iStock Blog Best Practices Video Video Job Report 2023: Trend Analysis of Video Jobs

Video has become an essential part of our lives in this digital age. We rely on it for everything, from staying up‑to‑date with the latest news to enjoying entertainment. People all over the world spend a significant amount of time in front of screens every day consuming video content. 

As a result, the field of video production is in an exciting phase, presenting professionals with countless opportunities and challenges to discover. Because of this, iStock analyzed video‑based job listing data alongside search statistics to create a report on video jobs across the United States in 2024.

• There are currently 340,531 job listings for video‑related roles in the United States
• Nevada has the highest number of video‑based jobs per capita
• Top employers hiring for video jobs include major companies like TikTok, Apple, Fox, Amazon, and the National Football League
• The current average salary for video jobs is $61,899 per year
• On average, employers seek candidates with 3.5 years of relevant experience to fill open video roles

There are currently 340,531 job listings for video‑related positions in the United States. This is an impressive number of listings, given the U.S. Bureau Of Labor Statistics listed that, in 2022, there were 87,500 jobs for Film and Video Editors and Camera Operators.

The monthly search volume for video jobs reaches an impressive 110,000, demonstrating high demand in the market. Professionals in video fields can expect to earn an average salary of $61,899 per year, 4% higher than the current average salary in the U.S. Employers generally seek candidates with 3.5 years of relevant experience, on average, to fill open video roles. The top employers hiring for video jobs include major companies like TikTok, Apple, Fox, Amazon, and the National Football League.

Employers tend to have different experience requirements depending on the level of the position. Entry‑level video jobs commonly require 1 to 2 years of experience, while junior‑level roles seek candidates with 2 to 5 years of experience. For mid‑level video positions, employers typically want candidates with 5 to 10 years of relevant work history. Senior‑level and director‑level video jobs demand video professionals with 10 or more years of industry experience.

Video jobs in different states in the U.S. were broken down by total jobs per 10,000 residents, average salary, monthly search volume, and job search trend. Nevada has the highest number of video jobs per 10,000 residents at 187.85, while Oklahoma has the lowest at 3.28. California, Arizona, and New York have the highest average salaries for video jobs, while Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Minnesota have the lowest.

California, New York, and Texas have the highest monthly job search volume for video jobs, while Wyoming, Vermont, and Alaska have the lowest. Oregon has the highest job search trend at 123% compared to Alaska, New Hampshire, and Nevada, which have the lowest job search trend at ‑33% or below.

In 2023, potential video jobs and the money you can make vary greatly depending on which state you are looking at. Nevada stands out with the highest number of video‑based jobs per capita, boasting 187.85 jobs per 10,000 people. Vermont and Alaska closely trail behind, offering significant job opportunities in this sector.

For salary, California takes the lead with an average of $70,391. Arizona and New York also offer competitive average salaries in this field. These states offer more lucrative opportunities in the video‑based job sector with higher pay compared to the 2022 median of $62,420 for Film and Video Editors and Camera Operators.

On the other hand, Oklahoma falls behind with the lowest number of video‑based jobs per capita, with 3.28 jobs per 10,000 people. Additionally, the state has a relatively lower average video‑based job salary of $59,056. Western states such as Oregon, California, and Colorado have a higher concentration of video‑based jobs per capita, along with more favorable salary prospects. In contrast, midwestern and southern states have fewer video‑based job opportunities and comparatively lower salaries in this industry.

In order to secure a video job in 2023, it is crucial to possess a diverse range of skills. This analysis report has revealed that prospective candidates must have a strong foundation in editing, production, and content creation.

Another important factor in video jobs today is working with the multitude of social media platforms that are available. It is particularly essential for someone who wants to work in video to have expertise and proficiency in utilizing TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. 

Individuals seeking employment in the video industry should also be highly knowledgeable in using relevant software, such as Premiere Pro, Photoshop, and After Effects.

Video editors looking for a job in 2023 can take advantage of iStock to gain exposure, make money, and find new opportunities. iStock is an online media library with millions of royalty‑free photos, videos, illustrations, and music professionally licensed for commercial use. If you have high‑quality, unique video clips that tell a visual story, iStock could be the perfect platform to share your work with businesses and designers around the world.

Uploading your footage to iStock is a simple process. You'll need to create an account, enter details about your video clips, tag them accurately, and add relevant metadata. Once your videos are live on iStock, when someone licenses one of your stock videos, you'll receive a percentage of the licensing fee as a royalty payment. The more popular your stock footage becomes, the more income potential there is. If you're ready to showcase your video editing skills on a global scale and earn some extra money from your footage, consider uploading your clips to iStock.

Methodology: 
We conducted desk research analysis gathering data from job advertisement websites to gather statistics around video‑based jobs (e.g. video editors), including data points such as the number of current job openings, average salary, top skills, and number of jobs each year. This included a state breakdown showing which locations across the US are the best for video editors. This was paired with search insight data to gather statistics on the monthly search volume and job trend percentages. This data was collected and analyzed in September 2023.

Fair Use Statement: 
Now that you have an overview of the video job market in the US, feel free to share this data.

We ask that you do so for non‑commercial use and provide a link to this original study page, so the researchers are credited correctly.