The Complete Guide to Video Editing
Video editing has become an indispensable skill in today’s content-driven world. Whether you’re creating YouTube videos, social media clips, short films, or corporate presentations, the ability to craft a polished, engaging video can set your work apart. But with so many courses out there, choosing the right one can be overwhelming. Should you focus on Adobe Premiere Pro or DaVinci Resolve? Do you need a technical deep dive or a course that prioritizes storytelling? And what if you're looking for something free or certification-based?
That’s where this guide comes in! I’ve done the heavy lifting for you, sifting through the countless video editing classes available to bring you the best options for 2025. Whether you’re an absolute beginner or a seasoned editor looking to refine your skills, this list includes courses tailored to different needs and learning styles. Some focus on mastering professional software like Premiere Pro, while others emphasize creative techniques like color grading, motion graphics, and seamless transitions.
Even better, many of these courses are free or offer a certification upon completion, so you can gain high-quality training without breaking the bank. Whether you’re aiming for a career in film and media or just want to level up your content creation game, these courses will give you the tools to edit like a pro. Let’s dive in and find the perfect class for you!
What is Video Editing?
Video editing is the art and science of transforming raw footage into a polished, cohesive final product. It’s more than just cutting and rearranging clips—it’s about storytelling, pacing, and creating a visual experience that captures and holds attention.
At its core, video editing involves assembling footage, trimming unnecessary parts, adding transitions, and enhancing visuals with effects, color correction, and sound design. Whether you’re working on a short film, a YouTube video, or a corporate promo, good editing can make the difference between a forgettable clip and a compelling story.
Modern video editing relies on powerful software like Adobe Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, Final Cut Pro, and even beginner-friendly tools like CapCut and iMovie. Editors also use techniques like jump cuts, montages, slow motion, and motion graphics to add depth and engagement to their projects.
But video editing isn’t just about technical skills—it’s also a creative process. Knowing when to cut, how to build tension, and how to match music with visuals can turn an ordinary video into something truly captivating. Whether you’re an aspiring filmmaker, a content creator, or just looking to sharpen your skills, mastering video editing opens up endless possibilities for storytelling and expression.
Video Editing Training Locations
Video Editing Classes Onsite
Video editing is a worthwhile skill for anyone interested in learning new technology while still staying in a more creative field. It's a skill that goes beyond filmmaking or content creation; on the contrary, it's a skill that is central to the way companies communicate with their consumers. From financial and educational institutions to clothing brands and hospitals, video editing is needed to engage with an audience and communicate a clear message. Trained Video Editors are in demand throughout nearly any industry, and with onsite training, you can pick up video editing techniques much more quickly. You can get direct feedback and assistance, ask questions, and build confidence while acquiring the skills needed to begin or advance in your video editing career.
Video Editing Classes NYC
185 Madison Avenue, 3rd Floor, NYC, New York, 10016
Those with a real passion for video editing can chase their dreams in a place like New York City. No matter where you look, there are digital billboard advertisements and promotional videos playing -- just think of Times Square. It's also clear that the media industry is huge in NYC, as some of the world's largest production companies call the Big Apple home, such as NBCUniversal and Bloomberg. With so many opportunities, there's a better chance of being hired as a professional editor who helps bring stories to life or reach a target consumer group. If media and entertainment don't seem your vibe, you can explore video editing in any of NYC's other major industries, such as finance, where Video Editors often work on promotional materials as well as educational videos. Whether you're a total beginner or just want to improve your current understanding of video editing, our partner school, Noble Desktop, offers hands-on video editing training in-person, online, or onsite at your organization. These lessons are crafted to help you sharpen your video editing skills by becoming more technically proficient and practicing creative expression. It's a good first step into a fulfilling video editing career.
Video Editing Classes San Diego
3904 Groton Street, San Diego, CA, 92110
Most video editing professionals think Los Angeles is the place to go to find work. It's true that Hollywood has a host of opportunities, but don't count San Diego out just yet. In fact, there's a lot of promise for California-based Video Editors in San Diego. The city has several key industries that make up a large part of the workforce, such as tech, healthcare, defense, and biotech. Video Editors are needed in each of these fields to convey clear messages, both internally among colleagues and as a means of recruitment, consumer needs, or community outreach. For instance, tech company Qualcomm, headquartered in San Diego, may hire Video Editors to create product or event video presentations. VDCI, another affiliate of Graduate School USA, offers courses relevant to video editing, such as graphic design, and provides onsite training in a variety of subjects. If you enjoy storytelling, marketing, and establishing a brand identity, video editing is a smart skill to acquire. San Diego offers a healthy mix of opportunities to learn and apply your video editing skills.
Video Editing Classes Washington, D.C.
600 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington, D.C., 20024
The nation's capital has a unique need for Video Editors, particularly within the federal government, media, entertainment, and museums. PBS, for example, is headquartered just across the river in Arlington, Virginia, and hires teams of Video Editors to create documentaries for its network. Likewise, the government uses video editing in a wide range of situations, like announcing new policies or playing informational videos for the TSA line. Whether you're interested in filmmaking, journalism, anthropology, or any other form of video editing, it's worth studying this skill if you're a creative in D.C. To start, explore our offerings at Graduate School USA. We offer several certifications, certificates, and bootcamps that center around video editing and related tools. Likewise, you can branch off from video editing and expand your skills even further with motion graphics, AI, or marketing. Onsite training for your team is also available, specifically in digital marketing, which can be great to pair with video editing skills.
Video Editing Classes Chicago
29 E. Madison Street, Chicago, IL, 60602
Chicago is known for its financial center, but it's also a major city with a surprising range of video editing opportunities. Video Editors can find employment at any of Chicago's media companies, like The Onion, a satirical news publication, and Cinespace Studios, where shows like Chicago PD are filmed. These are more traditional forms of video editing work, but you could also work for financial institutions as a Video Editor for promotional materials, digital advertisements, social media posts, or educational videos. Practical Programming, located downtown in the Hayworth Building, is a training center that offers onsite training and classes in a variety of digital skills. It's affiliated with Graduate School USA and Noble Desktop, offering similar training in a variety of tech-based skills. It's worth exploring your options and determining which training method and in what subject would be most beneficial for you.
Video Editing Classes Los Angeles
When you think about Los Angeles, your mind likely goes straight to the entertainment industry. Between production companies, amusement parks, and film studios, Video Editors have a lot of choice. Of course, Video Editors can work on television and film projects for companies like Warner Bros. Studios or Netflix, but there are other options too. For instance, Disneyland may hire video editing experts to create informational safety videos for guests to view before enjoying the rides. You could also find work on social media projects, film trailers, and other forms of promotional material. Without a doubt, learning video editing in Los Angeles, especially if you're a creative at heart, seems like a win-win.
Video Editing Classes Dallas
The Lone Star State is steadily growing overall, but particularly in Dallas. The tech industry is growing considerably, and the well-established companies in the region, such as AT&T, hire teams of video editing professionals to create effective advertisements, engaging content creation, and product tutorials. Moreover, Dallas is a sports town, as corroborated by the numerous sports media companies in the region. Take the Dallas Cowboys, for example; their branding is iconic, and with proper video editing teams, the Cowboys have been able to extend their reach far beyond the state of Texas. Learning video editing in Dallas gives you the chance to work in journalism, sports news, marketing, and more.
Video Editing Classes Boston
Similar to Dallas, Boston is a big sports city. The Red Sox hire Video Editors for game highlights and play-by-plays, as well as pre-game videos to get the fans fired up. It's also an ideal method for engaging with the community on a grander scale, such as offering insight into the players and their personalities. This can be shown through interviews or videos of community involvement among the teammates. However, Boston also has numerous higher education institutions, like Harvard, MIT, and Northeastern University. A Boston-based Video Editor could find work in everything from social media content management and promotional materials to fundraising and research. If you're seeking a more creative field but still enjoy tech and want to explore more than just a few options, studying video editing in Boston is a perfect choice.
Video Editing Classes Miami
Video editing in Miami offers a lot of unique opportunities due to its strong tourism industry and the city's proximity to Latin America. Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs hires Video Editors to create enticing promotional materials, showcasing the city's gorgeous beaches, diverse culture, and delicious culinary experiences. Likewise, the Telemundo Center, owned by NBCUniversal, is located in Miami and is a major producer of Spanish-speaking television shows and films. The combination of video editing skills with Spanish proficiency may be especially successful in the region, allowing your job prospects to double. A creative city like Miami thrives thanks to the creatives working and living in the region. Needless to say, video editing is an ideal skill for marketing, design, and communications professionals in the region.
Video Editing Classes Philadelphia
Philadelphia is another major region for die-hard sports fans, so an aspiring Video Editor can also find ways to enter the local sports media industry. With ample experience, you could become a Video Editor for the Philadelphia Eagles or the Phillies. Between shooting locker room moments at halftime or editing a highlight reel, Video Editors play a big part in keeping fans up to date with the players and drawing in more viewers week by week. Beyond that, Philadelphia has a strong healthcare system where Video Editors can play an even more vital role. Videos are an ideal way to communicate important information to the community about health standards or to train new employees via video and other online modules. Ultimately, video editing has value in a variety of fields, so it's worth learning in a place like Philadelphia, where the job market is so diverse.
Video Editing Classes Phoenix
Video Editors in Phoenix can find work in fields like sports media, local news stations, and the universities in the area. The Arizona Cardinals are located in Phoenix and hire Video Editors all the time. However, there are also other reasons to learn video editing in Phoenix. The city has seen an uptick in growth with production studios in the Phoenix region, such as Sun Studios of Phoenix, a film production company. Whether you're interested in becoming a Video Journalist, a Content Producer, or a lead Video Editor, the city of Phoenix offers several avenues for professional advancement.
Jobs for Video Editing Professionals
It should not be particularly surprising, but the primary professional role for professionals who focus on video editing is as an editor. Per the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Film and Video Editors can anticipate a year-over-year job growth of about 3%, which is in line with the national average for all professions, and the average annual salary is about $70,000. What makes video editing a particularly appealing career field is how wide open it is and how many different kinds of projects and opportunities are available for professionals working at various levels. For example, if you dedicate your life to the art and science of film editing, you will find a rewarding career that offers you the opportunity to earn critical and cultural acclaim as part of the long and historic tradition of cinematic editing. By contrast, you can also find work for creative studios making everything from television to commercials to online content, and you can work in a collaborative environment with other creatives. This can be gratifying work, and you’ll have the chance to work on a range of different projects, all of which require different approaches to editing and different kinds of stylistic and technical training.
In addition to finding work as a professional editor, you can also use your editing training to improve your own content if you are interested in becoming a content creator in virtually any video-related field. The rise of platforms like YouTube and TikTok has made it easier than ever to make your own creative output and build a following (and a career) doing so, but it has also made the market significantly more crowded. This means you’ll need to do even more to stand out from the crowd, and one of the best ways to accomplish this is by making your work look as professionally edited as possible. Learning the basics of video editing, even just how to make correct and seamless cuts through a single video recording, can go a long way towards ensuring that your content stands out from the crowd.