Also called: Color Grader, DI Colorist
Adjusts the color and light of every shot to give a film or show its final look and mood.
A colorist sits in a dark suite with a giant calibrated monitor and a control panel, making skin tones glow, skies moodier, and matching shots filmed hours apart. Directors often sit beside them for days.
Approximate; top feature and commercial colorists earn well over $200k.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Film training plus years as an assistant colorist; DaVinci Resolve certification helps.
Ways in: 4-year college, Self-taught, Certification. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Film Production, Photography, Digital Media.
Growing about average. Steady demand from streaming, ads, and music videos.
Medium risk for 10 years. AI auto-match and grade tools handle basic color fast; crafting a film's final look with the director still needs skilled colorists.
Classes: Art (color theory), Photography, Film/video production CTE, Physics (light).
Official data: O*NET occupation 27-4032.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.