Editors' salaries post moderate gains

Folio: The Magazine for Magazine Management, August 1, 1995 by Tony Silber

Editors at all levels predict they'll be getting raises this year, according to our 1995 editorial salary survey, but most say their increases will be only modest. Senior editors and art directors have die greatest expectations: overall average increases of 6.4 percent and 7.4 percent, respectively. But the big story is in bonuses: Just about everyone is expecting declines, and a few expect those declines to be precipitous. Only senior editors are anticipating increases in their bonuses.

The executive editors are the most dramatic example. Their bonuses fell by 42 percent, from an average of $5,423 in 1994 to a predicted average of $3,146 this year. Consumer-magazine editors/executive editors report the worst of all - a freefall of 56.1 percent, from $6,798 to $2,987. One theory that might help explain the decline in bonuses is a decline in profits brought on by this year's dramatic increase in production expenses. Postal costs increased for publishers by an average of 14 percent this year, and paper prices have gone up three times this year, for a combined cumulative increase for many magazines of as much as 30 percent or more. "There is a linkage with the paper costs, as there is with any cost," notes Henry Muller, editorial director of Time Inc. But he says Time Inc. is having a good enough year that it can absorb the increases.

Not everyone is as sanguine. Industrywide, bonuses are not widely used as a compensation tool. Of five levels of seniority - editorial director, executive editor, managing editor, senior editor and art director - in only two, editorial director and art director, do respondents report that more from among their ranks expect a bonus this year than did last year.

Meanwhile, the highest level editorial managers, the editorial directors, are essentially treading water in terms of salary. Salaries increased by 4.9 percent, from an average of $63,946 last year to an anticipated $67,082 in 1995. Their bonuses flatlined, increasing by 0.9 percent.

Not unexpectedly, New. York City-based editors make the highest salaries, but in many cases, not by a very large margin - and in some cases, they actually earn less. For example, editorial directors in the Northeast not including New York City make $69,700, while our sample of editors from New York City make only $68,800. Editors or executive editors from New York $68,300, however, while their non-New York City colleagues from the Northeast earn only $48,000. Salaries reported from the South - traditionally one of the lowest paying regions - are very competitive across all management levels this year.

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR OR EDITOR IN CHIEF

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR OR EDITOR IN CHIEF: Sets editorial policy. May hold other executive titles; may be in charge of other products and other departments in addition to editorial. All editors report to this person.

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Lowest salary reported for an editorial director/editor in chief: $10,200; highest salary: $275,000.

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The biggest divergence in salary for editorial directors is between those whose magazines' circulations are less than 100,000, and those whose circulations exceed that. The average salary for those at magazines with circulations under 100,000 is $25,000 less than for those whose magazines' circulations exceed 100,000.

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59 percent of the editorial directors expect bonuses this year, up from 52 percent in 1994 and 48 percent in 1993.

EDITOR OR EXECUTIVE EDITOR

EDITOR OR EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Responsible for editorial direction and content, including art, text and cover of one or more magazines.

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Lowest salary reported for an editor or executive editor: $15,600; highest salary: $197,000.

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Typically, the greater the frequency of a magazine, the higher the pay for its employees. But for the number-two people in the editorial department this year, that pattern didn't hold up: Those working for bimonthlies or quarterlies averaged a bit more than those working on monthlies.

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Bonuses for editors and executive editors took a dramatic plunge in 1995, while those for their bosses generally stayed the same.

MANAGING EDITOR

MANAGING EDITOR: Coordinates the editorial, art and production departments to ensure that the magazine is published on time and with acceptable quality. Oversees the copy editing and proofreading staffs.

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Lowest salary reported for a managing editor: $14,000; highest salary: $116,000.

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Average salaries for managing editors increase in each decade of their working lives - except when they hit their fifties, when salaries drop or go flat.

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Bonuses have declined for managing editors as well, although not as precipitously as the free fall for editors and executive editors.

SENIOR EDITOR

SENIOR EDITOR: Plans and writes or assigns features and other articles. May head editorial feature department and oversee other editorial employees. Keeps abreast of trends and news; is responsible for all editorial work in assigned area.