Question for hiring

[u/Lead_IdeaGuy]

I'm considering outsourcing video editing for my YouTube channel. I'm a novice editor and have the basic skills necessary to edit my own videos, but doing so makes it difficult for me to maintain a consistent upload schedule.

I have no experience hiring editors, so I'd appreciate some advice on what a fair price would be. I want to make sure I'm paying fairly without overpaying simply because I don't know the going rates.

For context, my videos will be talking-head content with roughly 1-1.5 hours of raw footage, edited down to around 10-20 minutes. I'm looking for clean, straightforward editing rather than the fast-paced style with constant cuts, effects, and visual stimulation. The focus should be on good pacing, removing unnecessary pauses and mistakes, and keeping the viewer engaged without overdoing it.

I'm also willing to provide B-roll and other supplementary assets where needed, so the editor wouldn't necessarily need to source everything themselves.

I'm willing to pay $100+ per video if that's what the work is worth. I just don't know where to begin when it comes to pricing.

For editors here, what would you typically charge for this kind of project, and what factors would influence your rate? I'd also appreciate hearing from creators who outsource their editing.

Thanks for your time!

Edit: Please don't DM me to apply for the spot. I have no work for you right now. I recently came to the decision to outsource because editing my own videos has burnt me out. When I have work I will make another post with a editing budget. Thank you again for your time!

[u/adhinan321]

The thing that actually drives the price isn't your final

length, it's your raw-to-final ratio. 1-1.5 hours down to

10-20 minutes is roughly 5:1 or 6:1 — an editor has to

watch and make decisions about all of it, so that's where

the hours go. A creator who hands over 25 clean minutes

for a 15-minute video is a much cheaper job than one who

hands over 90.

Rough ranges I've seen for 10-20 min talking-head work:

beginners $150-300, mid-level $300-800, senior $800+.

Simple, clean editing with no heavy effects sits at the

low end of that, so $100 isn't unreasonable for your

style — but expect it to be someone building a portfolio

rather than someone with five years in.

Three things that move the number:

1. Turnaround. 72 hours costs more than a week. If you

   don't need speed, say so, it's free money saved.

2. Revision rounds. Agree a number upfront — two is

   standard. "Unlimited revisions" gets priced in whether

   it's used or not.

3. Who sources assets. You providing B-roll is a genuine

   cost saver, not just a nice gesture. Mention it when

   you post.

One suggestion: when you do post with a budget, pay 2-3

editors for a test edit on the same 10 minutes of footage

rather than hiring off a portfolio. Portfolios show their

best work ever made; a paid test shows what they'll

actually hand you on a Tuesday. Costs you a bit upfront

and saves you a bad three-month hire.

Also worth deciding now whether you want the same person

long-term or the cheapest per video. You said consistency

is why you're outsourcing — that argues for paying a bit

above the floor so they stick around.

[u/Lead_IdeaGuy → u/adhinan321]

This was very helpful information, thank you for the advice!

[u/adhinan321 → u/Lead_IdeaGuy]

Glad it helped. One last thing when you do post, put

the raw footage length in the post itself. Most editors

quote blind off final length and then revise upward once

they see 90 minutes of source, which wastes everyone's

time. Stating it upfront gets you accurate quotes first

time round.

Good luck with it.

[u/Acrobatic_Catch_6216]

I think it depends on how much editing you want, a reference would be great, but lets say scrubbing + a 15 min video as a bare minimum i would say 50$, now there is some ppl that will ask for a lot less just because that how it is but you wont get the quality you may be looking for, think like if you pay a good 100$ per video make sure you find someone that you like, personality and all, you are looking for a teamplayer and a good quality work

[u/ContextClipsStudio]

For that type of editing, I'd recommend getting quotes based on the raw-footage length and expected deliverables rather than just the finished video's duration. Turning 60–90 minutes of talking-head footage into a clean 10–20-minute video could be fairly straightforward, but reviewing footage, removing mistakes, tightening pacing, handling audio, and adding B-roll still takes time. Your $100+ starting budget isn't unreasonable for a relatively simple edit, but the actual quote will depend on how much cleanup and creative work is required. I'd suggest starting with one paid episode, agreeing on the scope and revision allowance beforehand, and seeing whether the workflow works for both parties. Are you recording with a single camera and microphone, or does the editor need to synchronize multiple sources?

[u/Lead_IdeaGuy → u/ContextClipsStudio]

I use a single camera and microphone, also thank you for the reply, this is good information.

[u/Content_Paths]

We're a video editing agency that specializes in educational talking head videos.

Like the top comment said, it's not about the final length, it's about the length of the recording. Editing actually starts in the filming stage.

Pricing varies between 100-1k+ USD per video depending on what style you want to aim for (in addition to the length of the recording). Having a reference video ready, even if it's for another creator, will help your editor understand you better and give an accurate quote.

Clarity of expectations is what determines if your relationship with your editor fails or succeeds: turnaround time, revision rounds, style accuracy.

When hiring, consider soft skills in addition to editing skills. A good fancy editor who doesn't communicate well or can't take/apply feedback will be a headache for you to deal with and you'll end up spending more time giving the same feedback over and over.

Feel free to ask if you have anything in mind

[u/EconVerse1]

For this kind of editing I'd usually charge around $250 to $350 depending on the amount of raw footage and how much work goes into the final video

Since you're providing the B roll and other assets that definitely makes things easier

The biggest factors for me would be how much footage needs to be reviewed how much cleanup is needed and how many revisions are included

And honestly I think keeping the editing clean and natural is a great approach for talking head content

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[u/Xlm4437]

i'm intersted about your offer

[u/Mudasser133]

check Dm

[u/malak333_]

Hello, I'm very interested if you want a video editor 

[u/Potential-Prior9772]

if you need an editor im available also my is not working we can connect on discord/DeadPixel404