Is a dedicated career built solely on peer review currently financially viable?
Answer
No, a career purely in the act of reviewing externally is not viable for financial subsistence
Currently, most academic journals do not offer payment for review work, treating it as an expected service. While alternative recognition like vouchers exists, these do not translate into a sustainable, full-time income required for subsistence.
Related Questions
Is a dedicated career built solely on peer review currently financially viable?Which OPR model involves making reviewer critiques public without revealing the authors of those critiques?How is engagement with OPR primarily viewed for early-career scientists (ECRs)?What is the core value proposition of OPR for a researcher's career visibility?What is the general status regarding financial compensation for peer reviewers in most academic journals?What potential negative effect might attached reviewer identities have on the quality of criticism?Toward which types of roles can expertise gained in OPR serve as a fast-track toward standard compensation?What is suggested as a more impactful CV framing for published open reviews rather than simply listing the service?How should OPR participation currently be best understood in relation to one's primary academic profession?Which OPR model explicitly allows authors and reviewers to communicate directly to debate merits?