In April 2011, the Wikimedia Foundation conducted a survey of our editors around the globe. The survey was available in 22 languages (thanks to the work of volunteer translators) and was completed by over 5,000 editors. The aim of the survey was to better understand who the editors are? What motivates them? What their experience is like? What their needs are?
Age Groups of Editors
28%, 40+
26%, 22-29
19%, 30-39
14%, 18-21
13%, 12-17
Education Level Completed
35%, Undergrad
30%, Secondary
18%, Masters
9%, Primary
8%, Phd
Gender of Editors
90% Male
9%, Female
1%, Transgendered, Transsexual
With all of the options people have for occupying their time online and offline, we always wonder: why do people edit Wikipedia? One of the major answers: Editing Wikipedia is both fun in its own right and it feels really good sharing knowledge with the rest of humanity. Few, if any, people do this because it is part of their job or they are seeking some sort of personal benefit.