Source: https://deftridge.com/rates/brand-copy-editor/united-states/ Title: Brand Copy Editor rate in the United States | Deftridge Summary: Brand Copy Editor pay in the United States: median wage $46 an hour, typical part-time contractor rate $75. The rate is on every task, before you apply. United States · **Updated November 3, 2026** # Brand Copy Editor hourly rate in United States The market median wage for a Brand Copy Editor in the United States is **$46.12 an hour**. A senior part-time contractor typically receives **$75 an hour** on Deftridge. **$75/hr** typical contractor rate, senior **$46.12/hr** median wage **$34-63** middle half of wages **$1,630** a month at 5 hours a week ## Brand Copy Editor wage percentiles in United States Employee wages for the role. The yellow row is the median. | Percentile | Per hour | 5 h a week, per month | Full time, per year | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 10th | $24.42 | $530 | $50,800 | | 25th | $33.92 | $740 | $70,600 | | Median | $46.12 | $1,000 | $95,900 | | 75th | $62.81 | $1,360 | $130,600 | | 90th | $90.99 | $1,970 | $189,300 | Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025; aged to October 2026; about 95,480 people employed in the role. [How rates are built](https://deftridge.com/rates/methodology/). ## United States in numbers What sets the United States apart for a Brand Copy Editor, from the same sources as the table above. - **$64.58** highest median wage, California - **$18.87** lowest median wage, Texas - **95,480** people employed in the role - **$71.09** median wage in the San Francisco metro area, the highest in the country - **$35** country floor: no United States rate is published below it - Self-employment tax is 15.3%: 12.4% Social Security plus 2.9% Medicare; the employer-equivalent half is deductible in working out adjusted gross income. [Source](https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/self-employment-tax-social-security-and-medicare-taxes) - For 2026 the first $184,500 of combined wages, tips and net self-employment earnings is subject to the Social Security part. [Source](https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/self-employment-tax-social-security-and-medicare-taxes) ## What contractors receive The Deftridge rate for a Brand Copy Editor in the United States by level and by format. The company adds 15% on top; you keep all of the rate shown. | Level | Per hour | Per month at 5 h/week | | --- | --- | --- | | Specialist | $65 | $1,410 | | Senior | $75 | $1,630 | - Regular role **$65** - One-off task **$75** - Task bundle **$70** ## Brand Copy Editor pay by region in United States Typical contractor rate for a senior Brand Copy Editor, highest first; 9 of 51 places shown. | Place | Median wage | Contractor rate | | --- | --- | --- | | California | $64.58 | $105 | | New York | $62.76 | $105 | | Delaware | $57.96 | $95 | | Washington | $51.62 | $85 | | District of Columbia | $51.56 | $85 | | West Virginia | $48.51 | $80 | | Virginia | $47.98 | $80 | | Massachusetts | $47.27 | $80 | | Connecticut | $46.80 | $75 | ## Highest-paying metro areas Median employee wage for the role in the metro area (BLS OEWS). - [San Francisco $71.09/hr median wage · range $53-93](https://deftridge.com/rates/brand-copy-editor/california/) - [San Jose $68.64/hr median wage · range $55-92](https://deftridge.com/rates/brand-copy-editor/california/) - [Santa Rosa $67.54/hr median wage · range $43-75](https://deftridge.com/rates/brand-copy-editor/california/) - [Chico $64.58/hr median wage · range $45-93](https://deftridge.com/rates/brand-copy-editor/california/) - [El Centro $64.58/hr median wage · range $45-93](https://deftridge.com/rates/brand-copy-editor/california/) - [Hanford $64.58/hr median wage · range $45-93](https://deftridge.com/rates/brand-copy-editor/california/) - [Los Angeles $64.58/hr median wage · range $48-96](https://deftridge.com/rates/brand-copy-editor/california/) - [Merced $64.58/hr median wage · range $45-93](https://deftridge.com/rates/brand-copy-editor/california/) - [Modesto $64.58/hr median wage · range $45-93](https://deftridge.com/rates/brand-copy-editor/california/) - [Napa $64.58/hr median wage · range $45-93](https://deftridge.com/rates/brand-copy-editor/california/) ## Questions about pay, fees and privacy The same rules apply to every task, so they live on two pages: [Pricing](https://deftridge.com/pricing/) explains the 15% fee, prepayment and when you are paid; [How it works](https://deftridge.com/how-it-works/) covers matching, what a company sees and side work next to a job. [Brand Copy Editor rates in every country](https://deftridge.com/rates/brand-copy-editor/) · [Brand Copy Editor jobs in United States](https://deftridge.com/jobs/brand-copy-editor/united-states/) · [Methodology](https://deftridge.com/rates/methodology/)