundation. Contributing to campus newspapers, literary magazines, trade publications, or online outlets that accept pitches from emerging writers and editors demonstrates the ability to produce work that clears an editorial bar. Internships are the most efficient route into an editorial assistant role: as Mediabistro has covered, a paid editorial internship at a culturally respected publication like Kirkus Reviews carries real weight when applying to subsequent editorial positions, and the name opens doors in publishing circles. Developing demonstrable subject matter depth in an area relevant to the publishers or publications you are targeting gives you a specific angle that generalist candidates cannot replicate.

How competitive are editorial assistant positions, particularly in book publishing?

The competition is intense at major New York publishing houses and high-profile magazines, where entry-level roles at marquee imprints routinely attract hundreds of applications from candidates with internships, published clips, and relevant degrees. The competition is considerably less acute at digital-native publishers, regional publications, nonprofit media organizations, and corporate editorial teams, where the applicant pools are smaller and skill requirements often include digital tools that candidates from purely print backgrounds may not have developed. Candidates who build CMS proficiency, SEO familiarity, and comfort with audience analytics alongside traditional editorial skills position themselves more broadly across the full range of available opportunities.

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Salary by level

  • Editorial Intern / Editorial Assistant

    $38,000 - $52,000

  • Associate Editor

    $50,000 - $68,000

  • Staff Editor

    $62,000 - $85,000

  • Senior Editor

    $78,000 - $110,000

  • Managing Editor

    $95,000 - $135,000

  • Editorial Director

    $120,000 - $175,000