How To Become A Caption Writer: What It Is and Career Path

What is a caption writer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

2 min read

Quoted expert

Emily Griesinger Ph.D.

There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a caption writer. For example, did you know that they make an average of $40.77 an hour? That's $84,808 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 7% and produce 1,100 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a caption writer?

Emily Griesinger Ph.D.

Professor of English, Azusa Pacific University

I would say "don't give up" because your literacy gifts are especially needed right now. Those who have done excellent critical thinking and writing as English majors can make persuasive arguments and discern the credibility of arguments being consumed by others, who may not be so discerning. Based on years of reading and interpreting great literature, you can "read" characters, why people do what they do, and the capacity to imagine the joys and sorrows of other human beings. So, my general advice would be to consider how to market such skills in creative ways for the common good.

ScoreCaption WriterUS Average

Salary

6.6

Avg. Salary $84,808

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

5.7

Growth rate 7%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

1.8

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.23%

Asian 1.40%

Black or African American 3.27%

Hispanic or Latino 5.61%

Unknown 4.44%

White 85.05%

Gender

female 54.05%

male 45.95%

Age - 55

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 55

Stress level

5.7

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

7.2

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

5.9

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a caption writer

Explore caption writer education requirements

Most common caption writer degrees

Bachelor's

61.5 %

Associate

15.4 %

Master's

11.5 %

Start to develop specific caption writer skills

Skills	Percentages
Transcription	35.45%
DVD	33.27%
Proofread	31.28%

Complete relevant caption writer training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New caption writers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a caption writer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real caption writer resumes.

Research caption writer duties and responsibilities

Manage projects diligently under aggressive deadlines while maintaining editorial integrity and ensuring stories have entertainment and/or educational value.
Create closed captioning and metadata for television programs, involving transcription, formatting, and editing on specialize software.
Review and reformat files for DVD and syndication projects; convert tapes into captioning-friendly formats for the staff.
Coordinate logistics management for signal elements, including securing training sites, movement of personnel, communications, and equipment.

Prepare your caption writer resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your caption writer resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a caption writer resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable caption writer resume templates

Build a professional caption writer resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your caption writer resume.