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Proofreader

💰 Earn $44K-$78K
📚 Bachelor Degree
⏱️ 24–48 Month Training
📈 -0.6% Job Growth
  • Perfect for detail-oriented individuals who love refining written content.
  • Ensure clarity and accuracy in publications, impacting readers worldwide.
  • Unique chance to work with diverse texts, including braille and digital formats.
Proofreader
What Proofreaders DoRead transcript or proof type setup to detect and mark for correction any grammatical, typographical, or compositional errors. Excludes workers whose primary duty is editing copy. Includes proofreaders of braille.
  • 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.
  • Route proofs with marked corrections to authors, editors, typists, or typesetters for correction or reprinting.
Proofreaders Education, Salary, and Growth
Minimum EducationBachelor Degree
Career ProspectsSteady (Staying constant (within 1%))
Training Time2 to 4 years
Job Openings1,900 Annually
Median Earnings
$63,820 in California
$49,210 Nationally

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Is This Career Right For You?
YOU Like
  • Being creative or artistic
  • Using data or completing tasks
you value
  • Accomplishing things
  • Having support
  • Personal relationships
you are skilled in
  • Operation and Control
  • Operations Monitoring
  • Equipment Maintenance
  • Critical Thinking
  • Quality Control Analysis
Go Deeper: Proofreaders Explained
Proofreader
ProofreaderExplore career pathways, key skills, and what each role has to offer.
How Do You Train for This Career?

Learn about the education and training paths that can lead to this career — and what to expect from each one.

Bachelor's Degree
Bachelor's DegreeA bachelor's degree typically results in increased knowledge about a variety of academic subjects, specialized knowledge in a focused field of study, and is considered the foundational qualification for many careers.
🎓 College
⏱️ Finish in 4-5+ years
Vocational School
Vocational SchoolA vocational school typically equips students with specialized skills and practical training in specific trades or occupations, enhancing their employability and providing direct pathways to relevant careers.
🎓 Skills-Focused
⏱️ Finish in 6 months - 2 years
Associate's Degree
Associate's DegreeAn associate's degree typically provides graduates with foundational knowledge and skills for entry-level jobs in the graduate's industry, or serves as a stepping stone towards further education.
🎓 College
⏱️ Finish in 2-3 years
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Updated April 2026. Data sourced from O*NET and Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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Proofreader | Explore this Career