Also called: Book Producer, Book Development Editor
Dreams up book ideas, hires writers, editors and illustrators, and delivers finished books to publishers, often kids' series and gift books.
You pitch a publisher on a 12-book series about kids who solve mysteries at a zoo. Once it sells, you hire a writer, outline every plot, find an illustrator, and manage designers and fact-checkers to hit deadlines. Your company name may be in tiny print on the copyright page, even if millions read the books.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Bachelor's in English, journalism or communications; years in publishing.
Ways in: 4-year college, On-the-job training. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: English, Journalism, Communications, Publishing.
Growing about average. A small, steady part of publishing.
Medium risk in 5 years, high in 10. AI can draft outlines and filler text; pitching ideas, managing writers and artists, and hitting quality bars stay human.
Classes: English, Art, Business.
Official data: O*NET occupation 27-3041.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.