7 YouTube Jobs for Content Creators: Full-Time, Part-Time, and Freelance

Summary: Looking for a YouTube job to pour your passion into? Here are 7 popular jobs you can do as a side hustle or full-time gig.

Are you looking for ways to earn some extra cash on YouTube? One way to do that is by tapping into the creator economy and offering your skills to other creators. Many of them need captivating thumbnails, YouTube scripts, and dozens of videos edited for their channel. Landing one of these jobs is the perfect way to start a side hustle for content creation or even seek full-time employment.

While YouTube jobs are posted everywhere, we recommend going to job boards for video creators, such as YT Jobs. This website was created by Paddy Galloway, a YouTube consultant who's helping creators employ other creators.

So far, there are seven popular jobs for YouTube creators. You can do them full-time, part-time, or per project:

  1. Thumbnail designer
  2. Video editor
  3. Scriptwriter
  4. Channel manager
  5. YouTube strategist
  6. Creative director
  7. YouTube producer

In this article, we'll share what these jobs require and the pay range according to YT Jobs.

1. Thumbnail Designer

Thumbnail designers create the images that represent YouTube videos. They use tools like Adobe Photoshop and Canva to create thumbnails that are bold, colorful, and engaging enough to make viewers click them.

Of all the YouTube jobs, designing thumbnails is essential for getting more views. Some people will only watch a video if the thumbnail stands out, so that image should be highly intriguing.

Thumbnail designer skills:

  • Graphic design
  • Color theory and visual composition
  • Knowledge of YouTube thumbnail trends
  • Proficiency with design tools, such as Photoshop
  • Image optimization across mobile and desktop screens
  • Knowledge of video marketing

Pay range for this job:

Per project: $5–$400

Per year: $18,000–$90,000

2. Video Editor

Video editors turn raw footage into engaging content for YouTube. They're expert storytellers who know which scenes to cut, what text to add, and which special effects will spice up a video. This job covers many skills, so editors often do complex things, like mixing audio tracks and creating animations.

Many YouTube channels won't survive without video editing, so this is an excellent job for a skilled creator. They can turn a so-so video into something much more entertaining, which is the key to growing on YouTube.

Video editor skills:

  • Visual storytelling and editing
  • Proficiency with video editing software, such as Adobe Premiere or Final Cut Pro
  • A range of editing techniques, such as motion tracking, color grading, audio mixing, animation, and stabilization
  • Exporting videos for YouTube

Pay range for this job:

Per project: $15–$1,000

Per year: $15,000–$100,000

3. Scriptwriter

You may think scriptwriters are responsible for the "spoken words" in a video, but that's just the beginning. They also describe what will happen in different chapters, such as when B-roll appears, what the video's "hook" will be, and how end screen elements should look. In addition to dialouge, all of this is packed into a YouTube video script.

To be a good script writer, you should know how to research video topics and develop storylines.

Scriptwriter skills:

  • Researching video ideas
  • Developing storylines for YouTube
  • Writing and editing
  • Collaborating within a YouTube team
  • Script formatting
  • Knowledge of video marketing

Pay range for this job:

Per project: $10–$1,000

Per year: $40,000–$80,000

4. YouTube Channel Manager

A channel manager oversees the day-to-day operation and success of a YouTube channel. They upload and schedule video content, manage video collaborations, and engage with viewers through YouTube comments and Community posts.

Channel manager skills:

  • Scheduling and uploading video content
  • Attaching YouTube metadata to videos, including titles, tags, and video descriptions
  • Community engagement
  • Managing video collaborations, possibly brand deals
  • Collaborating within a YouTube team

Pay range for this job:

Per year: $27,000–$60,000

5. YouTube Strategist

A YouTube strategist is a marketing professional who knows how to grow a channel using the right content. They spend their time researching trends, analyzing video performance, promoting content, and finding growth opportunities. Many strategists develop and execute plans to reach a specific goal, like growing a channel's subscribers or video views.

YouTube strategist skills:

  • Researching video trends
  • Performing keyword research
  • Video marketing
  • Analyzing video/channel analytics
  • Competitive analysis of other YouTube channels
  • Collaborating within a YouTube team
  • YouTube SEO
  • Knowledge of YouTube's algorithm

Pay range for this job:

Per year: $50,000–$120,000

6. Creative Director

A creative director on YouTube does many things, but the most important is leading a team of content creators. Creative directors are like editorial managers; they show team members how to reach the brand's creative vision in video scripts, thumbnails, the production set, and more. Because of this, they contribute to a wide range of tasks, such as brainstorming video ideas and titles and establishing a style for editing videos.

Creative director skills:

  • Visual and written storytelling
  • Creative strategy and branding
  • Leading a team of content creators
  • Collaborating within a YouTube team
  • Expertise in creative YouTube tasks: scripting, filming, video editing, and more
  • Excellent communication skills

Pay range for this job:

Per year: $30,000–$100,000

7. YouTube Producer

Are you good at coordinating all the production aspects of a video? If so, YouTube producer is the job for you. This hybrid role involves researching, developing video concepts, scriptwriting, and social media marketing. You might even shoot and edit videos.

YouTube producer skills:

  • Time management
  • Strong attention to detail
  • Storytelling and content development
  • Content production, including research, ideation, scriptwriting, video editing, and social media marketing

Pay range for this job:

Per year: $18,000–$100,000

Which YouTube Channel Job Is for You?

Many jobs exist on YouTube, and you can do most of them from the comfort of your couch. So whether you want to supplement your income or land a full-time position, these jobs will help you learn, earn, and grow on YouTube!