Hey, eagle eyes! We want to give you an idea of how much proofreaders can realistically make in a year.
Our founder, Caitlin Pyle, shared her 2014 earnings so you can see how much she worked, how much she billed, and how that relates to current proofreaders.
In 2014, Caitlin billed a total of $43,096.86. With inflation, her 2014 yearly billing would be $55,468.70 in 2023.
For a more detailed look, here is the Freshbooks ledger that shows Caitlin’s hourly rates and how much she worked. (click to expand the images)
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How Much Can a Proofreader Earn?
The average proofreader earns $11–$35 per hour. This means that a full-time proofreader earns an average salary of around $22,880–$72,800 per year if they are charging an hourly rate.
As you can see in Caitlin’s summary, she was able to take regular vacations and still bill a decent wage. Because most online proofreading jobs just require access to the internet, many proofreading businesses function as nomadic or traveling enterprises.
If you choose to keep proofreading as a side hustle, you will earn less money, but it might be a better way for you to avoid burnout. The beauty of freelance proofreading is that you can work as much or as little as you like.
If you want to work full-time and earn more, you simply need to find more potential clients or find freelance proofreading jobs that are more consistent — like proofreading court transcripts.
FAQ: How much can I get paid to proofread?
As we stated above, the average hourly rate is $11–$35 per hour for a freelance proofreader. However, if you offer other skills like editing services or copywriting, you can charge more per hour and reach a wider audience of clients.
Also, if you choose to work in a specific proofreading niche, like transcript proofreading, you can make an hourly wage of up to $60 per hour. While working in proofreading niches can require more education, there are plenty of proofreading courses to help you on your journey to becoming a professional proofreader.
FAQ: Can You Make a Living Proofreading?
Absolutely you can make a living proofreading! Plenty of our graduates have gone on to quit their jobs and proofread full-time. Other proofreaders prefer to keep proofing as a side hustle. You can read more about real proofreaders and their stories here.
FAQ: Is it Hard to Become a Proofreader?
Depending on your experience and background, becoming a proofreader can be an easy extension of what you already love and are skilled at.
If you find yourself catching grammatical errors, spelling problems, and punctuation mistakes in everyday articles, Facebook posts, and advertisements then you already have an eagle eye for spotting proofreading issues. You may just need a grammar refresher to make sure that you remember all of the rules.
Some people also need assistance learning different style guides and formatting for proofreading. Taking a general proofreading course can help you get started and also learn the business side of the proofreading industry and how to start your business.
Hi Caitlin,
I came across your ads and it surely made me think about my present job. Do you accept non-Americans to study proofreading? I am from the Philippines and speak, read and write English very well. I am bored with my present job and would like to make a big change in my career.
Thanks
Aristeo
Hi Aristeo! I do accept international students, but just keep in mind the time zones — most court reporters you’ll find are in North America. I have had several Canadians go through the training with me. I’d say as long as you have a very keen eye for detail and are willing to learn a new skill, you can go for it. The course does not teach you to have a keen eye for detail, you must already have that, along with a strong command of grammar and lots of patience 🙂
Hi Caitlin,
This is Nick here. I am a Canadian who just moved to Brasil of course, I have excellent English reading and writing skills. I am also a blogger and very active in the field of Content Marketing, Social Media Marketing and the like. I am learning all of this for the first time and I’m loving it. I would love to know how you do it. Money is something I can use right now, since I have ample time. How do I get these court documents and get started? Do I need to pay at the end of 7-day crash course?
Hi, Nick! Wow, congratulations on your big move! The answers to your questions (and many more!) can be found here. Let us know if you have any questions! We’re here to help. 🙂
Would this be something I can do with small children in the house? Could I work it in with only working a few hours a day?
Yes, you can, BUT just be realistic: there is likely no way you’d be able to get the kind of income I’ve outlined here if you’re severely limited in hours. This is for 20-25 hours a week, working for 15+ clients a month, sometimes more, and I’ve been doing this a while. You will not be as quick as I am while you’re beginning. You can absolutely earn some “side gig” income devoting 10-12 hours a week, though. You’ll find your own groove that works with your and your clients’ schedules. If you say I’m ONLY going to work from 8am-10am every morning and a client needs a rush at 10:15 due by 5:00 (this doesn’t happen often, but it can happen) — you would have to pass that job on. Regular jobs have a 2-3 business day turnaround. Lots of the moms who’ve taken the course do their work at night when everything’s quiet, too. I guess the important thing is to be realistic and not take on too much work if you know your time is limited.
Hi Caitlin,
Like Aristeo, I am also living in Asia, although I’m originally from UK. I wonder if North American court reporters would consider having overseas proofreaders do work for them….? As you point out, tax is payable on the work you do as a proofreader. Any idea of the tax ramifications if payment for the work is made outside of North America? Do you know of any proofreaders completing work for clients in the USA or Canada who are not paid domestically? I do actually have a US bank account, as I used to live in Florida, but since I no longer have a valid US work visa, and am no longer domiciled there, I assume I would not be able to pay tax there either. I love the idea of proofreading anywhere, but it has its complications! If I could figure out a way to make it work I would so love to take your course. Thanks Caitlin! 🙂
I have program grads doing work in Costa Rica, Ecuador, Canada, and the Philippines right now. Soon to add the UK to that list. I know for reporters to deduct business expenses, they need to issue 1099s for work completed, but they ALSO have an option to deduct expenses for Contract Labor on their tax returns. This would be the option they’d take for someone outside the US, for whom they could not issue a 1099. They would have an invoice from you and evidence of your services, so it would still be very tax deductible for them, they just would need to list that as a regular deduction instead of filing a 1099 for you. I’d get with an accountant on your end, too, who’s familiar with US tax law. I’m NOT a CPA and I’m NOT a tax attorney.
Hi,
I have seen you refer to having an eagle eye as a good indication of whether this is a good field for someone to enter. Do you have a recommendation for how to yes if my knowledge is good enough? I ask because you say the course doesn’t teach how to have a keen eye for detail.
Thank you,
Katie
It’s not really knowledge, it’s a skill, and it’s often innate, which is why it’s impossible to “teach” it, even though the practice pages do help you sharpen the skill. Do you spot errors from a mile away? When you read books or blog posts, do errors pop off the page at you?
That is a great income on a part-time basis! I need to make a bit more than that. So if I were to work a typical 40 hour week would I be able to make even more? Do you think it is realistic to work 40 hours a week as a proofreader? Is there enough supply of proofreading jobs to meet the income demands of a full-time proofreader? Thank you.
Hi Deena — definitely don’t go into this thinking you’ll immediately be able to make what I made. In 2014, I’d already been proofreading for five years. Beginners don’t proofread nearly as quickly as I’m able to (depending on the job). It takes time to “level up” so to speak. There’s definitely enough supply, but I would not recommend working 40 hours a week as a proofreader. Your accuracy would suffer. It’s hard on the eyes and brain. The weeks I spent more than 30 hours or so were not fun weeks for me. Finding balance is a necessity.
Hi Caitlin.
Do you know if the Canadian legal system, and Canadian court reporters, uses proofreaders the same way the American system does? Will there be the same kind of potential in Canada? Thanks!
It’s definitely not exactly the same, but there are similarities. We have a handful of Canadians who are working both for Canadian reporters and for American reporters. You’re definitely not limited to Canada.
I am interested and I am presently looking for a job but would want something part time. I live in California too. How can I get such jobs? What is the least amount of time I can devote to earn something considerably good?
Hi, Hope — we teach you how to get the jobs within the course. We don’t publicize how to get the work because then anyone can try to get the work without actually knowing what they’re doing, and that doesn’t help anyone — in fact, it makes us look very bad for teaching inexperienced people how to get the work for free but not how to do it. If you aren’t looking to invest a considerable amount of time into learning how to do this type of work before actually doing it, it’s not the program for you.
Hi caitlin
I’m in South Africa can I do this from here? I’m a single mom and would love to get an extra income..how do I get more information and start with this?
tania
Hi! We have a 7-day intro course that will help you learn whether this is a good fit for you (see home page). However, you must be very detail-oriented and good at punctuation to succeed at this type of work.
Hi Caitlin,
Would like to receive your training on being a proofreader.
As long as I can earn your salary ($40k minimum) part time. The part time but is important!
Jill
Hi, Jill. It took me a while to build up to that amount, but it is possible. You should not expect, however, to go through the training and immediately begin making what I make. It’s just not realistic. It takes time to build a business, and it’s built first on a foundation of excellent work. If you don’t have that foundation, it’ll be hard to make money, much less $40k. In the course, we place a LOT of emphasis on knowing your stuff — so much so, we require the passing of three different tests before even allowing access to the “getting clients” info.
Hi Caitlin,
Thanks for your feedback and other information. Some of my questions were answered in your responses such as, tax issues which is an important issue for me. I am Canadian, and is interested in relocating to South America in the near future.
Regards,
Lourdes A.
Caitlyn, I am recently working from home and I am looking to add on to my work load. I am looking for any additional income, so I don’t mind earning a small amount starting out. My question is about obtaining a clientele. By taking the course do you help us find clients or are we left to figure that out? I just don’t want to take the course and not be able to start making money as a proofreader.
Thank you!
Hi, Victoria! Although we don’t do job placement (too much of a liability, and the course would need to cost a lot more), our how-to-get-clients/marketing module is HUGE. There are over 5 hours of video training on social media marketing alone along with lots of other how-to’s on how to build a website, do’s and don’ts for your resume, etc. We teach you exactly HOW to do it… then you have to go do it 🙂 Check out our “Finding Clients FAQs” section here for more: https://proofreadanywhere.com//category/faqs/finding-clients-faqs/
Hi!
I’m a teacher. Could I use this as a summer job? Or would it be difficult to find clients? I also live in a small town.
Thanks!
You definitely could — but you’d run the risk of every time you pick up clients for the summer, they have to find someone else when you go back to work. I’m sure you could do summer work for agencies, though. We’ve got a bunch of teachers who are making it work — even one who wants to quit teaching altogether 🙂 Being in a small town doesn’t make a difference, fortunately, because you have the power of the internet 🙂
I was cited to see this information. Then I saw that you had put in an error in the text. Was this on purpose?
Was this a test? If so, did I pass?
Please don’t add me to other address lists.
What do you mean, “I was cited to see this information.” ?? I am not sure what error you are talking about.
Caitlin
As an English teacher, this sounds like something I could comfortably do. My question is with regard to the types of errors you most commonly address. Do you strictly proofread a piece (spelling, capitalization, punctuation, etc.) or do you also edit content (ideas and details, organization of ideas, etc.)? How much background knowledge is necessary to proofread legal documents? Thanks for you response!
Hi, Stephanie! You do not edit the content, ideas, or the organization in any way. We teach you all the background knowledge within the intensive course. There are, however, LOTS of other things to check for that have nothing to do with spelling, capitalization, and punctuation. Transcripts are an interesting animal 🙂
Hi,
I am curious to learn about how much you made on average starting out, before you leveled up to an over 40k income earning?
Thanks,
Rena.
When I was working full-time, I made probably $400 – $500 per month just doing it after work only for two part-time reporters. When I started taking on more clients in July 2012, my first “bigger” month was $1,300 — August. Each month I earned a little more, and by December 2012, I had reached the $4,000/month mark, and it stayed steady for all of 2013 and 2014. I currently do many other things in addition to proofreading (such as blogging and teaching my courses), so while I don’t publish reports like this anymore, my income has been more than $3,000/month since I published this post.
I am a proofreader myself and its impossible to really read 100 pages an hour, not even 50. Maybe you use a rapid reading technique, but for proofreading and editing you need to be very careful. The eyesight plays you tricks, especially if you are tired.
“Pages” are double-spaced, 25-line pages in court reporting, and in order to read 100 of them, the amount of text on each line would have to be greatly reduced, which can and does happen with simple Q&A transcripts. You also do not edit transcripts as a proofreader, and the technique you use to proofread can also improve the rate at which you can complete jobs. Please read the entire post carefully, and that will make sense. Also, I counted five errors in your comment.
Thank you for mentioning those errors in his comment! Why would someone even think about being a proofreader when you can’t produce a correct comment?
Is transcript proofreading an endeavor that doesn’t necessitate being located in the same geographic area as your clients? Are all of your clients in your area?
I will soon be receiving Social Security disability benefits. At that point there will be a limit to the amount of money I can make each month, so I am looking for a way to make some supplemental income each month, not the equivalent of a full time salary. Is it possible to do that and retain clients without eventually having to “step it up”?
I am in the same boat and my SSD is small because I spent the majority of my nonhandicapped years on part-time work including paper routes because I had two small children and could not afford to pay a babysitter. Please excuse my grammatical mistakes as I am out of practice!
You’ve developed the ONLY workable system for legal transcript proofreaders. I don’t feel you’ve inflated possible and general earnings. $40,000 a year isn’t a millionaire by any means. However, it’s darn solid income with an output of time and money being around $1000 for your course, $300 for an IPAD, and a few books that you recommend. The time spent learning is reasonable.
I can’t figure out why the “naysayers” are “nay-in.” 🙂 I think, quite honestly, some people do it because they don’t want a lot of newbies to enter the field so they play down the income potential of it. The other possibility, and I’m not trying to be sarcastic, but you must be GOOD at it to make money. So…. maybe they are not good proofreaders? Just my thoughts.
I am curious as to why a court reporter does not proof read his/her own work? There are so many programs and applications internet wide to use.
Hi, Dina!
That’s a great question. While some reporters choose to proofread their own work, many rely on the services of proofreaders because having a second pair of eyes is MUCH more effective at catching stray errors. Also, outsourcing the work gives them more time to focus their attention on some of their other responsibilities. In regards to programs and applications, most use spell checkers on their transcripts, but there is NO program or application that is able to properly proof VERBATIM transcripts. Why? Because programs are created to correct improper grammar, something that a reporter cannot do. They must write the job exactly as it’s spoken, bad grammar and all. Then, they have to punctuate it properly to make sure they accurately depict how things were said in order to preserve the integrity of the testimony. Programs simply cannot do that when people naturally speak with slang and poor grammar. There’s simply no substitute for a human proofreader. 🙂
Proofreading should always be done by a different set of eyes,as we tend to read over what we know should be there in our own writing!
Quick question,
I’m looking for something extremely part-time, 10-20 hrs./week. And am looking to only supplement my full-time income, is it possible to make and extra $400-$500/mos. consistently. Also, how hard is it to get started in proof-reading without your course?
Thanks,
Hi, Ammon. Caitlin has written blog posts on proofreading online that you might find informative. As for how much you can make for a certain amount of time in, well, that’s up to you. You’ll get out of it what you put in, and like any new venture, it takes hard work to get up and running. These student testimonials might be helpful in giving you a better idea of graduate experiences. I hope this helps!
This is very impressive and quite encouraging to newbies. As newbies , we work as a team of three and it helps to share notes and the income, on every project. School books is our main stay. Lack of English language degrees has been our main challenge. But word of mouth advertising / endorsement helps!
I was wondering if these numbers reflect your gross earnings or net earnings? In other words, is $43,096.86 the amount you put in your pocket that year, or the amount you made before taxes, deductions, etc.?
Thanks!
The numbers reflect my gross earnings for the year. More than I made (also gross) at my last full-time desk job 😀
Hi Caitlin, I know you made $43,000 in one year working part time. But if a person is disabled with major pain issues and has all the time in the world and no social life by choice, can she make more by working more? Can she make up to $60,000+? She is on the iPad almost constantly in any position that makes her comfortable. But after taxes and health insurance the net income isn’t so impressive to live on. Monthly disability checks aren’t great either, but low income benefits help her survive. What to do in a slump? Or are slumps almost unheard of in this business? Serious slumps, anyway.
Hi, Leslie,
In terms of income potential, if you check out this link and scroll down, you’ll see this great graphic from a Facebook survey Caitlin did of our graduates about their monthly income in the first two months after completing the course. Your income potential depends on many variables, so it’s difficult to state an average-per-hour rate that an individual can earn. Hope that helps! 🙂
Hey Caitlin,
I would want to do this part time but where do you fine the clients? how do you get on with an agency?
Hi, Dustye! Proofreading is great as a part-time hustle. I encourage you to sign up for our free 7-day intro course! We cover how to find clients in the full course. 🙂
Hi,
My name is Muhammad Imran Rafique. I am from Pakistan. I am a teacher. I want to do part time job. Do you accept the application.
Hi, Muhammad,
Just to be clear, Proofread Anywhere does not hire proofreaders; they train people to become proofreaders and start their own businesses. For more info on how to get started with the training course, check out the website https://proofreadanywhere.com//courses-and-books.
I know you’re not a tax attorney or tax expert. Currently my only income is SS Disability. And any additional income I make will affect my disability benefits. Is there any way to make a decent amount from this without losing my SSD benefits?
Hi, Betty! This kind of thing is definitely best to ask a task attorney or CPA. I will say, though, that you are in control of how much money you make. If you need to only make a certain amount, you could only take on a certain amount of work. Transcript proofreaders are paid per page, and the rate varies depending on the turnaround. General proofreaders can negotiate a rate per page or per project, so it definitely varies. Hopefully, you can see why I can’t say proofreading this way will make you X amount while doing this will get you X amount. 🙂
Please enlighten me about this process! I love to read and I need a job! I’m taking care of my 90 year old dad and I can’t leave him alone- this proofreading job would be great!
Hey Tammy! I hope you found your way to our free intro workshop. If not, here is the link: https://learn.proofreadanywhere.com — it will help you decide whether or not this makes sense for you 🙂
I love to read.
Generally I find so much miss speed words in the newspaper l don't know why they put it out.
Are you still offering the course? I am a retired Speech Language Pathologist with lots of experience proofreading and editing others’ written work. I would like to supplement my Social Security income to underwrite my travel plans.
Rebecca
For more information on the full General Proofreading course and how much it costs, head over to our course overview page https://learn.proofreadanywhere.com/gptp.
Hello – is this still a viable source of income? I see the article was originally published in January of 2015; and, well, the world has kind of altered since then. It seems like something AI has been plugged in to.
With millions of books, blogs, etc. published every year the demand for proofreaders is real! While there are a lot of great tools out there to assist with proofreading, it is highly unlikely that a machine or any type of software will ever be able to fully replace a human proofreader. Machines and software programs cannot pick up context errors, formatting issues, or extra spaces after periods. They also can’t tell the difference if something is an error or a deliberate choice. There are so many other reasons why artificial intelligence will just never measure up to a human when it comes to proofreading. And plus, most people would prefer to work with a human. 🙂
Hello
First off, thank you for your time and very informative information here. I have been considering taking on proofreading as a side hustle. I am not nearly as fast as you were talking about. Very nice of you to take your time to inform other people about this.
I would like to learn more about doing this, if it is not a scam. I have tried on my own to proof read for students and tutor but it never amounted to much. I joined a website that wanted me to pay them 'at the beginning' and then they would pay me yea right…next. Is that what you are?
For more information on the full General Proofreading course and how much it costs, head over to our course overview page https://learn.proofreadanywhere.com/gptp .
THIS IS VERY INTERESTING HOW DO I GET STARTED .
For more information on the full General Proofreading course and how much it costs, head over to our course overview page https://learn.proofreadanywhere.com/gptp.
I am interested. How do I get involved?
For more information on the full General Proofreading course and how much it costs, head over to our course overview page https://learn.proofreadanywhere.com/gptp.
Hi Caitlin,
I’m interested in knowing how to get started in this. It sounds like it would be perfect for me now that my youngest child is graduating from high school soon and I’m looking to re-enter the workforce.
For more information on the full General Proofreading course and how much it costs, head over to our course overview page https://learn.proofreadanywhere.com/gptp.
I’d like to become a proofreader and earn money! I’m in need of some extra money.
How much does the course actually cost? It seems interesting to me so I’d like to know please. I have a full time job and it is not as fun as it used to be. I would like to weigh my options with maybe something I could turn into possibly more money for my dream house. Thanks in advance.
For more information and how much the course costs, please check out this link: https://learn.proofreadanywhere.com/gptp
Would love to do this
How do we know this is not a scam? I am interested but very Leery.
Check out this part of my blog where I include what other press releases and bloggers are saying about my course https://my.proofreadanywhere.com/press/. There are numerous reviews of my course you can read if you Google “Proofread Anywhere reviews” as well.
Hello,
I enjoy finding typos and have found some in a few large companies. I have a keen eye for detail and a sense of integrity. I am, however, still learning new technologies. I'd be interested in hearing more about your proofreading course. Thank you, Lauren
For more information on the full General Proofreading course and how much it costs, head over to our course overview page https://learn.proofreadanywhere.com/gptp. Email [email protected] if you have additional questions.
Hi Caitlin
I am very much enjoying all the information I am gaining from your posts and guides. A quick question – is it necessary to take General Proofreading before undertaking the Transcript Proofreading if one is intending/hoping to go into transcript work? I live in Europe, so am not sure that proofreading for court reporters in the US would work, at least not for rush jobs. What other types of transcripts are there that need proofreading?
Thanks
The transcript proofreading course is specifically for proofreading transcripts for court reporters. Because proofreading transcripts is so specific, the course doesn’t touch on the many other niches open in the proofreading world.
The general proofreading course, on the other hand, trains students how to proofread books, blog posts, and other more general niches for a much broader audience.
You can also check out this post for more info. Hope that helps! 🙂
can this be done in salem oregon
HI Lori, proofreading projects are done through email. Your location does not matter.
Hi Caitlin
I am retired and travel full time in my RV across America. I am looking to earn some extra money working part time. Is this something someone who travels would be able to do
Christina
The name of the company is Proofread Anywhere! 😉
How do I get started?
If you’re not sure about what exactly freelance proofreading is, or if this course is for you, we invite you to check out our Free 7-Day E-Course: Introduction to Proofreading! Please click on the link below:
https://learn.proofreadanywhere.com/optin
For information on our General Proofreading course, please click here: https://learn.proofreadanywhere.com/gptp
For more information regarding our Transcript Proofreading course, please click this link:
https://learn.proofreadanywhere.com/transcript-proofreading
Hi,
I’ve been looking for a job so that I might work from home. I currently work for a restaurant part time making $200 in 17.5 hours per week. It’s the only job in my area that I’m able to do that will work around my schedule.
I would love to be able to stay home and be able to make that same amount, if not more. If you have more information about how to get started with proofreading that you could provide I would greatly appreciate it! Thanks!
Hi, Kimberly!
If you would like to learn what freelance proofreading is all about and a sample of what our course offers, please check out our free workshop right here: https://proofreadanywhere.com//workshop
I have been out of the workforce for several years, (retired) would like to make a few bucks on the side, Do you think this would be feasible?
And what is the fee for your course?
Liz
Yes! You can definitely supplement your income with proofreading! Check out this article from our blog to see how Debbie did it: https://proofreadanywhere.com//supplement-your-retirement-income/
You can find the prices for the course and purchase it from right here on this order form: https://learn.proofreadanywhere.com/gptp-order2-b1601505888165
I am intrigued
I’m interested in this opportunity.
if you’re interested in purchasing the course, here’s the link where you can order: https://learn.proofreadanywhere.com/ordergptp50858852
I am interested!
Great! have you checked out our free introductory workshop? It will give you a lot of information on freelance proofreading and what our General Proofreading course offers! Here’s the link: https://proofreadanywhere.com//workshop
And if you’re interested in Transcript Proofreading, here is the link: https://learn.proofreadanywhere.com/transcript-proofreading
Please write to us at [email protected] if you have any questions!
Sounds very interesting! I am trying to break into the world of Legal Nurse Consulting and this ability to proofread on a new level would be a advantage. I’d like more information on your course.
Thank you,
Dawn Hammock
Sure! Here you go: https://learn.proofreadanywhere.com/gptpwso
I have 2 sons who are authors, and I have read thousands of novels. My grandmother got me started with romance novels when I was about 12. I am hooked on grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Thank goodness for the quiz sites that are online these days. It amazes me that I find errors in published books on occasion. Unfortunately, I became seriously ill and can no longer drive to a regular job. I have wanted to check out proofreading for some time.
That’s great! Please check out our course overview and sales page right here: https://learn.proofreadanywhere.com/gptpwso You can click Enroll Now to get to the order page when you’re ready to purchase. ????
I am wondering what additional costs for resources, books, etc. there are to the tuition for your proofreading courses? Thanks
We advise our students to purhcase The Chicago Manual of Style 17th edition. You can also use the free 30-day subscription to their website while completing the course. You will need a reliable and updated computer or tablet and a strong internet connection. If you want to complete the 38 practice worksheets, you will need to print them out. If you don’t have a printer, you can always print them at a friend’s or the library. There are free software programs you can use for annotating the 40 practice essays.
When you start a new business as a freelancer, there are always going to be some costs, but there are no hidden fees to complete our course. You can purchase things we list as suggestions, but there are free alternatives.