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Captioning Specialist Jobs (NOW HIRING)

E Logic

Digital Media Specialist

Washington, DC · On-site

$110K/yr

E-Logic is seeking a Digital Media Specialist to support multimedia content creation and digital ... Support accessibility, captioning, and multimedia best practices. Required Qualifications

CaptionCall

Sign Language Specialist

Salt Lake City, UT · On-site

$27.74 - $46.30/hr

Ability to work both independently and collaboratively with peer Specialists, Senior Specialists ... Prior captioning, subtitling, or transcription experience - particularly ASL-to-English work.

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How much do captioning specialist jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 29, 2026, the average yearly pay for captioning specialist in the United States is $76,465.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $57,000.00 and $98,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

Are captioning jobs in high demand?

Captioning specialist jobs are experiencing steady growth due to increased demand for accessible media and remote work opportunities. Skills in transcription, familiarity with captioning software, and attention to detail are important, and many roles offer flexible schedules. Overall, the job market for captioning specialists remains competitive but expanding as media accessibility becomes a priority.

What are Captioning Specialists?

Captioning Specialists are professionals who create written transcriptions of spoken words and sounds in various media formats, such as television programs, movies, live events, and online videos. Their work ensures that content is accessible to individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, as well as to those who prefer or require captions for other reasons. Captioning Specialists typically use specialized software and must have excellent listening, typing, and language skills. Their work may include both real-time (live) captioning and post-production (pre-recorded) captioning.

What kind of jobs in media bring in $150,000 a year?

In media, high-paying roles such as senior captioning specialists, media directors, or executive producers can earn $150,000 or more annually. These positions often require extensive experience, advanced skills in editing or production, and sometimes certifications or leadership responsibilities.

Can I get paid to write captions?

Yes, Captioning Specialists are paid to create accurate and timely captions for videos, often working as freelancers or for companies that produce multimedia content. The job typically requires good listening skills, attention to detail, and familiarity with captioning tools or software. Compensation varies based on experience, project complexity, and whether the work is freelance or full-time.

How much money do captioners make?

Captioning specialists typically earn between $15 and $30 per hour, depending on experience, skill level, and the type of content they work on. Many work freelance or part-time, with some earning additional income through certification and proficiency in captioning tools. Salaries can vary based on the complexity of projects and the employer or platform used.

What is the difference between Captioning Specialist vs Transcriptionist?

AspectCaptioning SpecialistTranscriptionist
Required CredentialsTyping speed, language proficiency, sometimes certification in captioningTyping speed, language proficiency, often certification in transcription
Work EnvironmentLive or pre-recorded media, broadcast or online platformsAudio or video files, various industries including legal, medical, general
Employer & Industry UsageMedia companies, broadcasters, online content providersLegal firms, medical offices, media companies

Both roles involve converting audio to text, but Captioning Specialists focus on creating real-time or pre-recorded captions for media content, often requiring familiarity with captioning software and standards. Transcriptionists typically work with audio files across various industries, emphasizing accuracy and detail. While overlapping skills include fast typing and language proficiency, the main difference lies in the media focus and work environment.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Captioning Specialist, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Captioning Specialist, you need excellent language proficiency, strong grammar and spelling skills, and attention to detail, often supported by a degree in English, communications, or a related field. Familiarity with captioning software, transcription tools, and sometimes knowledge of accessibility standards like ADA compliance is typically required. Outstanding listening skills, time management, and the ability to work independently make someone stand out in this role. These skills ensure accurate, timely, and accessible captions that support diverse audiences and comply with legal requirements.

What are some common challenges Captioning Specialists face when working with live events or broadcasts?

Captioning Specialists working with live events or broadcasts often encounter challenges such as rapid speech, overlapping dialogue, and unpredictable changes in content. Maintaining accuracy and timing in real-time requires strong listening skills, fast typing, and adaptability. Collaboration with producers and audio engineers is crucial to ensure captions are synchronized and meet accessibility standards. Overcoming technical issues, such as audio delays or software glitches, is also a part of the role, making problem-solving skills essential.
More about Captioning Specialist jobs
What job categories do people searching Captioning Specialist jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Captioning Specialist jobs are:
Captioning Specialist jobs near you
Infographic showing various Captioning Specialist job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 16% Locum Tenens, 2% Internship, 46% As Needed, 13% Full Time, 3% Part Time, and 20% Nights. Highlights an 91% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 6% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $76,465 per year, or $36.8 per hour.
Library Graduate Digital Accessibility Lead (Graduate Student Wage)

Library Graduate Digital Accessibility Lead (Graduate Student Wage)

The University of Virginia

Charlottesville, VA • On-site

Part-time

Posted 8 days ago

University Of Virginia rating

7.9

Company rating: 7.9 out of 10

Based on 35 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

204th of 612 rated colleges and universities

Job description

The Library Digital Accessibility Lead leads one of two sub-teams within the UVA Library Digital Accessibility Student Team: Captioning & Transcription or PDF & Document Remediation. The Lead directly supervises two undergraduate Library Digital Accessibility Assistants, providing day-to-day task direction, quality review, and professional mentorship. In addition to team leadership responsibilities, the Lead performs advanced production work in their track and contributes to workflow design, quality documentation, and program assessment. The position reports to the Library's Digital Accessibility Specialist.
This role is well suited to graduate students seeking professional experience in accessibility program management, library services, or a related field. Specific responsibilities vary by track.
Primary Responsibilities
Team Leadership and Quality Assurance (approximately 35% of effort)
  • Provide day-to-day direction to two undergraduate Assistants, including task assignment, workload pacing, and deadline management
  • Review all undergraduate output before final submission, applying established quality benchmarks
  • Deliver structured, constructive written feedback to undergraduate team members on a regular basis
  • Serve as the first point of escalation for undergraduate questions, edge cases, and complex or unfamiliar material
  • Document recurring quality issues and communicate patterns to the Digital Accessibility Specialist to support training improvements

Advanced Production Work (approximately 45% of effort)
  • Leads perform advanced production work in their assigned track, handling complex or escalated materials that exceed undergraduate skill level. Track-specific responsibilities will be provided in the position supplement.
  • Across both tracks, all Leads are expected to: Handle materials requiring specialized accessibility judgment and Maintain accurate production logs and contribute to team throughput tracking
  • See tracks for additional details

Workflow, Documentation, and Assessment (approximately 20% of effort)
  • Contribute to workflow documentation and onboarding materials during the first weeks of each semester
  • Develop or refine quality checklists and standards for use by undergraduate team members
  • Contribute to documentation of institutional accessibility standards and guidelines for use by future team cohorts and other Library units
  • Support end-of-semester assessment of throughput, quality metrics, and team sustainability
  • Participate in cross-team coordination with the other Graduate Leads as needed

Additional Track-Specific Responsibilities
Captioning & Transcription Focus Area
In addition to team leadership responsibilities, the Lead performs advanced captioning and transcription production work and co-leads the semester's multilingual captioning pilot, testing LLM-based workflows for non-English language media. Job functions include:
  • Create accurate captions and transcripts for Library digital media using captioning software tools
  • Edit and correct auto-generated captions to meet quality standards for timing, accuracy, speaker identification, and readability
  • Edit captions and transcripts for materials with multiple speakers, background noise, or technical vocabulary, applying judgment about clarity and speaker attribution
  • Follow established style guides and quality benchmarks for caption formatting
  • Submit completed work to the Graduate Captioning Specialist for quality review and incorporate feedback
  • Assist with quality review of LLM-generated captions for non-English language media as directed by the Graduate Captioning Specialist
  • Flag accuracy concerns and document recurring issues for pilot evaluation
  • Design and document test protocols for evaluating AI-generated captions in non-English languages
  • Evaluate third-party and AI-generated caption outputs against FCC caption quality standards and WCAG 2.1 Success Criterion 1.2, documenting error patterns by type for pilot reporting
  • Coordinate undergraduate quality review of pilot outputs and synthesize reviewer feedback
  • Contribute findings and recommendations to the pilot evaluation report

PDF and Document Remediation Focus Area
In addition to team leadership responsibilities, the Lead performs advanced remediation work on complex or high-priority materials and contributes to workflow design, quality benchmarking, institutional documentation, and end-of-semester program assessment. Job functions include:
  • Remediate PDF and document files to meet WCAG 2.1 AA and PDF/UA accessibility standards
  • Correct and add reading order, semantic tags, heading structure, alt text for images, and document metadata using Adobe Acrobat Pro
  • Apply quality control for complex content types such as tables, charts, and multi-column layouts, flagging items that require escalation to the Graduate Remediation Specialist
  • Perform remediation of complex or priority documents, including materials with mathematical content, multi-column layouts, data tables, forms, or scanned content requiring OCR correction
  • Handle escalated files that exceed undergraduate skill level or require specialized accessibility judgment
  • Apply the full remediation tool stack as needed: SensusAccess, Equidox, Adobe Acrobat Pro, PAC 2024
  • Maintain accurate production logs and contribute to team throughput tracking
  • Assist with evaluation of third-party tools and vendor accessibility documentation (VPATs) against WCAG 2.1 AA standards, as directed by the Digital Accessibility Specialist

Submit a CV/resume as well as a cover letter detailing your experience with accessibility, attention to detail, or related skills, and your commitment to digital equity and information access. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
Education: Bachelor's degree. Registered as a graduate student.
Licensure: None
Federal work-study students are eligible to apply. UVA Library is committed to building an inclusive team. Students from underrepresented backgrounds and students with disabilities are especially encouraged to apply.
PREFERRED REQUIREMENTS
  • Prior experience with captioning, transcription, or audio/video editing
  • Familiarity with captioning platforms such as YouTube Studio, Verbit, 3Play Media, or Amara
  • Experience with or interest in linguistics, a second language, or translingual content - particularly relevant for supporting the multilingual captioning pilot
  • Prior experience with PDF editing, document formatting, or accessibility remediation
  • Familiarity with Adobe Acrobat Pro, Microsoft Word accessibility features, or HTML/document structure concepts
  • Background in a STEM field or familiarity with technical notation (formulas, equations, diagrams) is a plus, given the volume of STEM content in Library collections
  • Familiarity with version control or document management practices, such as tracking file versions, naming conventions, and organized handoffs
  • Interest in disability studies, media accessibility, or library and information science

PHYSICAL DEMANDS
This is primarily a sedentary job involving extensive use of desktop computers. The job does occasionally require traveling some distance to attend meetings, trainings, and programs. Hybrid work might be possible after an initial training period.
WEEKLY HOURS
Up to 20 hours/week; average 10-12 hours across the semester
Hourly Rate: $22/hour
The University of Virginia is an equal opportunity employer. All interested persons are encouraged to apply, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Learn more about UVA's commitment to non-discrimination and equal opportunity employment.

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The University of Virginia is distinctive among institutions of higher education. Founded by Thomas Jefferson in 1819, the University sustains the ideal of developing, through education, leaders who are well-prepared to shape the future of the nation.

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