Proofreaders and Copy Markers
Also called: Copy Editor, News Copy Editor, Proofreader, TypesetterRead 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.
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What the data says: AI could halve the time on all 11 of its tasks, and jobs are projected to shrink 0.9% by 2035. In the most exposed occupations, the squeeze shows up first among early-career workers. How to think about this →
About this projection
BLS builds AI into its projections where the research supports it: “BLS generally applies adjustments based on this research conservatively, where there is convincing evidence for a change.”
It also notes a limit: “BLS projection methods are not designed to capture extremely rapid technological change.”
On its AI exposure groups, BLS says exposure “does not imply job loss.”
Recent conditions
- In 2024, 6.4% of people in this work were unemployed, against 3.8% across all occupations Census ACS 2024
- From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 7.9 hires for every 10 job openings in professional and business services, which employs about 44% of people in this work, against 7.3 across all industries BLS JOLTS
One box per opening, filled for each hire; hires beyond the openings are added in a lighter shade. Higher can mean openings get filled, or that people leave often; lower, that jobs go unfilled, or hiring is slow.7.9 this industry7.3 all industries
Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
Tap a state for its figures.
Median pay in every state
| State | Median | Middle half earn | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $57,490 | $45,400 to $73,880 | 300 |
| Colorado | not published | not published | 120 |
| Connecticut | not published | not published | 70 |
| District of Columbia | $68,120 | $44,140 to $85,300 | 50 |
| Florida | $35,610 | $35,070 to $64,100 | 200 |
| Georgia | $49,200 | $37,910 to $54,990 | not published |
| Illinois | $50,060 | $37,770 to $59,350 | 300 |
| Indiana | $40,920 | $37,170 to $41,870 | 80 |
| Iowa | $44,680 | $43,230 to $48,150 | 110 |
| Kansas | $51,160 | $38,930 to $61,960 | 90 |
| Kentucky | $46,380 | $41,200 to $72,360 | 70 |
| Maryland | $53,920 | $47,290 to $61,810 | not published |
| Massachusetts | $57,160 | $56,430 to $67,150 | 190 |
| Michigan | $35,530 | $34,510 to $48,620 | 140 |
| Minnesota | $49,450 | $49,450 to $57,070 | not published |
| Missouri | $52,920 | $42,250 to $56,120 | 110 |
| New Jersey | $56,700 | $52,330 to $71,720 | 160 |
| New York | $59,740 | $51,050 to $78,140 | 1,030 |
| North Carolina | $46,140 | $44,570 to $52,400 | 70 |
| Ohio | $55,560 | $44,460 to $62,560 | 100 |
| Oklahoma | not published | not published | 40 |
| Pennsylvania | $47,510 | $44,280 to $66,150 | 230 |
| South Carolina | $42,900 | $40,270 to $46,010 | 40 |
| Texas | $41,990 | $36,130 to $57,380 | 200 |
| Utah | $42,840 | $38,560 to $49,260 | not published |
| Virginia | $48,090 | $43,260 to $53,290 | 90 |
| Washington | $53,890 | $41,470 to $59,400 | 60 |
| West Virginia | $36,730 | $25,800 to $55,970 | 50 |
| Wisconsin | $43,630 | $30,270 to $48,790 | 60 |
Nationally: $51,120. Shades run from the lowest state median to the highest; a territory below that range takes the lightest. How to read this
How AI touches the work
What AI could speed up, task by task, and where people already use it.
AI could halve the time on all 11 of its tasks
| AI rating | Its main tasks | Share of Claude conversations May 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| AI + software | Correct or record omissions, errors, or inconsistencies found. | 0.11% |
| AI + software | Consult reference books or secure aid of readers to check references with rules of grammar and composition. | under 0.01% |
| AI alone | Compare information or figures on one record against same data on other records, or with original copy, to detect errors. | 0.01% |
| AI + software | Read corrected copies or proofs to ensure that all corrections have been made. | under 0.01% |
| AI + software | Mark copy to indicate and correct errors in type, arrangement, grammar, punctuation, or spelling, using standard printers' marks. | under 0.01% |
| AI + software | Route proofs with marked corrections to authors, editors, typists, or typesetters for correction or reprinting. | Not published |
See all 11 tasks
| AI + software | Consult with authors and editors regarding manuscript changes and suggestions. | Not published |
| AI + software | Archive documents, conduct research, and read copy, using the internet and various computer programs. | 0.28% |
| AI alone | Write original content, such as headlines, cutlines, captions, and cover copy. | Not published |
| AI + software | Typeset and measure dimensions, spacing, and positioning of page elements, such as copy and illustrations, to verify conformance to specifications, using printer's ruler or layout software. | Not published |
| AI + software | Read proof sheets aloud, calling out punctuation marks and spelling unusual words and proper names. | Not published |
Ordered by how important O*NET's respondents rate each task (1 to 5) times the share who say it is part of their job. The ordering is ours. 6 of the 11 have a published share of Claude conversations; “not published” means too few conversations for Anthropic to publish a figure.
Where people already use AI
The tasks above say what AI could speed up. This shows what people are using it for. Its 11 tasks fall under 7 work activities that many occupations share, and Microsoft counted how often each one came up in 200,000 conversations with its Copilot assistant in 2024.
- #1 Gather information from physical or electronic sources
- #5 Provide information or assistance to the public
- #25 Communicate with others about specifications or project details
- and 1 more, in the table below
| Work activity | This occupation's tasks under it | People asked AI for help in 10,000 conversations |
AI did it for them in 10,000 conversations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Examine materials or documentation for accuracy or compliance | |||
| Gather information from physical or electronic sources | |||
| Provide information or assistance to the public | |||
| Communicate with others about specifications or project details | |||
| Perform administrative or clerical activities | |||
| Evaluate the quality or accuracy of data | |||
| Direct organizational operations, activities, or procedures |
How people in this work use Claude
What people in this work made with Claude % of conversations
- A document or report35%
- An analysis or summary15%
- Data or a spreadsheet7%
- An email or message7%
- An explanation or answer4%
How they worked with Claude
62% of these conversations were about work. Anthropic Economic Index, May 2026.
How to read this
Work activities come from O*NET, which links every task to the broader activities it involves. Microsoft's figures are for the activity across everyone who used Copilot, not for proofreaders and copy markers specifically. Copilot is a general chat assistant; dedicated coding tools are not included, so programming help is under-counted here. Activities are listed by how many of this occupation's tasks fall under them.
The task ratings say whether AI could halve the time a task takes: on its own (“AI alone”), or with software built on it (“AI + software”). They were made by people in 2023 (Eloundou et al.). Claude's share is the task's share of all Claude.ai conversations in May 2026; Anthropic doesn't publish a task with too few conversations. None of these add up to the BLS exposure group, which combines five research measures.
More in the Guide: task ratings · task order · work activities · Copilot figures · Claude
High exposure doesn't mean fewer jobs
BLS projects most occupations in its two most exposed groups to grow: 141 of 206 rated Very high and 165 of 206 rated High. Each dot is one of the 831 occupations BLS rates.
Career moves into and out of this occupation
From moves between occupations found in online resumes, 2002–2016. Career changes only: a first job after school isn't a move.
Where people moved next
of 3,693 moves out
- 1 Editors Very high -1.1% 15%
- 2 Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks Very high -5.6% 7%
- 3 Management Analysts Very high +10.1% 6%
- 4 Retail Salespersons Very high -0.3% 5%
- 5 Writers and Authors Very high -0.3% 5%
Where people moved in from
of 4,941 moves in
- 1 Editors Very high -1.1% 13%
- 2 Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks Very high -5.6% 8%
- 3 Writers and Authors Very high -0.3% 5%
- 4 Retail Salespersons Very high -0.3% 5%
- 5 Public Relations Specialists Very high +1.8% 3%
Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).
Education and training for the occupation
O*NET survey of workers in this occupation
- 6% postsecondary certificate
- 12% some college
- 23% associate's
- 47% bachelor's
- 11% not published
O*NET marks 11% of the answers as too uncertain to publish, so the parts shown don't add up to 100%.
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers in this occupation · 18 people answered.
Census survey (American Community Survey)
- 9% high school
- 13% some college
- 6% associate's
- 53% bachelor's
- 18% master's
- 1% professional degree
Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation · 190 people surveyed.
Why the two can differ
O*NET asks about 20 people in each occupation, which makes its shares uncertain, but it reports the exact occupation and counts certificates. The Census survey reaches thousands, but it groups some occupations together and counts degrees only. More in the Guide
5 programs, such as Journalism, English Language and Literature, General and Writing, General.
See all
- Journalism
- English Language and Literature, General
- Writing, General
- Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies, Other
- Business/Corporate Communications, General
Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023
<20% this occupation
45.3% all occupations
| By kind | This occupation | All occupations |
|---|---|---|
| a license | not published | |
| a certification | not published | |
| an educational certificate | not published |
Share of jobs whose employer requires it. BLS doesn't say which credential. How to read this
Look up certifications, training and licenses U.S. Department of Labor
- Certification Finder ↗ certifications CareerOneStop lists for this occupation
- Training Finder ↗ schools and programs, nationwide; narrow the place there
- License Finder ↗ licenses by state
- Apprenticeships: DOL's list of apprenticeable occupations doesn't include this one.
These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide
BLS AI exposure categories (Aug 2026) · BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 · O*NET 31.0 · Task ratings: Eloundou et al., Science (2024) · Microsoft "Working with AI" v1.1 · Anthropic Economic Index (2026-06-26) · Schubert, Stansbury and Taska · NCES CIP–SOC · Census ACS 2024 · BLS JOLTS · Brynjolfsson, Chandar and Chen, Stanford (Aug 2026)
See it online, and explore any career: https://www.pathmosaic.com/card/43-9081.00