Film and Video Editors Salary: How Much Do They Make? (2026)

Median pay, hourly rates, salary ranges, and best-paying states for Film and Video Editors — from official U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Official BLS wage data · Unknown vintage
Median Salary
$75,420
per year, national
Hourly Rate
$36.26
based on 2,080 hrs/yr
Top 10% Earn
$148,550
entry level starts ~$40,280
Pay Grade
B
solid pay · 26,000 employed

How much do Film and Video Editors make?

Film and Video Editors earn a median annual salary of $75,420 in the United States, which works out to roughly $36.26 per hour for full-time work. Most earn between $40,280 at the entry level and $148,550 at the senior end, with the middle 50% taking home between $52,720 and $105,310 a year.

That is $14,030 more than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).

Film and Video Editors salary range by percentile

Half of all Film and Video Editors earn between $52,720 and $105,310 a year.

Pay levelAnnual salaryHourly rate
10th percentile (entry level)$40,280$19.37
25th percentile (early career)$52,720$25.35
50th percentile (median)$75,420$36.26
75th percentile (experienced)$105,310$50.63
90th percentile (top earners)$148,550$71.42

Highest-paying states for Film and Video Editors

Where you work matters more than almost anything else. New York leads the country for Film and Video Editors pay at $103,440 a year, followed by District of Columbia ($98,830) and Massachusetts ($92,130). At the other end, Alaska posts the lowest median at $38,800 — a gap of $64,640 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.

#StateMedian salaryHourlyvs national
1New York$103,440$49.73+37%
2District of Columbia$98,830$47.51+31%
3Massachusetts$92,130$44.29+22%
4California$88,490$42.54+17%
5Colorado$84,620$40.68+12%

Workforce and education

About 26,000 people work as Film and Video Editors in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $86,130 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement, per O*NET occupation data.

Frequently asked questions

How much do Film and Video Editors make in the United States?
The median Film and Video Editors salary in the United States is $75,420 per year, or about $36.26 per hour, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates. Entry-level pay (10th percentile) starts around $40,280, while the top 10% of earners make $148,550 or more.
How does Film and Video Editors pay compare to other jobs?
With a pay grade of B (solid pay), the Film and Video Editors median of $75,420 is above the national median across all occupations tracked in BLS data ($61,390).
Which state pays Film and Video Editors the most?
New York is the highest-paying state for Film and Video Editors, with a median salary of $103,440 per year, based on official state-level BLS wage estimates.
What education do Film and Video Editors need?
For most positions, a bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement, according to O*NET occupation data from the U.S. Department of Labor.
How many Film and Video Editors work in the United States?
About 26,000 people were employed as Film and Video Editors in the United States in the latest BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics estimates.

Related salaries

Other arts & media roles with similar pay.

Coaches and Scouts

$47,320
median pay · 249,000 employed

Media and Communication Equipment Workers, All Other

$70,720
median pay · 12,000 employed

Technical Writer

$90,390
median pay · 46,000 employed

Graphic Designer

$62,960
median pay · 198,000 employed

Fashion Designer

$80,960
median pay · 21,000 employed

News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists

$62,200
median pay · 39,000 employed
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Unknown vintage. Education requirements: O*NET (U.S. Department of Labor). Percentiles, employment, and state figures are official BLS estimates; hourly figures assume 2,080 hours/year. Individual pay varies by employer, experience, and location.