How much does a Dictionary author make

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Dictionary author

38 300 kr

Translators, interpreters and linguists etc.

31 500 - 48 100 kr / month

Women earn 102% of what men do.

Kultur, media, design

What will be the salary after tax?

Salary progression Dictionary author

Average salary 38 300 kr
Males 37 700 kr
Females 38 500 kr
1 Likes 0 Comments 28 Vacant jobs ->

What does a Dictionary Author do? – Tasks and Work Environment

A dictionary author works with collecting, analyzing, and describing meanings, usage, and origins of words in one or more languages. Tasks include researching language use, writing dictionary entries, and reviewing and editing material for publication in printed or digital dictionaries. The role often involves close collaboration with other linguists, language scientists, and editors. The work environment is primarily sedentary and office-based, where accuracy and patience are crucial qualities. Many dictionary authors are employed at universities, research institutes, or publishing houses, but freelance assignments are also common.

Salary Development Over Time

The salary level for dictionary authors has shown a clear increase over the past three years. In 2022, the average salary was 34,700 SEK per month. During 2023, the average decreased slightly to 33 500 SEK, which can be explained by temporary market changes or new hires at lower salary levels. Between 2023 and 2024, there was a significant increase to 38 300 SEK, corresponding to a salary rise of approximately 14%. This development reflects an increased demand for language technology skills and digital language resources. Despite some volatility, the profession has generally experienced stable and positive salary growth, especially as digitalization and automation demand higher qualifications in language science work.

Dictionary Author Salary – Complete Overview

  • Average salary: 38 300 SEK/month
  • Lowest salary: 31,500 SEK/month
  • Highest salary: 48,100 SEK/month
  • Hourly wage: 230 SEK
  • Women: 38 500 SEK/month
  • Men: 37 700 SEK/month
  • Women earn: 102% of what men do
  • Regional differences: Limited statistics, but some metropolitan regions may offer slightly higher salaries

Education and Qualifications

To work as a dictionary author, a higher academic education in language sciences, linguistics, or related fields is generally required. Many have a master's or doctoral degree, and experience in scientific writing and computer-assisted language tools is often advantageous. Practical experience from lexicographic projects and good stylistic skills are also important qualifications.

  • Formal degree: Bachelor's (3 years) or master's (5 years) in language sciences, linguistics, or Nordic languages
  • Research education: Doctoral degree in a relevant language subject is advantageous for advanced roles
  • Courses: Lexicography, semantics, corpus linguistics
  • Internship/Trainee: Experience from language institutions or dictionary projects is valuable
  • Self-study and online courses: Can complement formal education, especially in digital lexicography

Many dictionary authors contribute to the development of digital language tools and AI-based lexicons, making technical understanding increasingly important in the profession. Interdisciplinary work with programmers and language technologists is now common.

– statsskuld.se

Common Benefits and Compensation

Dictionary authors in Sweden are often offered collective agreement-based benefits such as occupational pension, health insurance, and generous vacation policies. Remote work opportunities are available, especially in university employment or freelance assignments. Further training and professional development in language science methods, as well as access to digital resources, are also common.

Challenges and Competition

The profession of dictionary author is niche, and the number of positions is limited, leading to fierce competition for permanent employment. Digitalization has changed the job market, with demand for traditional printed dictionaries decreasing in favor of digital and AI-based language tools. To remain competitive, advanced knowledge in both language science and IT is required, along with the ability to work with large text corpora and databases. Project-based employment and freelancing are common, and the job market is particularly concentrated in metropolitan regions and universities.

Tips for Aspiring Dictionary Authors

To succeed as a dictionary author, it is good to combine analytical precision with a genuine interest in language structure and development. Early specialization in language science subjects and experience in lexicographic projects provide an advantage. Good collaboration skills are important, as work often occurs in teams with other specialists. Staying updated on digital tools and methods in language processing increases employability. Persistence and patience are essential, as the work requires long-term focus and attention to detail. Developing stylistic skills and the ability to write clearly and comprehensibly are also keys to success. Finally, a certain degree of creativity can help find new approaches in working with language data.

Key Facts About Dictionary Authors

  • Average salary: 38 300 SEK/month
  • Salary range: 31,500–48,100 SEK/month
  • Education level: Usually master's or doctoral degree in language sciences
  • Typical employment: Project employment, university or publishing environment
  • Women's salary compared to men's: 102%

Career Paths and Future Outlook

After three to five years as a dictionary author, opportunities open up for advancement to editor roles, project managers within lexicographic projects, or specialized roles in digital language technology. Some move on to research and teaching positions at universities or work on developing language technology products. According to the Employment Service, it is difficult to provide an exact forecast for the profession due to limited statistical data, but within the group of translators, interpreters, and linguists, there are about 620 available jobs. Digitalization and increased demand for advanced language tools are expected to create new career paths for qualified language scientists.

Frequently Asked Questions about Dictionary Authors

  • What does a Dictionary Author earn?
    - The average salary is 38 300 SEK per month, with a range from 31,500 to 48,100 SEK.
  • What are the gender differences in salary for Dictionary Authors?
    - Women earn an average of 38 500 SEK, which is 102% of men's salary, which is 37 700 SEK.
  • What education is required to become a Dictionary Author?
    - Usually, a higher education in language sciences, often at master's or doctoral level, is required.
  • What kind of work environment do Dictionary Authors have?
    - The work environment is mostly office-based with a focus on computer work and research.
  • Are there good future prospects for Dictionary Authors?
    - Forecasts are uncertain, but digitalization and language technology create new opportunities within the profession.
  • What personal qualities are important in this profession?
    - Accuracy, analytical skills, and patience are central qualities for dictionary authors.
  • What is the hourly wage for Dictionary Authors?
    - A part-time dictionary author has an average hourly wage of 230 SEK.

Richard Andersson

Richard Andersson - 2025-07-10 18:47:53

Occupation
Who has the highest salary?
The highest salary for a Dictionary author is 48100 kr. This salary belongs to a man working in the Privately employed workers with a postgraduate education. The highest salary for a woman in this profession is 47100 kr.
Who has the lowest salary?
The lowest salary for a Dictionary author is 31500 kr. This salary belongs to a woman also working in the Government sector. The lowest salary for a man in this profession is 34200 kr.
Salary distributed by age and sector
Age Women's salary as a percentage of men's Base salary Monthly salary
35-44 36200 kr 36700 kr
45-54 37500 kr 38200 kr
55-64 41100 kr 41700 kr
Snitt 102% 37700 kr 38300 kr
* Empty columns indicate that the statistical data was insufficient to allow for a statistically significant conclusion.
Salary per sector
Salary based on education
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About the data

All information displayed on this page is based on data from the Swedish Central Bureau of Statistics (SCB), the Swedish Tax Agency and the Swedish employment agency. Learn more about our data and data sources here.

All figures are gross salaries, meaning salaries before tax. The average salary, or mean salary, is calculated by adding up the total salary for all individuals within the profession and dividing it by the number of individuals. For specific job categories, we have also considered various criteria such as experience and education.

Profession Dictionary author has the SSYK code 2643, which we use to match against the SCB database to obtain the latest salary statistics.

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