In South Africa, published figures put pay for a sub-editor at R 0.25–R 0.63 a word.
Published rates
R 0.25–R 0.63 a word
Sources
2 documents
What sub-editor work in South Africa pays, according to the documents that set rates there, each quoted as printed. How the pay guide works →
What the published rates say
Word
Magazine/newspaper articles, medium edit, average per word (n=17)PEG · Survey · 3 Apr 2025
R 0.63
Web content, medium edit, average per word (n=10)PEG · Survey · 3 Apr 2025
R 0.55
Magazine/newspaper articles, light edit, average per word (n=11)PEG · Survey · 3 Apr 2025
R 0.34
Copyediting/subediting, most frequently cited rate per word (weighted average R0.50–R0.75)SAFREA · Survey
R 0.25–R 0.50
Each published rate as a day's pay
No figure here can be turned into a day's pay yet.
Every figure, as printed
Open a row for the wording in the document and its dates.
Printed
R0.34DocumentProfessional Editors’ Guild rates survey 2025 · Survey StatusIn force · 3 Apr 2025
Printed
R0.63DocumentProfessional Editors’ Guild rates survey 2025 · Survey StatusIn force · 3 Apr 2025
Printed
R0.55DocumentProfessional Editors’ Guild rates survey 2025 · Survey StatusIn force · 3 Apr 2025
Printed
R0.25 - R0.50DocumentSAFREA SA freelance media industry and rates report 2025/2026 · Survey StatusIn force
Questions people ask
In South Africa, published figures put pay for a sub-editor at R 0.25–R 0.63 a word.
PEG, SAFREA, in 2 documents.
About this data. These rates are compiled from publicly available sources and quoted as printed, with their date. We do not guarantee the accuracy of any figure. For information only: Journalist.net does not recommend or set rates. How we count