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Job outlook for freelance video editors in the United States
Freelance video editor job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected freelance video editor job growth rate is 12% from 2018-2028.
About 9,600 new jobs for freelance video editors are projected over the next decade.
Freelance video editor salaries have increased 7% for freelance video editors in the last 5 years.
There are over 27,235 freelance video editors currently employed in the United States.
There are 5,910 active freelance video editor job openings in the US.
The average freelance video editor salary is $54,795.
Are freelance video editor jobs in demand?
Freelance video editor job and salary trends over time
Freelance video editor jobs over time
Freelance video editor job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 27,235 | 0.01% |
| 2020 | 22,176 | 0.01% |
| 2019 | 27,097 | 0.01% |
| 2018 | 27,574 | 0.01% |
| 2017 | 29,878 | 0.01% |
Average freelance video editor salary over time
Freelance video editor salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $54,795 | $26.34 | +5.4% |
| 2025 | $51,968 | $24.98 | +1.8% |
| 2024 | $51,047 | $24.54 | +2.4% |
| 2023 | $49,849 | $23.97 | --2.5% |
| 2022 | $51,137 | $24.59 | +1.6% |
Freelance video editor jobs by state
Most common states for freelance video editors
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 169 | 24% |
| 2 | New York | 19,849,399 | 816 | 4% |
| 3 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 254 | 3% |
| 4 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 177 | 3% |
| 5 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 105 | 3% |
| 6 | Alaska | 739,795 | 20 | 3% |
| 7 | California | 39,536,653 | 849 | 2% |
| 8 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 144 | 2% |
| 9 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 134 | 2% |
| 10 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 113 | 2% |
| 11 | Tennessee | 6,715,984 | 106 | 2% |
| 12 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 89 | 2% |
| 13 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 86 | 2% |
| 14 | Alabama | 4,874,747 | 76 | 2% |
| 15 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 72 | 2% |
| 16 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 53 | 2% |
| 17 | Arkansas | 3,004,279 | 50 | 2% |
| 18 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 30 | 2% |
| 19 | Delaware | 961,939 | 17 | 2% |
| 20 | Vermont | 623,657 | 12 | 2% |
Freelance Video Editor job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of freelance video editor experts
Furman University
Olympic College
California University of Pennsylvania
University of Minnesota
Bucknell University
University of Oregon
Ferrum College
Professor Margaret Oakes
Professor of EnglishFurman University
English Language And Literature
What general advice would you give to a Freelance Video Editor?
Professor Margaret Oakes: Understand that you should be looking at a salary mid-career, not right now. And look at the possibility for promotion in your place of work - a small family business will not be able to or be interested in promoting you to a leadership position, so think about if you will need to move up or out.
What will help Freelance Video Editors increase their earning potential?
Professor Margaret Oakes: Our graduates have such a variety of careers with an English major that this is hard to answer. But perhaps this is the answer - English majors have such widely applicable skills that they need to be alert to how they can be applied almost anywhere, and be prepared to sell their skills to a potential employer.
Amy Hesketh
Full Time FacultyOlympic College
Social Sciences & Humanities (SSH) Division
What skills stand out on Freelance Video Editor resumes?
Amy Hesketh: Ability to work with a variety of editing software (Avid, Adobe Premiere Pro/Audition, Resolve). Screenwriting and story development.
What soft skills should all Freelance Video Editors possess?
Amy Hesketh: -Collaboration.
-Teamwork.
-Project management.
-Crew management.
-Professionalism.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Freelance Video Editors?
Amy Hesketh: -Film production.
-Videography.
-Video editing.
-Video streaming.
-Budgeting.
-Scheduling.
What skills will help Freelance Video Editors earn the most?
Amy Hesketh: -Certification in DaVinci Resolve.
-Motion graphics.
-Ability to create a finished, professional video from script to screen.
What type of skills will young Freelance Video Editors need?
Dr. Christina Fisanick: College graduates in 2021 and beyond, need all of the skills that English programs have to offer: critical thinking, effective communication, creativity, and flexibility. New hires need to be able to adapt to workplace changes quickly and with aplomb, which requires critical thinking and problem solving and the ability to communicate those solutions to a diverse audience clearly and effectively. Those skills are refined and practiced regularly in English programs.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Freelance Video Editors?
Thomas Reynolds: Technology is constantly changing, and the pandemic has put a wrinkle on innovations that will have an impact on the field of TWC. Yet technical writing and communication have always involved changing technologies -- it is one of the hallmarks of the field. In addition, remote work is common in technical communication, and many scholars have written about the phenomenon, including global virtual teams and distributed workplaces. In any case, technical writers and communicators learn to think about the intersection of technology with the audience.
I think that traditional notions of communicationm such as establishing a friendly, businesslike ethos and considering the very real material circumstances of audiences, will remain uppermost as graduates adapt to the technological changes. Part of this work will also involve recognizing and working to improve social injustices that employers are increasingly in need of addressing. New technologies that emerge will also be part of the landscape for graduates, and they will be eager to learn these new tools.
Sarah Bell
Senior Associate Director, CounselingBucknell University
Center for Career Advancement
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Freelance Video Editors to find work opportunities?
Sarah Bell: Majors in English successfully pursue work in all types of industries and career fields. Their skills in writing, critical thinking, verbal communication, analysis, working in groups, editing, and reading/research make them quite marketable in a variety of occupations. There are some locations that are more known for certain industries, i.e., upper West Coast for technology, NYC metro area for finance, I-95 corridor for pharmaceuticals and biotech, but many corporations hire in locations all over the country. And with the pandemic, more employers have remote opportunities that don't require a move, at least not until the time we might move out of remote work when possible. We tell our students to talk to professionals in the industries in which they are interested to learn what areas are growing right now and what are not. For example, video and sharing software is growing, food manufacturing, shipping, and sales are growing, certain sectors of healthcare and medical research are growing, etc.
Cristina Calhoon
Senior Career Instructor, Undergraduate AdvisorUniversity of Oregon
Department of Classics
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Freelance Video Editors to find work opportunities?
Cristina Calhoon: The skills that Classics graduates learn (good communication skills; careful, clear, and well-organized oral and written presentation; research, comparison, and analysis of ancient sources; linguistic proficiency in more than one language) make them flexible and adaptable. Graduate school is the goal of many of our graduates, who complete law and medical degrees in prestigious programs throughout the nation.
Some also do very well in business school, where the breadth of their academic background, the adaptability of their skills, and their analytical and communication proficiency make them highly competitive with respect to graduates from strictly pre-professional programs.
In addition to occupations in all levels of education, academic research, and archeology, some Classics graduates have also established careers in management, public relations, fundraising, administration, as well as a library, archival, and museum work, while some have also created opportunities for themselves in computer occupations, arts, and media.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Freelance Video Editors?
Allison Harl Ph.D.: Yes, but the pandemic's impact will create new and different opportunities, so graduates should keep their imaginations and options open.
What general advice would you give to a Freelance Video Editor?
Allison Harl Ph.D.: Develop as many multimedia skills as possible. Writing in the 21st century is about visual rhetoric as well as just words on a page.