14 Closed Captioning Jobs for Beginners
14 Closed Captioning Jobs for Beginners Closed captioning is a growing field that offers flexible and well-paid work-from-home opportunities. For those who are looking to make money online, particularly in the realm of transcription and video editing, closed captioning jobs can be a perfect fit. As a beginner, you may be wondering how to get started and whether it’s possible to earn a steady income. With the right approach, it’s entirely possible to earn $1,500 per month or more from closed captioning jobs.
In this guide, we’ll cover 14 closed captioning jobs for beginners, and provide answers to common questions about the field. Whether you want to start part-time and work your way up or dive into full-time work, these opportunities will help you find the right job to suit your schedule and skills.
What Are Closed Captioning Jobs?
Closed captioning refers to the process of adding textual representations of the spoken words and sounds from audio or video content. This includes not just the dialogue but also descriptions of sounds, background music, and other audio cues. Captioning is vital for the hearing impaired, as well as for people who prefer to consume media with the sound off.
Closed captioning jobs involve listening to audio or video recordings and typing out the content. As a captioner, you would be responsible for transcribing the audio and syncing it with the video to create accurate captions. These jobs are highly sought after because they increase accessibility for media consumers and help companies meet legal requirements for accessibility.
Types of Closed Captioning Jobs
There are two main types of closed captioning jobs: real-time captioning and offline captioning.
- Real-time Captioning: This type of captioning is used for live broadcasts, such as news programs, live sports, and webinars. Captioners must type the audio content in real-time as the event happens. This type of captioning requires quick thinking, excellent typing skills, and knowledge of shorthand or specialized software.
- Offline Captioning: Offline captioning involves working with pre-recorded content such as TV shows, films, or YouTube videos. This type of work is less time-sensitive than real-time captioning, giving captioners more flexibility in terms of deadlines.
14 Captioning Jobs for Beginners
If you’re interested in closed captioning but aren’t sure where to start, here’s a list of 14 reputable captioning companies and platforms that offer remote work opportunities. Some require minimal experience, making them perfect for beginners.
1. CaptionMax
CaptionMax is a prominent company offering captioning, subtitling, and audio description services. It works with a variety of industries, including broadcast, education, and corporate clients. CaptionMax hires freelance captioners, and they accept beginners with some experience in typing or transcription.
- How to Get Started: Apply through their website, and you may need to take a skills test to assess your transcription and captioning abilities.
- Average Earnings: Freelancers typically earn $15 to $30 per hour, depending on the project.
2. CaptioningStar
CaptioningStar offers transcription and captioning services to clients in education, entertainment, and other industries. The company hires freelance captioners to work on TV shows, online courses, and corporate videos.
- How to Get Started: You can apply on their website by submitting a resume and taking a typing test. Experience is preferred, but they do offer training for beginners.
- Average Earnings: CaptioningStar typically pays $12 to $25 per hour for freelance work.
3. HappyScribe
HappyScribe is a platform that provides transcription and subtitle creation services for various industries. The platform hires remote workers for online captioning work.
- How to Get Started: Sign up as a freelancer and take a test to demonstrate your skills in transcribing and captioning.
- Average Earnings: $10 to $20 per hour for captioning, depending on experience and workload.
4. Caption Media Group
Caption Media Group provides captioning and transcription services for a variety of industries, including government, entertainment, and education. They hire freelancers and full-time captioners.
- How to Get Started: Apply via their website and take a skills test to qualify for freelance or full-time work.
- Average Earnings: Freelancers can earn up to $20 per hour depending on the project.
5. VITAC
VITAC is one of the largest captioning companies, offering services to TV networks, online media, and corporate clients. They provide both real-time and offline captioning opportunities for freelancers.
- How to Get Started: Apply online and complete a typing test to showcase your skills. VITAC typically hires more experienced captioners, but beginners can still apply.
- Average Earnings: Experienced captioners can make between $15 to $40 per hour.
6. Vanan Captioning
Vanan Captioning offers transcription and captioning services for a variety of industries. They hire freelance captioners who can work remotely.
- How to Get Started: Sign up as a freelancer on their platform, and take their skill assessment test to begin working on projects.
- Average Earnings: Vanan Captioning offers $10 to $25 per hour for captioning work.
7. Crowdsurf
Crowdsurf is an online transcription and captioning company that provides work for freelancers. They specialize in captioning videos for the education sector, including YouTube videos and educational content.
- How to Get Started: Sign up as a freelancer, complete a brief training, and take a skills test to start accepting projects.
- Average Earnings: $8 to $15 per hour, depending on the project and your level of experience.
8. Daily Transcription
Daily Transcription provides transcription and captioning services to clients in entertainment, media, and corporate sectors. They offer flexible opportunities for freelance captioners.
- How to Get Started: Apply on their website and take a skills test to demonstrate your ability to transcribe and caption.
- Average Earnings: You can expect to earn between $12 and $20 per hour.
9. Impact Media
Impact Media hires captioners to work on videos, movies, and educational content. They offer both full-time and freelance opportunities for those experienced in captioning.
- How to Get Started: Apply through their website and take a test to assess your skills in captioning and transcription.
- Average Earnings: Captioners typically earn $15 to $25 per hour.
10. Capital Captions
Capital Captions offers a range of captioning services for video content in education, media, and business sectors. They hire freelance captioners and transcriptionists.
- How to Get Started: Sign up as a freelancer and complete a skills assessment to become eligible for assignments.
- Average Earnings: Expect to earn $10 to $20 per hour based on experience.
11. FlexJobs
FlexJobs is a popular platform for finding remote jobs, including captioning and transcription work. They offer a variety of opportunities, including part-time, full-time, and freelance captioning jobs.
- How to Get Started: Sign up for a FlexJobs membership, search for captioning positions, and apply for jobs that match your skills.
- Average Earnings: Pay varies by job type but typically ranges from $12 to $30 per hour.
12. Indeed
Indeed is a leading job search platform where you can find full-time, part-time, and freelance captioning jobs. You can search for remote captioning jobs by filtering your search by location and experience level.
- How to Get Started: Create an Indeed profile, set up alerts for captioning jobs, and apply directly to listings.
- Average Earnings: The pay for captioning positions on Indeed can vary from £9 to £25 per hour depending on the employer.
13. Upwork
Upwork is a global freelancing platform where businesses and individuals can hire freelancers for a wide range of jobs, including captioning and transcription. Beginners can start by offering low-cost services to build a portfolio.
- How to Get Started: Create a freelancer profile, and search for captioning jobs. Start with lower rates to attract clients, and gradually raise your rates as you gain experience.
- Average Earnings: New freelancers typically earn $10 to $20 per hour, but experienced captioners can earn more.
14. Fiverr
Fiverr is a marketplace for freelance services, including captioning. If you have the skills, you can set up a gig offering video captioning services to clients around the world.
- How to Get Started: Create a Fiverr profile and set up a gig for video captioning services. Offer different packages based on the length and complexity of the project.
- Average Earnings: You can charge anywhere from $5 to $50 per project, depending on the length and quality of the work.
Frequently Asked Questions About Captioning Jobs
1. Can Anyone Become a Captioner?
Yes, anyone can become a captioner, but it helps to have good typing skills, a keen eye for detail, and the ability to listen carefully. Some jobs may require more specialized skills, like real-time captioning, but there are plenty of opportunities for beginners to get started with offline captioning.
2. What Experience is Required to Get Started?
While some captioning jobs require experience, many companies provide training for beginners. Having a strong command of the language, fast typing speed, and basic transcription knowledge can help you get started.
3. Can You Work From Anywhere in the World?
Yes, many captioning jobs are remote, meaning you can work from anywhere with a stable internet connection. However, some companies may have location-specific restrictions depending on the region they serve.
4. How Can a Beginner Learn About Captioning?
There are online courses and tutorials available to help beginners learn how to caption. Platforms like Udemy and Coursera offer courses on transcription and captioning, while YouTube has several free tutorials.
5. What is the Application Process to Start Work?
The application process typically involves signing up on a company’s website, completing a skills test or training session, and submitting a resume. Some platforms may also require you to demonstrate your proficiency in transcription or captioning.
6. How Do We Get Paid?
Most captioning companies pay on a per-hour or per-project basis, and payment is often made through PayPal or direct bank transfers. Some platforms like Fiverr and Upwork allow you to set your own payment terms.
7. How Many Hours a Week Can We Work?
The number of hours you can work depends on the job and company. Some platforms allow you to work flexibly by choosing how many projects to take on, while others may have a set number of hours per week.
8. What Are the Project Deadlines?
Deadlines vary depending on the type of captioning job. For real-time captioning, the deadlines are immediate, but offline captioning may have more flexible deadlines. Always make sure to clarify the timeline with your client or employer before starting the project.
Get Paid to Type Captions
Captioning can be a lucrative and rewarding career for anyone with good typing skills and attention to detail. Whether you’re looking to make a full-time income or just a bit of extra cash on the side, there are plenty of remote captioning opportunities available. By choosing the right platform and gaining experience, you can easily earn $1,500 or more per month through captioning work.
Start with platforms like CaptionMax, VITAC, or Upwork and begin building your portfolio to secure better-paying, long-term projects. With consistent effort and a passion for transcription, you can turn captioning into a stable source of income.
