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Job outlook for freelance videographer/editors in the United States
Freelance videographer/editor job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected freelance videographer/editor job growth rate is 12% from 2018-2028.
About 9,600 new jobs for freelance videographer/editors are projected over the next decade.
Freelance videographer/editor salaries have increased 7% for freelance videographer/editors in the last 5 years.
There are over 43,150 freelance videographer/editors currently employed in the United States.
There are 5,409 active freelance videographer/editor job openings in the US.
The average freelance videographer/editor salary is $48,481.
Are freelance videographer/editor jobs in demand?
Freelance videographer/editor job and salary trends over time
Freelance videographer/editor jobs over time
Freelance videographer/editor job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 43,150 | 0.01% |
| 2020 | 41,405 | 0.01% |
| 2019 | 49,467 | 0.01% |
| 2018 | 50,404 | 0.02% |
| 2017 | 51,872 | 0.02% |
Average freelance videographer/editor salary over time
Freelance videographer/editor salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $48,481 | $23.31 | +5.4% |
| 2025 | $45,979 | $22.11 | +1.8% |
| 2024 | $45,165 | $21.71 | +2.4% |
| 2023 | $44,105 | $21.20 | --2.5% |
| 2022 | $45,244 | $21.75 | +1.6% |
Freelance videographer/editor jobs by state
Most common states for freelance videographer/editors
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 169 | 24% |
| 2 | New York | 19,849,399 | 802 | 4% |
| 3 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 242 | 3% |
| 4 | Alaska | 739,795 | 20 | 3% |
| 5 | California | 39,536,653 | 810 | 2% |
| 6 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 171 | 2% |
| 7 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 135 | 2% |
| 8 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 124 | 2% |
| 9 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 107 | 2% |
| 10 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 103 | 2% |
| 11 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 87 | 2% |
| 12 | Alabama | 4,874,747 | 74 | 2% |
| 13 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 70 | 2% |
| 14 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 50 | 2% |
| 15 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 30 | 2% |
| 16 | Delaware | 961,939 | 15 | 2% |
| 17 | Vermont | 623,657 | 11 | 2% |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 180 | 1% |
| 19 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 101 | 1% |
| 20 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 10 | 1% |
Most common cities for freelance videographer/editors
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Columbia | 1 | 1% | $36,570 |
| 2 | Kansas City | 1 | 1% | $39,679 |
| 3 | Pasadena | 1 | 1% | $57,379 |
| 4 | Baltimore | 1 | 0% | $36,837 |
| 5 | Boston | 1 | 0% | $50,855 |
| 6 | Chicago | 1 | 0% | $41,788 |
| 7 | San Diego | 1 | 0% | $55,794 |
| 8 | San Jose | 1 | 0% | $61,115 |
| 9 | Tucson | 1 | 0% | $43,245 |
Freelance Videographer/Editor job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of freelance videographer/editor experts
California State University - Sacramento
Olympic College
University of Utah
California University of Pennsylvania
Viola Ardeni
Assistant Professor & Italian Language Area HeadCalifornia State University - Sacramento
Romance Languages, Literatures, And Linguistics
What will help Freelance Videographer/Editors increase their earning potential?
Viola Ardeni: Negotiate your job offer, even where your position is represented by a labor union (you may negotiate other perks and benefits). I would also recommend considering extremely carefully whether a higher degree in the field (master's or PhD) would enhance your options for a higher salary. The mental, emotional, and financial cost of graduate studies may not make it worth it, if the primary objective is earning more money.
Amy Hesketh
Full Time FacultyOlympic College
Social Sciences & Humanities (SSH) Division
What soft skills should all Freelance Videographer/Editors possess?
Amy Hesketh: -Collaboration.
-Teamwork.
-Project management.
-Crew management.
-Professionalism.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Freelance Videographer/Editors?
Amy Hesketh: -Film production.
-Videography.
-Video editing.
-Video streaming.
-Budgeting.
-Scheduling.
What skills stand out on Freelance Videographer/Editor resumes?
Amy Hesketh: Ability to work with a variety of editing software (Avid, Adobe Premiere Pro/Audition, Resolve). Screenwriting and story development.
What will help Freelance Videographer/Editors increase their earning potential?
Miriam Albert-Sobrino: Institutionally, financial help to support new endeavors. At the individual level, a proactive drive is a must. Rather than waiting or stalling for opportunities, it is important to create new ones. While risky, both financially and emotionally, it is the time to take action, try things and seek a break where others haven't ventured yet. Failure is a scary, sometimes incapacitating threat that, more often that not, stops promising endeavors from taking off. It's never too late to try new things, but the sooner we attempt those, the better. A failed endeavor, if anything, speaks of a motivated, bold and driven individual and those qualities are some of the most important things needed in any job market.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Freelance Videographer/Editors?
Miriam Albert-Sobrino: Understanding how collaborative endeavors take off and focusing on entrepreneurship is fundamental. Any course, certificate or training that helps young filmmakers and visual artists understand the process of creation from a collaborative standpoint is going to be most rewarding. We are at the height of independent creation, recent graduates have the tools and knowledge to make, they just have to use those instruments to identify needs and satisfy them. In film, specializing in cinematography, be that, earlier on, through lighting or camera work; or on editing and graphic design can help proficient artists start joint successful endeavors and/or increase their hiring potential. Furthermore, interdisciplinary opportunities that put together specialized forces from different, but relating fields, will quite likely better their job prospects. Working together, expanding and adding on individual strengths is the answer.
What type of skills will young Freelance Videographer/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.