Journal editors manage the review and publication process for academic and professional journals, deciding which manuscripts get published and working with authors and peer reviewers
A journal editor role is not a single job — it ranges from part-time volunteer work reviewing a handful of papers per year to a full-time position managing dozens of submissions monthly. Most editors work for academic publishers, university presses, professional societies, or online-only journals. The core responsibility is the same across all settings: you read submissions, send them to peer reviewers, collect feedback, and decide whether to accept, reject, or ask for revisions.
The day-to-day work is administrative and evaluative. You track manuscripts through a submission system (usually software like ScholarOne or Editorial Manager), write decision letters, manage reviewer timelines, and communicate with authors about revisions. You also set editorial policy — what kinds of research the journal publishes, how rigorous the peer review process is, and how quickly decisions happen. Some editors also write editorials or opinion pieces for their journal.
Pay and time commitment vary sharply. Volunteer associate editors often receive no payment and spend 5 to 10 hours per month reviewing papers. Salaried editors at major publishers or university presses earn $50,000 to $90,000 annually and work full-time. Many editors, especially in academic settings, hold the role as part of a larger job — a professor might be editor-in-chief while teaching and running a lab.
Key Takeaways
- Most journal editor positions require a PhD or master's degree in the field the journal covers, plus 5 to 10 years of research or professional experience in that field.
- Entry-level editor roles are usually associate or assistant editor positions that involve reviewing manuscripts and managing reviewer communications, not making final publication decisions.
- Many editors start by volunteering to review papers for a journal, then move into formal editorial roles as they build a track record.
- Full-time salaried editor positions exist at major academic publishers and university presses, but most academic editors combine the role with teaching, research, or other work.
What Qualifications You Need
The minimum requirement is a graduate degree — usually a PhD, though some journals accept a master's degree plus significant professional experience. You need deep knowledge of the field the journal covers. A journal on neuroscience will not hire an editor without neuroscience training; a business journal will not hire someone without business or economics background.
Beyond the degree, you need a publication record. Editors should have published research or writing in peer-reviewed outlets themselves. This shows you understand how peer review works from the author's side and can evaluate the quality of submissions. Most editors have published 10 to 30 papers or articles before taking an editorial role.
You also need editorial experience or a willingness to learn the software and workflows. Many editors start by serving on editorial boards or reviewing papers for a journal for a year or two before moving into a formal editor position. Some publishers offer training programs for new editors, but you should expect to learn submission systems and editorial policy on the job.
How to Find and Land an Editor Position
Most journal editor openings are posted on the journal's website, on academic job boards like HigherEdJobs or Chronicle Vitae, or through professional societies in your field. Search the journal's name plus "editor position" or "editorial board" to find the right page. Some journals post openings only on their own site, so if you have a journal you want to work for, check it regularly.
The application process is usually straightforward: you submit a CV, a cover letter explaining your editorial vision or why you want the role, and sometimes a list of potential reviewers you know in the field. For associate or assistant editor roles, you may also write a brief statement about how you would handle a specific editorial scenario.
The strongest candidates have already reviewed papers for the journal or have a relationship with the current editor. If you want to work for a specific journal, start by reviewing papers for it. Volunteer reviewers who do good work often get invited to join the editorial board or move into a formal editor role. This is the most common path into the field.
Types of Editor Roles and What They Pay
| Role | Responsibilities | Time Commitment | Typical Pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peer Reviewer | Read and evaluate 2–4 manuscripts per year; write detailed feedback | 5–10 hours per month | Unpaid (sometimes honorarium of $50–$200 per review) |
| Associate or Assistant Editor | Manage reviewer recruitment, track manuscript progress, write decision letters | 10–20 hours per month | $0–$5,000 per year (often unpaid in academia) |
| Section Editor | Oversee one topic area within a journal; make accept/reject decisions for that section | 15–30 hours per month | $2,000–$10,000 per year |
| Editor-in-Chief | Set journal policy, make final decisions on all submissions, manage editorial team | 20–40 hours per month (or full-time) | $5,000–$25,000 per year (part-time) or $50,000–$90,000 (full-time) |
Most academic editors are not paid by the journal itself. Instead, they receive course release time (fewer teaching hours) or a stipend from their university. Publishers of commercial journals and some open-access journals do pay editors directly, but the pay is modest unless the role is full-time.
The Peer Review System and How Editors Use It
As an editor, you do not read every paper in detail yourself. Instead, you use peer reviewers — other experts in the field who volunteer to evaluate submissions. Your job is to choose the right reviewers, set deadlines, collect their feedback, and synthesize it into a decision.
The process typically works like this: a manuscript arrives through the submission system. You do a quick check to make sure it fits the journal's scope and meets basic quality standards. If it does, you invite two to four peer reviewers to read it and provide feedback. You give them a deadline (usually 4 to 8 weeks). When reviews come back, you read them, decide whether the evidence supports acceptance or rejection, and write a decision letter to the author explaining the outcome.
This is where editorial judgment matters. Two reviewers might disagree sharply — one recommends acceptance, one recommends rejection. You have to decide which reviewer's concerns are more important, or whether the paper should be sent back for revision. You also catch cases where a reviewer is biased or unfair and decide whether to discard their review and find another one.
Moving Up From Associate Editor to Editor-in-Chief
Most people do not start as editor-in-chief. You typically begin as a peer reviewer, move to associate editor, then section editor, and eventually apply for the top role when the current editor-in-chief steps down. This progression takes 5 to 15 years depending on the journal and how active you are.
To move up, you need to show that you can make good editorial decisions, meet deadlines, and communicate clearly with authors and reviewers. You also need to have ideas about how to improve the journal — faster decision times, better diversity in the reviewer pool, new sections or article types, or stronger engagement with the research community. When an editor-in-chief position opens, the publisher or journal board will look at candidates who have already proven themselves in lower-level roles.
Some editors move between journals as they advance. You might be an associate editor at one journal, then apply to be section editor at a larger or more prestigious journal, building your editorial portfolio over time. Others stay with the same journal for their entire career.
Common Challenges in Journal Editor Work
The biggest challenge is managing reviewer timelines. Many reviewers miss deadlines or disappear entirely. As an editor, you spend a lot of time sending reminder emails, finding replacement reviewers, and explaining delays to impatient authors. This is frustrating but unavoidable — peer review depends on volunteers who have other jobs.
You also deal with difficult author interactions. Some authors are angry about rejection decisions, demand to know who reviewed their paper, or ask you to reconsider a decision multiple times. You need to be professional, firm, and able to explain your reasoning clearly without being defensive.
Conflict of interest is another constant issue. You cannot use reviewers who work at the same institution as the author, have published with the author recently, or have a personal relationship with them. Finding enough may have access to reviewers who have no conflict is harder than it sounds, especially in small fields.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to have published a lot to become a journal editor?
You need enough publication history to understand the field and be respected by other researchers, but you do not need to be the most prolific author. Most editors have 10 to 30 publications by the time they take an editorial role. What matters more is that your publications are in peer-reviewed outlets and show you understand the research process.
Can I be an editor without a PhD?
Some journals accept a master's degree plus 10 or more years of professional experience in the field. This is more common in applied fields like business, nursing, or engineering than in pure research fields. Check the specific journal's requirements — they vary widely.
How much time does an associate editor role actually take?
Most associate editor roles take 10 to 20 hours per month, though it is not evenly distributed. Some weeks you might spend 5 hours managing a few manuscripts; other weeks you might spend 30 hours if multiple decisions are due. If you have a full-time job, this is doable but requires good time management.
What software do journal editors use?
The most common systems are ScholarOne (used by many academic publishers), Editorial Manager, and Manuscript Central. Some smaller journals use custom systems or even email-based workflows. You will learn the software on the job — most editors are not expected to know it before starting.
Is it possible to move from editing one journal to editing a different one?
Yes, and it happens often. Editors move between journals as they advance their careers, especially when applying for editor-in-chief roles. Your editorial experience at one journal is valued at other journals in the same field, so you can build a career moving between publications.