Film and Video Editors Salary
Film and Video Editors in Chattanooga, TN-GA make a median of $44,830 a year, or about $21.55 an hour. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $62K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.46), which stretches that salary to about $49,016 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,390/month, about 43.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $45K get you in Chattanooga?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Chattanooga’s Regional Price Parity (91.46). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About film and video editors
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What this looks like in Chattanooga
Pay for film and video editors in Chattanooga runs about 41% below the U.S. median of $75K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,390/month, which is 43.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.46 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for film and video editorss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for film and video editors in metros near Chattanooga, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $59K | $62K |
| Memphis | $55K | $59K |
| Knoxville | $52K | $56K |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $55K | $55K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Chattanooga, TN-GA
Entry-level film and video editors (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $45K. Top earners bring in $62K or more, a $22K spread from bottom to top.
Film and Video Editors pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Film and Video Editors salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $103K | +37% | 3,710 |
| District of Columbia | $99K | +31% | 370 |
| Massachusetts | $92K | +22% | 550 |
| California | $88K | +17% | 8,110 |
| Colorado | $85K | +12% | 380 |
| Connecticut | $84K | +11% | 600 |
| New Jersey | $83K | +10% | 620 |
| Virginia | $79K | +4% | N/A |
| Maryland | $78K | +4% | 250 |
| Utah | $76K | +1% | 370 |
| Alabama | $74K | -1% | 120 |
| Illinois | $72K | -4% | 310 |
| Oregon | $72K | -4% | 360 |
| Louisiana | $67K | -11% | 80 |
| Washington | $67K | -11% | 450 |
| Nevada | $66K | -13% | 320 |
| Vermont | $63K | -16% | 100 |
| Kentucky | $62K | -17% | 60 |
| New Hampshire | $61K | -19% | 100 |
| Texas | $61K | -19% | 1,040 |
| Florida | $60K | -20% | 1,490 |
| North Carolina | $60K | -20% | 400 |
| Michigan | $59K | -22% | 360 |
| Missouri | $58K | -23% | 380 |
| Tennessee | $58K | -23% | 560 |
| Ohio | $56K | -25% | 340 |
| Nebraska | $56K | -26% | 120 |
| Oklahoma | $55K | -27% | 100 |
| Idaho | $54K | -28% | 100 |
| Wisconsin | $53K | -29% | 240 |
| Minnesota | $53K | -30% | 200 |
| Georgia | $51K | -32% | N/A |
| Kansas | $51K | -33% | 70 |
| Mississippi | $50K | -33% | 50 |
| New Mexico | $49K | -35% | 160 |
| Arkansas | $48K | -36% | 80 |
| West Virginia | $48K | -36% | 30 |
| Indiana | $47K | -38% | 450 |
| Arizona | $46K | -39% | 350 |
| Montana | $43K | -44% | 110 |
| South Dakota | $39K | -48% | 30 |
| Alaska | $39K | -49% | 30 |
Showing 1–10 of 42 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track film and video editors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Chattanooga numbers change.
Related careers in Arts & Media
Frequently asked questions
Can a film and video editor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Chattanooga?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $45K, rent takes 43.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,390/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for film and video editors in Chattanooga?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new film and video editors typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,359/month. At HUD’s $1,390/month FMR, rent would take 59% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is film and video editor a high-paying job in Chattanooga?
Local pay runs 41% below the national median — $45K here vs. $75K nationally. Cost of living is 9% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Chattanooga compare to the national average for film and video editors?
Chattanooga pays $45K median vs. the U.S. average of $75K — that’s -41%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.46), the purchasing-power equivalent is $49K — below the national median.
How much do film and video editors make in Chattanooga, TN-GA?
The median is $44,830 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,310, and experienced film and video editors can clear $61,530. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $45K enough to live in Chattanooga?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,172/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,390/month, which eats 43.8% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a film and video editors salary go in Chattanooga?
Chattanooga has a Regional Price Parity of 91.46 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median film and video editors salary is worth about $49,016 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do film and video editors get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.