Prevailing Wage for Film and Video Editors
The prevailing wage for Film and Video Editors under SOC 27-4032 sets the minimum salary a U.S. employer must offer when sponsoring a visa or filing a PERM labor certification. DOL defines four experience levels for this occupation, from entry-level Editor to senior Film Editor, and the wage floor varies significantly by worksite city.
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Level 1 covers entry-level editors with limited professional experience, typically working under close supervision on assigned segments. Routine tasks like basic cutting and assembly work characterize this tier. Most candidates hold a relevant degree but have not yet developed independent editorial judgment.
Level 2 applies to qualified editors who work with moderate supervision and handle standard projects independently. This is the most common filing level for Film and Video Editors, reflecting mid-career professionals who manage full editorial workflows including synchronizing audio and organizing footage for final delivery.
Level 3 covers experienced editors who work with significant autonomy, often mentoring junior staff and handling complex multi-format projects. These professionals bring deep technical fluency and routinely collaborate directly with producers or directors to shape the editorial vision of a production.
Level 4 applies to fully competent senior editors who set editorial standards, lead post-production teams, and exercise independent judgment on high-value or high-visibility projects. Employers filing at this level typically require extensive specialized experience and demonstrated mastery of advanced editing platforms.
Prevailing Wage for Film and Video Editors by OES area
Each shape is a DOL OES area, the unit prevailing wage is published for.
What’s an OES area?
The Department of Labor publishes prevailing wages for geographic zones called OES areas. Every U.S. county belongs to exactly one, and the wage floor applies across the whole area. A worker in Oakland gets the San Francisco metro wage, not a separate Oakland wage.
Top 10 cities · Level 1
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See which U.S. employers are actively hiring for Film and Video Editors and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Confirm your employer files under SOC 27-4032
Titles like 'Content Editor' or 'Digital Editor' sometimes get classified under a different SOC, which misses the Film and Video Editors wage floor entirely. Before accepting an offer, verify the LCA lists SOC 27-4032 and not a broader media or content occupation code.
Weight location against the L2 floor carefully
San Francisco and New York set L2 floors roughly 60 to 70 percent above the national median for this role, while markets like Cape Coral and Boise sit far below it. Your LCA must cite the actual worksite city, so remote arrangements with a distant headquarters create misclassification risk.
Exclude signing bonuses from your wage compliance math
Production studios and streaming companies sometimes structure offers with a signing bonus that inflates the apparent total. DOL prevailing wage compliance for Film and Video Editors is calculated on the base salary alone, not on bonuses or project-based completion payments included in an offer.
Use Migrate Mate to find employers who sponsor editors
Migrate Mate shows which companies have a verified history of sponsoring Film and Video Editors specifically, so you can prioritize outreach to studios, broadcasters, and streaming platforms that have actually filed H-1B or green card petitions for this occupation before.
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Find Jobs for Film and Video EditorsPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 27-4032.00 alongside Film and Video Editors, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Editor Prevailing Wage
Editor Prevailing Wage
Editor positions fall under SOC 27-4032.00 (Film and Video Editors). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Film Editor Prevailing Wage
Film Editor Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Film Editor for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 27-4032.00 (Film and Video Editors). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
News Editor Prevailing Wage
News Editor Prevailing Wage
News Editor is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 27-4032.00 (Film and Video Editors). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
News Video Editor Prevailing Wage
News Video Editor Prevailing Wage
News Video Editor positions fall under SOC 27-4032.00 (Film and Video Editors). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
News Videotape Editor Prevailing Wage
News Videotape Editor Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a News Videotape Editor for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 27-4032.00 (Film and Video Editors). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Non-Linear Editor Prevailing Wage
Non-Linear Editor Prevailing Wage
Non-Linear Editor is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 27-4032.00 (Film and Video Editors). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Online Editor Prevailing Wage
Online Editor Prevailing Wage
Online Editor positions fall under SOC 27-4032.00 (Film and Video Editors). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Tape Editor Prevailing Wage
Tape Editor Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Tape Editor for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 27-4032.00 (Film and Video Editors). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Television News Video Editor Prevailing Wage
Television News Video Editor Prevailing Wage
Television News Video Editor is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 27-4032.00 (Film and Video Editors). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Video Editor Prevailing Wage
Video Editor Prevailing Wage
Video Editor positions fall under SOC 27-4032.00 (Film and Video Editors). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Film and Video Editors?
DOL calculates prevailing wages for Film and Video Editors using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics across metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. OFLC converts those wage distributions into four levels by applying experience-based multipliers. Employers must certify on the Labor Condition Application that the offered wage meets or exceeds the applicable level for the worksite area.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which one applies to my offer?
Level 1 reflects entry-level editing work performed under close supervision. Level 2 covers qualified editors handling standard projects with moderate oversight. Level 3 applies to experienced editors working independently on complex productions. Level 4 represents fully competent senior editors leading teams or setting post-production standards. The correct level depends on the actual duties, supervision, and complexity described in the job offer, not solely on your years of experience.
Why does the prevailing wage for this role vary so much between cities?
OFLC sets wages using regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data, so each metropolitan area reflects its own local labor market for Film and Video Editors. Dense production markets like Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco have high concentrations of studio and streaming employers, which pushes wages up considerably. The LCA must list the actual worksite city, so the prevailing wage floor is determined by where the editor physically works, not where the employer's headquarters is located.
What happens if an employer offers below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
For H-1B, E-3, or PERM-based green card filings, USCIS and DOL require the offered wage to meet or exceed the applicable prevailing wage. An offer below the floor will result in LCA denial or USCIS rejection of the petition. An employer cannot substitute benefits, bonuses, or equity to close the gap. The base salary on the LCA must clear the floor for the relevant SOC code, level, and worksite area.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for Film and Video Editors in a specific U.S. city?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool to look up the wage for SOC 27-4032 in the metropolitan area where the job is located. Select the correct survey year to match the LCA filing period. You can also cross-reference against Bureau of Labor Statistics occupational employment data for that metro. Migrate Mate lists employers with a history of sponsoring editors, which helps you identify companies actively filing LCAs for this occupation in your target market.
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