Creative pay 2026
Video editor salary in California (2026)
Video editors in California earn a median $88,490 a year ($42.54 an hour), according to BLS wage data for May 2025. That is 17% more than the US median of $75,420, and 4th of 43 states and territories with published figures. The median for every job in California is $58,240, so this pays 52% more than the typical job there.
- $88,490median a year in California
- $42.54median an hour
- +17%vs the US median ($75,420)
- 8,110employee jobs (BLS estimate)
What is the salary range for a video editor in California?
Half of video editors in California earn between $60,810 and $128,630. The gap between the top and bottom 10% (4.0 times) is about the national spread.
| 10th percentile | $42,020 | $40,280 | $20.20 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25th | $60,810 | $52,720 | $29.24 |
| Median | $88,490 | $75,420 | $42.54 |
| 75th | $128,630 | $105,310 | $61.84 |
| 90th percentile | $169,810 | $148,550 | $81.64 |
The mean (average) is $99,450, above the median, pulled up by the highest earners.
How does California compare with other states?
California is in the top five for video editors' pay. Only New York, District of Columbia and Massachusetts pay more.
Which cities in California pay video editors best?
Of the 8 metro areas in California where BLS publishes a median for the job, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont pays most, at $109,930, 24% above the state median.
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 6,010 | $83,210 | $40.01 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 740 | $109,930 | $52.85 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 220 | $83,480 | $40.13 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 130 | $63,580 | $30.57 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 90 | $69,760 | $33.54 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | 60 | $79,040 | $38.00 |
| Fresno, CA | 50 | $73,010 | $35.10 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | 30 | $84,780 | $40.76 |
How many video editors work in California?
BLS estimates 8,110 employee jobs, 0.45 in every 1,000 jobs in the state. The job is concentrated here: California's share of employment in it is 2.70 times the national share (BLS's location quotient).
Employees only. BLS does not count the self-employed, who are a large share of several creative jobs.
What do other creative jobs pay in California?
3 of the 6 other creative jobs below pay a higher median in California.
| UX/UI designer | $136,110 | 27,090 |
|---|---|---|
| Motion designer | $130,540 | 7,410 |
| Videographer | $106,900 | 4,700 |
| Copywriter | $86,480 | 8,390 |
| Graphic designer | $75,130 | 27,390 |
| Photographer | $47,840 | 7,980 |
What do freelance video editors charge?
Upwork, video editors list $10 to $60 an hour, worldwide. California's employee median of $42.54 an hour is inside that range. The rate calculator works out an hourly rate from the salary you want.
Questions
What is the average video editor salary in California?
The median is $88,490 a year and the mean is $99,450, from BLS data for May 2025 covering about 8,110 employee jobs.
How much does a video editor make an hour in California?
The median hourly wage is $42.54. The bottom 10% earn under $20.20 and the top 10% over $81.64.
What does a starting video editor earn in California?
BLS does not publish pay by experience. The lowest-paid quarter of video editors in California earn under $60,810 a year and the lowest-paid tenth under $42,020, which is the nearest guide to starting pay.
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Where do these numbers come from?
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (published 15 May 2026). Occupation 27-4032, Film and Video Editors. Employees only; annual figures are hourly times 2,080.
n = 8,110 jobs in the California estimate. Last updated 2 October 2026.
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Video editor pay in other states
- New York $103,440
- District of Columbia $98,830
- Massachusetts $92,130
- Colorado $84,620
- Connecticut $83,550
- New Jersey $82,890
- Maryland $78,380
- Utah $76,240
- Illinois $72,460
- Oregon $72,300
- Washington $66,870
- Nevada $65,720