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How Much Does a Film and Video Editor Make?

A film and video editor in the US earns a median salary of $75,420 a year, or $36.26 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The average is $86,130, and the middle half earn between $52,720 and $105,310.

Median a year $75,420
Median an hour $36.26
Median a month $6,285
Average a year $86,130

Film and video editor pay range

What film and video editors earn at each point of the pay scale. The 10th percentile is a rough guide to starting pay.

Percentile A year An hour
10th (lowest 10%) $40,280 $19.37
25th $52,720 $25.35
Median (50th) $75,420 $36.26
75th $105,310 $50.63
90th (top 10%) $148,550 $71.42

The median is 48% more than the $50,980 median for all US jobs. About 25,610 people work as film and video editors in the US.

After tax and by period

A week
$1,450
Every two weeks
$2,901
Twice a month
$3,143
A month
$6,285

At the median salary, before tax.

Film and video editor salary by state

Sorted by average pay. New York pays film and video editors the most, at $107,850 a year on average.

State Average Median Jobs After tax
New York $107,850 $103,440 3,710 After tax
New Jersey $101,590 $82,890 620 After tax
California $99,450 $88,490 8,110 After tax
District of Columbia $96,280 $98,830 370 After tax
Massachusetts $95,530 $92,130 550 After tax
Colorado $88,300 $84,620 380 After tax
Connecticut $83,620 $83,550 600 After tax
Maryland $83,290 $78,380 250 After tax
Virginia $80,660 $78,740 – After tax
Illinois $77,150 $72,460 310 After tax
Washington $77,140 $66,870 450 After tax
Oregon $77,010 $72,300 360 After tax
Utah $76,240 $76,240 370 After tax
Vermont $75,940 $63,080 100 After tax
Nevada $75,760 $65,720 320 After tax
Michigan $72,270 $59,100 360 After tax
North Carolina $72,200 $60,020 400 After tax
Louisiana $71,910 $66,870 80 After tax
New Hampshire $71,860 $61,250 100 After tax
Texas $69,690 $61,220 1,040 After tax
Florida $69,040 $60,430 1,490 After tax
Georgia $64,980 $51,280 – After tax
Kentucky $64,520 $62,330 60 After tax
Alabama $63,270 $74,410 120 After tax
Ohio $61,780 $56,410 340 After tax
Missouri $61,370 $57,950 380 After tax
Minnesota $59,280 $53,150 200 After tax
Wisconsin $59,170 $53,430 240 After tax
Tennessee $58,430 $57,880 560 After tax
Nebraska $58,420 $55,810 120 After tax
New Mexico $57,870 $49,400 160 After tax
Idaho $57,560 $54,080 100 After tax
Oklahoma $57,160 $55,210 100 After tax
Arizona $55,090 $45,840 350 After tax
West Virginia $51,790 $48,440 30 After tax
Kansas $51,200 $50,900 70 After tax
Mississippi $51,080 $50,410 50 After tax
Arkansas $50,790 $48,480 80 After tax
Indiana $50,590 $46,780 450 After tax
Alaska $46,940 $38,800 30 After tax
Montana $43,790 $42,520 110 After tax
South Dakota $42,630 $39,090 30 After tax
Puerto Rico $40,770 $44,490 110

A dash means BLS did not publish that figure for the state.

Other arts, design, entertainment, sports and media jobs

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (published 2026), for “Film and Video Editors” (SOC 27-4032). Wages are before tax and leave out self-employed workers. All job salaries

About the Job Salaries

Job Salaries shows what more than 500 US jobs pay, from nurses and electricians to software developers and truck drivers. Each job has its median and average salary, hourly and monthly pay, the pay range from the lowest-paid 10% to the top 10%, and a table of pay in every state. The figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, the largest survey of US pay, in its latest release.

How to use it

  1. 1 Search for a job or pick one from the list.
  2. 2 Read the median salary, hourly pay and the pay range.
  3. 3 Check the salary by state to see where the job pays most.
  4. 4 Open the take-home pay calculator to see the salary after tax.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a film and video editor make an hour?

The median hourly wage for a film and video editor is $36.26, and the average is $41.41. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $19.37 an hour and the top 10% over $71.42.

How much does a film and video editor make a month?

At the median salary of $75,420, a film and video editor earns about $6,285 a month before tax, or $2,901 every two weeks.

Which state pays film and video editors the most?

New York has the highest average pay for a film and video editor, at $107,850 a year. Next are New Jersey and California. Pay is usually higher where living costs are higher, so compare take-home pay too.

What is the starting salary for a film and video editor?

The lowest-paid 10% of film and video editors earn less than $40,280 a year, and the lowest 25% less than $52,720. That is a fair guide to starting pay, which depends on the state, the employer and your experience.

How much do the highest-paid film and video editors make?

The top 10% earn more than $148,550 a year, and the top 25% more than $105,310.