If you’ve never had an academic manuscript edited by a professional, chances are you know little about editing rates. So, how much does English language editing cost?
English language editing rates for academic manuscripts
Academic editing rates vary a lot from one service provider to the next. Here’s what some of them charge for editing 9000 words as of March 2024 (I used Xe.com for currency conversion where needed):
- Springer Nature English Language Editing: €521–€808 (€0.06–€0.09 per word)
- Elsevier Language Editing Services: from €431 (€0.05 per word)
- Wiley Editing Services: €452 for one-week delivery (€0.05 per word)
- SAGE Language Services: €400 (€0.04 per word)
- Taylor & Francis Author Services: from €453 (€0.05 per word)
- American Manuscript Editors: from €453 for 72-hour delivery (€0.05 per word)
Freelance editors may charge different rates—generally lower, but sometimes higher—than companies that offer language editing services. The median rates for freelance editing reported by EFA in 2020 (rates will be updated soon) are about €0.04–€0.05 per word for line editing.
Things to know before comparing English editing rates
Many agencies charge much more for language editing than do independent editors because agencies have to split their fee with the freelancer who edits the manuscript. Some agencies (ServiceScape is one example) charge a commission as high as 50%. This means that if you pay €500 for language editing to such an agency, only €250 will go to your freelance editor. Freelance platforms charge lower commissions, around 20%.
Also, some companies that offer language editing services—including some of the big players in the industry—outsource their editing services to other companies. These, in turn, collaborate with smaller companies or solopreneurs (freelance editors). And some of these freelance editors outsource their editing projects to other people.
You may want to know this information when you’re comparing the quotes for English editing services from different providers. It doesn’t mean the freelance editor who will work for you through an agency won’t do a great job. It means that the cost of editing services will be the sum of the cost of actual editing service plus the agency fee.
Factors that determine the cost of English language editing services
When preparing a quote for editing an academic manuscript, both agencies and freelance editors consider
- the document’s length (number of pages or, more commonly, word count),
- services included, and
- turnaround time.
In addition, the subject matter, the format of the manuscript, and the editor’s experience and expertise will all affect the cost of editorial services.
Document length
In general, the longer the manuscript, the more expensive the cost of English language editing services will be. But there are two things you should know.
First, some providers charge more per word for shorter documents than for hefty ones. The price difference can be huge.
Let’s take Springer Nature Language Editing Services as an example: As of March 2024, this company charges €0.16 per word for editing a 1,500-word document (Silver plan, four-day delivery) but only €0.06 per word (Silver plan, five-day delivery) for editing a 9,000-word document.
Second, some agencies and freelance editors may offer a discount for very long manuscripts.
Services included
Editing doesn’t mean the same for all providers of academic editing services. The more in-depth the editorial intervention, the higher the cost of language editing will be.
When you evaluate various language editing services, make sure you’re comparing apples to apples.
Turnaround time
The typical turnaround time for manuscript editing is a few business days. If you want express delivery, expect to pay more. But if you’re not in a hurry, you’ll save on editing costs.
In short, how much does English language editing cost?
In general, language editing services cost at least €0.04 per word. The most expensive rate I’ve seen advertised for academic editing is 20 cents per word (by a language editing company in Japan). Editing rates depend on document length, delivery time, and vendor.
Do you need a freelance editor for an economics or business manuscript? Or maybe for a natural sciences paper? Send me a message at editor@languageediting.com.
Related posts:
- How much does proofreading cost?
- How to minimize the cost of editing
- 5 Ways to get free manuscript editing
Last revised on 15 March 2024
