Video Editor

Also known as: Film Editor, Post-Production Editor, Cutting Room Editor

Media & Content CreationBachelor's DegreeStable

Assemble raw footage into polished films, shows, commercials, and digital content by selecting the best takes, controlling pacing, and weaving together picture, sound, and music to tell a cohesive story.

Salary Range

Entry Level

$42K

Starting salary

→

Top Level

$180K

Top salary

Senior Post-Production Editor (Major Streamer)

The highest-paid specialization or seniority level for video editors.

About 1 in 20 reaches this level

BLS reports the 90th-percentile wage for film and video editors at $145,900 (May 2024, ~43,500 total employed). Senior Post-Production Editor roles at Netflix, HBO, and Amazon reaching $180K sit above that threshold — editors with 10+ years managing complex long-form projects with significant creative autonomy, representing the top 3–5% of the field.

Salary data based on 2025 BLS, Glassdoor, and industry reports. Actual compensation varies by location, experience, and employer.

How to Become One

This career typically requires a bachelor's degree.

AI Risk Assessment

High Risk (Level 4/5)How we score ›

AI is already automating the most time-consuming parts of video editing — Adobe Premiere Pro's text-based editing and Auto Reframe tools, Descript's transcript-based rough-cut workflow, and Runway's generative video capabilities are compressing what used to take junior editors days into hours for straightforward projects. The Adobe–Runway partnership (announced December 2025) signals that AI-generated footage and intelligent auto-assembly are becoming embedded in the industry's standard toolchain. Entry-level work such as rough cuts, silence removal, auto-captioning, and basic color grading is being automated first, narrowing the on-ramp for new graduates while experienced editors who can leverage AI for productivity gains are commanding higher rates.