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COL-adjusted ranking

Best Cities for Film and Video Editorss by Take-Home Pay

The cities that pay Film and Video Editorss the most on paper aren't usually the best deals once rent and prices are factored in. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont ranks first with a COL-adjusted equivalent of $95,087/year, better purchasing power than San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont's higher nominal pay of $109,930. The table below uses BLS OEWS May 2025 salary data and BEA Regional Price Parities.

Highest nominal pay

#1 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont$109,930
#2 New York-Newark-Jersey City$104,590
#3 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria$91,750

Best purchasing power

#1 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont$95,087
#2 New York-Newark-Jersey City$92,919
#3 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria$84,267

Top 25 metros by purchasing power

Ranked by COL-adjusted salary. Metros with fewer than 100 employed film and video editorss excluded.

Rank
Metro
Nominal
COL-adj.
#1
$109,930
$95,087
#2
$104,590
$92,919
#3
$91,750
$84,267
#4
Waterbury-Shelton
26% rent burden
$83,550
$83,734
#5
$88,910
$82,119
#6
Salt Lake City-Murray
19% rent burden
$80,480
$79,786
#7
$83,230
$77,887
#8
$79,560
$76,141
#9
St. Louis
20% rent burden
$72,300
$76,033
#10
$78,210
$75,500
#11
$83,480
$74,609
#12
$83,210
$73,268
#13
$71,990
$68,289
#14
$75,420
$67,866
#15
$65,360
$66,646
#16
$65,830
$65,685
#17
$63,790
$63,599
#18
$65,000
$63,052
#19
$59,280
$61,532
#20
$60,470
$59,623
#21
$63,580
$59,604
#22
Pittsburgh
29% rent burden
$54,510
$57,579
#23
$59,700
$56,955
#24
$55,160
$55,926
#25
$61,950
$54,266

COL-adjusted = nominal salary divided by (BEA RPP divided by 100). Rent burden = annual 2BR FMR as % of nominal salary. Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025, BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents.

Common questions

What does "COL-adjusted pay" mean for Film and Video Editorss?

COL-adjusted pay divides the BLS median salary by the BEA Regional Price Parity index (100 = national average). A salary of $109,930 in a city with RPP 120 has the same purchasing power as $91,608 at national average prices.

Why doesn't New York or San Francisco top this list?

Both cities pay above-average salaries, but rent and everyday costs eat most of that premium. A film and video editors in New York might earn 30% more but pay 60-80% more in rent. The net result is often less purchasing power than mid-cost metros.

How is purchasing power calculated?

Purchasing power equals nominal median salary divided by (BEA RPP divided by 100). BEA's Regional Price Parities measure relative price levels across metro areas, updated annually from the National Income and Product Accounts.

What's the most affordable metro for Film and Video Editorss?

Salt Lake City-Murray has one of the lowest rent burdens for Film and Video Editorss in this dataset. HUD FMR for a 2-bedroom is $1,241/month, with a median salary of $80,480.

Where do Film and Video Editorss get paid the most in nominal terms?

San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont pays the highest nominal median salary at $109,930/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. But check the COL-adjusted column before accepting any relocation offer.

National salary breakdown for Film and Video EditorssView →How to become a film and video editorsGuide →Compare two cities side by sideCompare →