Editors Salary
In Winston-Salem, NC, editors earn $63,130 at the median, or about $30.35 an hour. The range runs from $42K at the entry level to $103K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.04), which stretches that salary to about $68,590 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,232/month, or 29.1% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $63K get you in Winston-Salem?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Winston-Salem’s Regional Price Parity (92.04). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About editors
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What this looks like in Winston-Salem
Pay for editors in Winston-Salem runs about 19% below the U.S. median of $78K. Rent runs $1,232/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29.6% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.04 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for editors in metros near Winston-Salem, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $78K | $80K |
| Raleigh-Cary | $76K | $78K |
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $80K | $82K |
| Greensboro-High Point | $67K | $72K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Winston-Salem, NC
Entry-level editors (10th percentile) start around $42K. Mid-career wages sit at $63K. Top earners bring in $103K or more, a $60K spread from bottom to top.
Editors pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Editors salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $101K | +30% | 16,800 |
| California | $98K | +26% | 14,830 |
| Connecticut | $86K | +10% | 1,050 |
| District of Columbia | $84K | +8% | 3,310 |
| Massachusetts | $83K | +7% | 3,100 |
| New Jersey | $82K | +5% | 2,120 |
| Virginia | $81K | +3% | 2,720 |
| Rhode Island | $78K | +0% | 340 |
| Colorado | $78K | -0% | 1,830 |
| Washington | $78K | -0% | 1,860 |
| Georgia | $77K | -2% | 1,920 |
| Illinois | $76K | -2% | 4,560 |
| Maryland | $76K | -3% | 1,850 |
| Delaware | $75K | -4% | 170 |
| Florida | $74K | -5% | 3,790 |
| North Carolina | $74K | -5% | 1,870 |
| Nevada | $73K | -7% | N/A |
| Ohio | $72K | -7% | 1,800 |
| Oregon | $72K | -8% | 1,110 |
| Vermont | $67K | -14% | 240 |
| New Hampshire | $67K | -15% | 250 |
| Utah | $65K | -17% | 590 |
| Wisconsin | $64K | -18% | 1,510 |
| New Mexico | $64K | -18% | 230 |
| Alaska | $64K | -18% | 60 |
| Pennsylvania | $63K | -19% | 3,240 |
| Alabama | $63K | -19% | 530 |
| Arizona | $63K | -19% | 820 |
| Michigan | $63K | -19% | 1,690 |
| Minnesota | $63K | -20% | 1,970 |
| South Carolina | $62K | -20% | 500 |
| Kansas | $62K | -21% | 500 |
| Montana | $62K | -21% | 200 |
| Missouri | $62K | -21% | 880 |
| North Dakota | $61K | -22% | 200 |
| Tennessee | $60K | -24% | 1,390 |
| Kentucky | $59K | -24% | 490 |
| Louisiana | $59K | -24% | 330 |
| Iowa | $57K | -27% | 900 |
| South Dakota | $57K | -27% | 140 |
| West Virginia | $57K | -27% | 260 |
| Indiana | $56K | -28% | 830 |
| Hawaii | $55K | -29% | 100 |
| Mississippi | $54K | -30% | 290 |
| Oklahoma | $51K | -35% | 500 |
| Arkansas | $50K | -36% | 260 |
| Maine | $50K | -36% | 300 |
| Wyoming | $47K | -40% | 110 |
| Nebraska | $46K | -41% | 360 |
| Texas | $46K | -41% | 6,460 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track editors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Winston-Salem numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a editor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Winston-Salem?
Yes — at the median salary of $63K, rent takes 29.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,232/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for editors in Winston-Salem?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new editors typically earn — is $42K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,534/month. At HUD’s $1,232/month FMR, rent would take 49% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is editor a high-paying job in Winston-Salem?
Local pay runs 19% below the national median — $63K here vs. $78K nationally. Cost of living is 8% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Winston-Salem compare to the national average for editors?
Winston-Salem pays $63K median vs. the U.S. average of $78K — that’s -19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.04), the purchasing-power equivalent is $69K — below the national median.
How much do editors make in Winston-Salem, NC?
The median is $63,130 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $42,240, and experienced editors can clear $102,720. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $63K enough to live in Winston-Salem?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,160/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,232/month, which eats 29.6% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a editors salary go in Winston-Salem?
Winston-Salem has a Regional Price Parity of 92.04 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median editors salary is worth about $68,590 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do editors get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.