PUBLISHING NEWS
KGL Consulting, the scholarly publishing consultancy arm of KnowledgeWorks Global Ltd. (KGL), has unveiled the results of its 2024 Editorial Compensation Benchmark Study, a comprehensive analysis offering unparalleled insights into editorial compensation, gender representation, and operational structures within academic publishing.
Drawing data from 213 journals across various disciplines, this largest-ever study provides a crucial resource for publishers navigating an increasingly complex landscape. Useful and interesting findings include:
Compensation influencers: Editor compensation correlates strongly with factors such as professional income, selectivity, and workload, with Impact Factor playing a less prominent role.
Gender representation gaps: Women remain underrepresented in top editor roles, comprising only 30% of editors-in-chief. The study found no strong evidence of pay inequity by gender in top editorial positions.
Research integrity: Nearly a third of journals reported instances of fraudulent submissions, with more than half now having staff roles dedicated to safeguarding research ethics.
For years, journal publishers have struggled to make informed editor compensation decisions, often relying on history and best guesses in the absence of dependable data. This study offers actionable benchmarks based on journal size, subject matter, editorial responsibilities, and more. The insights enable publishers to foster equitable practices, attract top-tier talent, and strengthen their editorial teams.
“By delivering this robust analysis, we aim to empower publishers to make evidence-based decisions that support equity, accountability, and excellence in scholarly publishing,” said Annette Hager, Senior Consultant at KGL Consulting.
A non-participant’s report of the study findings is available for purchase. Please visit www.kwglobal.com/compensation-study for more information.
KGL Consulting, founded in 2000, is a leading consultancy offering a wide range of services including strategic planning, business modeling, growing quality submissions, new journal development, RFPs, market research, best practice editorial workflows, and editor recruiting.
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