Proofreaders and Copy Markers Salary
The median pay for a proofreaders and copy markers in St. Louis, MO-IL is $55,280/year ($26.58/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $72K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 95.09), that's roughly $58,134 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,218/month, about 33.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $55K get you in St. Louis?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by St. Louis’s Regional Price Parity (95.09). 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 proofreaders and copy markers
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in St. Louis
Proofreaders and copy markers pay in St. Louis tracks closely to the national median, $55K locally vs. $51K nationwide, a 8% difference. Rent runs $1,218/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32.8% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 95.09) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for proofreaders and copy markers in metros near St. Louis, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Kansas City | $48K | $52K |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $52K | $50K |
| Louisville/Jefferson County | $44K | $47K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, St. Louis, MO-IL
Entry-level proofreaders and copy markers (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $55K. Top earners bring in $72K or more, a $34K spread from bottom to top.
Proofreaders and Copy Markers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Proofreaders and Copy Markers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $68K | +33% | 50 |
| New York | $60K | +17% | 1,030 |
| California | $57K | +12% | 300 |
| Massachusetts | $57K | +12% | 190 |
| New Jersey | $57K | +11% | 160 |
| Ohio | $56K | +9% | 100 |
| Maryland | $54K | +5% | N/A |
| Washington | $54K | +5% | 60 |
| Missouri | $53K | +4% | 110 |
| Kansas | $51K | +0% | 90 |
| Illinois | $50K | -2% | 300 |
| Minnesota | $49K | -3% | N/A |
| Georgia | $49K | -4% | N/A |
| Virginia | $48K | -6% | 90 |
| Pennsylvania | $48K | -7% | 230 |
| Kentucky | $46K | -9% | 70 |
| North Carolina | $46K | -10% | 70 |
| Iowa | $45K | -13% | 110 |
| Wisconsin | $44K | -15% | 60 |
| South Carolina | $43K | -16% | 40 |
| Utah | $43K | -16% | N/A |
| Texas | $42K | -18% | 200 |
| Indiana | $41K | -20% | 80 |
| West Virginia | $37K | -28% | 50 |
| Florida | $36K | -30% | 200 |
| Michigan | $36K | -30% | 140 |
Showing 1–10 of 26 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track proofreaders and copy markers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when St. Louis numbers change.
Related careers in Office & Admin
Frequently asked questions
Can a proofreaders and copy marker afford a 2BR apartment alone in St. Louis?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $55K, rent takes 32.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,218/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for proofreaders and copy markers in St. Louis?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new proofreaders and copy markers typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,306/month. At HUD’s $1,218/month FMR, rent would take 53% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is proofreaders and copy marker a high-paying job in St. Louis?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $55K locally vs. $51K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does St. Louis compare to the national average for proofreaders and copy markers?
St. Louis pays $55K median vs. the U.S. average of $51K — that’s +8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 95.09), the purchasing-power equivalent is $58K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do proofreaders and copy markers make in St. Louis, MO-IL?
The median is $55,280 a year, that works out to about $27 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,430, and experienced proofreaders and copy markers can clear $72,380. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $55K enough to live in St. Louis?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,718/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,218/month, which eats 32.8% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a proofreaders and copy markers salary go in St. Louis?
St. Louis has a Regional Price Parity of 95.09 (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 proofreaders and copy markers salary is worth about $58,134 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do proofreaders and copy markers 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.