Adjusts the color, contrast and look of every shot in a film, series, commercial or music video during post-production. BLS does not publish separate figures for film and video editors; it counts them within film and video editor (SOC 27-4032), whose median pay is $75,420 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
- SOC 27-4032
- Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Film Colorist in four numbers
- Median pay
- $75,420a year, or $36.26/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $40KTop 10% $149K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +3.7%About as fast as averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+3.7%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +3.7% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 3,10039,400 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202539.4K
- Projected 203540.8K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 39.4K Projected 2035 40.8K - Typical education
- Bachelor'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- High school16.3%
- Some college1.2%
- Associate's16.9%
- Bachelor's65.1%
- Master's0.6%
Highest education held by film and video editors Segment Value High school 16.3% Some college 1.2% Associate's 16.9% Bachelor's 65.1% Master's 0.6%
Also advertised as: Colorist, Digital Colorist, Color Grader, Senior Colorist, DI Colorist.
Pay
How much do Film and Video Editors make?
Every film colorist in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$75,420
Middle half earn $52,720 to $105,310
- 10th
- $40,280
- 25th
- $52,720
- 75th
- $105,310
- 90th
- $148,550
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $40,280 |
| 25th | $52,720 |
| Median | $75,420 |
| 75th | $105,310 |
| 90th | $148,550 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $75,420
- Median hourly wage
- $36.26/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $86,130
- People employed
- 25,610
Versus all US occupations
At $75,420, Film and Video Editors earn 48% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $24,440 a year.
Versus arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations
Inside the Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media group, where the middle occupation pays $68,060, this is 11% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $148,550 or more while the bottom 10% earn $40,280, a gap of 3.7×. That is an unusually wide spread, which usually tracks specialisation, employer type and years of experience.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 50% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
New York pays the most at $103,440, and still leads at $95,848 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Film and Video Editors the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1New York | $103,440 | $95,848 | 3,710 |
| 2District of Columbia | $98,830 | $89,926 | 370 |
| 3Massachusetts | $92,130 | $87,115 | 550 |
| 4California | $88,490 | $79,922 | 8,110 |
| 5Colorado | $84,620 | $82,114 | 380 |
| 6Connecticut | $83,550 | $80,639 | 600 |
| 7New Jersey | $82,890 | $76,182 | 620 |
| 8Virginia | $78,740 | $77,880 | N/A |
| 9Maryland | $78,380 | $74,677 | 250 |
| 10Utah | $76,240 | $77,116 | 370 |
Job outlook
Is Film Colorist a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
About as fast as average. +3.7% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Film and Video Editors | +3.7% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
About as fast as average
BLS projects employment of Film and Video Editors to change 3.7% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 1,500 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 3,100 openings are projected each year, 7.9% of the 39,400 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Film Colorist
Many colorists study film production, cinematography or post-production, but the career is driven by skill and reel rather than a credential. A common path starts as an assistant editor, dailies operator or color assistant at a post-production house, followed by years of grading lower-budget work such as music videos and short films before moving into commercials and long-form.
Blackmagic Design offers official DaVinci Resolve certification, and Dolby trains colorists for Dolby Vision HDR mastering. The Colorist Society International is the professional association for the craft, and union colorists in Los Angeles are represented by the Motion Picture Editors Guild (IATSE Local 700).
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Bachelor's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Medium preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as film and video editors.
- Bachelor's Degree65.1%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree16.9%
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)16.3%
- Some College Courses1.2%
- Master's Degree0.6%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | 65.1% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 16.9% |
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 16.3% |
| Some College Courses | 1.2% |
| Master's Degree | 0.6% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Film Colorist do?
Colorists finish the image. After the edit is locked, they take each shot into grading software such as DaVinci Resolve or Baselight and adjust exposure, contrast, saturation and hue so shots match from angle to angle and the project carries a consistent visual style. They work with the cinematographer and director to build a look, for example a cold desaturated palette for a thriller or warm film emulation for a period drama.
The job mixes art and engineering. Colorists isolate skin tones, track masks on faces, repair problem footage and deliver versions for different displays, including HDR and Dolby Vision masters, SDR broadcast and theatrical projection. Many also build look-up tables used on set so dailies resemble the intended final image.
Day-to-day tasks
- Balance shots so color and exposure match across a scene
- Design a visual look with the director and cinematographer
- Isolate and track areas of the frame for targeted corrections
- Create look-up tables for on-set monitoring and dailies
- Master projects in HDR and SDR formats to delivery specifications
- Conform edits and manage high-resolution camera files
- Run client review sessions and apply notes
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Colorists work in dim, color-calibrated grading suites with reference monitors and control surfaces. Some sessions are attended by directors and clients, while remote grading over secure streams is increasingly common. Hours run long near deliveries, and the work is seated and visually demanding.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayIndoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeSeated for more than half the working day.
Standing
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Active Listening3.8
- Critical Thinking3.5
- Reading Comprehension3.4
- Speaking3.3
- Active Learning3.3
- Writing3.1
- Monitoring3.0
- Learning Strategies2.6
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Active Listening | 3.8 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.5 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.4 |
| Speaking | 3.3 |
| Active Learning | 3.3 |
| Writing | 3.1 |
| Monitoring | 3.0 |
| Learning Strategies | 2.6 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Complex Problem Solving3.3
- Judgment and Decision Making3.1
- Time Management3.1
- Coordination3.0
- Social Perceptiveness2.9
- Persuasion2.8
- Systems Analysis2.8
- Systems Evaluation2.6
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.3 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.1 |
| Time Management | 3.1 |
| Coordination | 3.0 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 2.9 |
| Persuasion | 2.8 |
| Systems Analysis | 2.8 |
| Systems Evaluation | 2.6 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Desktop publishing software · in demand
- Enterprise application integration software · in demand
- Graphics or photo imaging software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Video creation and editing software · in demand
- Web platform development software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Computer aided design CAD software
- Filesystem software
- Internet browser software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Film Colorist?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code ARC) built on O*NET's Film and Video Editor profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Film Colorist |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 4 |
| Investigative | 2 |
| Artistic | 6 |
| Social | 2 |
| Enterprising | 3 |
| Conventional | 4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around creating, designing and working without a fixed set of rules, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Artistic5.7
- Conventional4.1
- Realistic3.8
- Enterprising3.1
- Social2.0
- Investigative1.9
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Film Colorist
O*NET related occupations
- Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
- Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
- Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
- Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
- Office and Administrative Support
- Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
More arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media careers
Median annual pay, with film and video editors highlighted
- Art Director$114,850
- Technical Writer$90,390
- Editor$77,920
- Writer and Author$76,910
- Film Colorist$75,420
- Public Relations Specialist$74,750
- Interior Designer$67,190
- Graphic Designer$62,960
- Photographer$44,660
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Art Director | $114,850 |
| Technical Writer | $90,390 |
| Editor | $77,920 |
| Writer and Author | $76,910 |
| Film Colorist | $75,420 |
| Public Relations Specialist | $74,750 |
| Interior Designer | $67,190 |
| Graphic Designer | $62,960 |
| Photographer | $44,660 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Film Colorist appears on
Questions
Film Colorist: frequently asked questions
How much do Film and Video Editors make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for film and video editors. It counts them within film and video editor, whose median pay is $75,420 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $52,720 and $105,310, and the top 10% earn $148,550 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Film Colorist?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Film and Video Editors, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as medium preparation. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 65.1% hold bachelor's degree.
Is Film Colorist a growing career?
It is stable rather than fast-growing: employment is projected to change 3.7% over 2025–2035, about the same as the 3.5% projected across all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 3,100 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Film Colorist do?
Colorists finish the image. A typical task: balance shots so color and exposure match across a scene. Employers most often ask for Desktop publishing software, Enterprise application integration software, Graphics or photo imaging software.
Which states pay Film and Video Editors the most?
The highest state medians for Film and Video Editors are New York ($103,440), District of Columbia ($98,830), Massachusetts ($92,130) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Film Colorist?
O*NET scores Film and Video Editors highest on the Artistic, Conventional and Realistic interest areas, so the work mixes creating, designing and working without a fixed set of rules with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.