The Institute of Professional Editors, known as IPEd, has updated its guidance for potential clients on the costs of editing a range of academic work, first released in 2021. The indicative costs as of March 2024 and notes on the range of factors which may affect costs are available here.

The indicative costs complement the fair hourly pay rates for self-employed editors released by IPEd and available here.

I am pleased to be a member of IPEd’s Standing Committee on Academic Editing which developed and updated the indicative costs, and also a member of IPEd’s Pay and Conditions Standing Committee (formerly the Pay Rates Working Party) which developed and updated the fair hourly pay rates.

Many clients who have not used a professional editor before may not be aware of the likely costs. These indicative costs allow clients, particularly research students, to budget and prepare well ahead of time, regardless of which editor they use.

There are many sources of funding which can contribute to cover the costs of professional editing, and clients should be aware of all the sources available before approaching an editor. These sources can include funds within the school, Faculty or university, national and international scholarships and grants, supervisor research funds, project funds or external sources.

The IPEd costs are indicative only, and editors will always want to see the full work to be edited before providing a quote.

Other useful IPEd resources:

Working with self-employed editors: A guide for clients

Guidelines for editing research theses

To work with an accredited editor focusing on academic editing, please contact me at rhdaniels@bigpond.com