Office and Administrative Support Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages O*NET task lead SOC 43-9081

Proofreaders and Copy Markers

O*NET task statements lead this Proofreaders and Copy Markers card before OEWS pay; neighboring titles include Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants, Communications Equipment Operators, All Other, Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Brokerage Clerks.

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Proofreaders and Copy Markers: Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants ($77K) , Communications Equipment Operators, All Other ($55K) , Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants ($56K) , Brokerage Clerks ($66K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Proofreaders and Copy Markers publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 43-9081 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Mark copy to indicate and correct errors in type, arrangement, grammar, punctuation, or spelling, using standard printers' marks
  2. 2. Read corrected copies or proofs to ensure that all corrections have been made
  3. 3. Correct or record omissions, errors, or inconsistencies found
  4. 4. Compare information or figures on one record against same data on other records, or with original copy, to detect errors
  5. 5. Route proofs with marked corrections to authors, editors, typists, or typesetters for correction or reprinting
  6. 6. Consult reference books or secure aid of readers to check references with rules of grammar and composition
  7. 7. Typeset and measure dimensions, spacing, and positioning of page elements, such as copy and illustrations, to verify conformance to speci…
  8. 8. Consult with authors and editors regarding manuscript changes and suggestions
  9. 9. Archive documents, conduct research, and read copy, using the internet and various computer programs
  10. 10. Write original content, such as headlines, cutlines, captions, and cover copy
  11. 11. Read proof sheets aloud, calling out punctuation marks and spelling unusual words and proper names

Proofreaders and Copy Markers: O*NET ranks Reading Comprehension first

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 43-9081 - lead skill Reading Comprehension at 4.3 ; lead knowledge English Language. Sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Reading Comprehension 4.3
  2. 2. Writing 3.6
  3. 3. Speaking 3.3
  4. 4. Active Listening 3.1
  5. 5. Critical Thinking 3.0
  6. 6. Monitoring 2.9
  7. 7. Time Management 2.8
  8. 8. Active Learning 2.5

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. English Language 5.0
  2. 2. Communications and Media 3.4
  3. 3. Computers and Electronics 3.0
  4. 4. Administrative 2.6
  5. 5. Administration and Management 2.4
  6. 6. Customer and Personal Service 2.2
National median after O*NET task lead
$51,120
/year · 11 published task lines above
Lead task: Mark copy to indicate and correct errors in type, arrangement, grammar, punctuation, or spelling, using standard printers' marks
$51K
National median
↓ -1%
Growth 2024-2034
1,900
Annual openings
4,580
Estimated US jobs
Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants
Highest-pay peer · $77K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education Bachelor's degree

Top Paying States for Proofreaders and Copy Markers

1. Massachusetts $57,160
2. District of Columbia $68,120
3. Kansas $51,160
4. Ohio $55,560
5. Washington $53,890
6. Maryland $53,920
7. Missouri $52,920
8. California $57,490
9. New Jersey $56,700
10. New York $59,740

Other Office and Administrative Support Occupations titles

  1. 1. Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants $55,570
  2. 2. Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants $76,590
  3. 3. Brokerage Clerks $65,750
  4. 4. Communications Equipment Operators, All Other $54,680
  5. 5. Postal Service Clerks $62,130
  6. 6. Desktop Publishers $55,290

O*NET publishes 11 leading task statements for Proofreaders and Copy Markers (SOC 43-9081). The national OEWS median is $51,120 inside Office and Administrative Support Occupations. Same-group neighbors: Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants, Communications Equipment Operators, All Other, Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Brokerage Clerks. Lead published task: Mark copy to indicate and correct errors in type, arrangement, grammar, punctuation, or spelling, using standard printers' marks.

Employment Projections expect -1% change between 2024 and 2034 (declining vs baseline 3.1%). About 1,900 annual openings are projected. BLS assigns Bachelor's degree as typical education needed for entry. These are occupation-level assignments, not universal requirements. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific safety rate for this role; its broad SOC-group rate is excluded from this career card's grade.

Highest published state median in this ranking: Massachusetts at $57,160. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants at $76,590. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

Proofreaders and Copy Markers pay-rank #16 in Office and Administrative Support Occupations

Among 54 detailed Office and Administrative Support Occupations with a published OEWS median, Proofreaders and Copy Markers is pay-rank #16, the upper third of that major group. The order is ROW_NUMBER on national median (title as tiebreak), not a worker-level percentile.

Other upper-third titles · closest medians

Full Salary Details Compare this role

Data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024-2034.

SOC 43-9081 · national median $51,120 · upper third of Office and Administrative Support Occupations (#16/54). Open the full OEWS map or a named state before treating the card median as a local ask.

Proofreaders and Copy Markers salary map

State, metro, and percentile for SOC 43-9081

Massachusetts · top state for Proofreaders and Copy Markers

$57K published median

District of Columbia · #2 state pay

$68K · behind Massachusetts

Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants

Highest-pay peer vs Proofreaders and Copy Markers · $77K

Communications Equipment Operators, All Other

Lower-pay peer beside Proofreaders and Copy Markers · $55K

Compare Proofreaders and Copy Markers

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Role and task next reads

Proofreaders and Copy Markers full salary map

State and metro OEWS after the task lead

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which Office and Administrative Support Occupations titles sit near Proofreaders and Copy Markers at the top of the pay table? ▼
Proofreaders and Copy Markers is pay-rank #16 of 54 detailed Office and Administrative Support Occupations with an OEWS median, upper third. Nearest upper-third titles: Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks ($51K), Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping ($51K), Cargo and Freight Agents ($52K), Public Safety Telecommunicators ($53K). Rank is ROW_NUMBER on national median.
What do proofreaders and copy markers do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Proofreaders and Copy Markers. Leading ones include: 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. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for proofreaders and copy markers? ▼
For SOC 43-9081, O*NET importance scores lead with Reading Comprehension (4.3), Writing (3.6), Speaking (3.3), Active Listening (3.1). Knowledge areas emphasize English Language, Communications and Media, Computers and Electronics. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
What is the OEWS national median for Proofreaders and Copy Markers? ▼
May 2025 OEWS reports $51,120 as the national median for Proofreaders and Copy Markers. The published 10th-90th range is $34,510 to $79,290. Beside Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants ($76,590), this is the occupation-level national figure, not a local offer.
What employment change does BLS publish for Proofreaders and Copy Markers? ▼
The 2024-2034 projection for Proofreaders and Copy Markers is -1%. Projected annual openings: about 1,900. Relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%: declining.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Proofreaders and Copy Markers? ▼
BLS assigns Bachelor's degree as the typical-education-needed-for-entry category for Proofreaders and Copy Markers. These are occupation-level labels, not every employer's hiring rule.
Which three states show the highest OEWS medians for Proofreaders and Copy Markers? ▼
Massachusetts ($57,160), District of Columbia ($68,120), Kansas ($51,160) lead this ranking. The table does not identify why those state estimates differ.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Wage and state figures use BLS OEWS May 2025; growth and education use BLS Employment Projections for 2024-2034; safety fields cite BLS CFOI/SOII; task statements cite O*NET where shown. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

Disclaimer: Wage and outlook figures on this page are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute career, financial, or salary-negotiation advice. Actual pay varies by employer, experience, and local conditions; consult a career counselor or the hiring employer for guidance specific to your situation.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES Occupational wage estimates by area and industry · 2025

Federal sources on this Proofreaders and Copy Markers card
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 43-9081. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Proofreaders and Copy Markers. onetcenter.org
  • BLS Employment Projections - 2024-2034 change and openings for this occupation. bls.gov/emp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - demographic and labor-force context for state and metro geography. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) - payroll-tax aggregate context for wage comparisons. irs.gov/statistics