The median pay for Audio and Video Technicians is $58,100 a year ($27.93/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 3.9% through 2035, with about 6,600 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: Postsecondary nondegree award.
- SOC 27-4011
- Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Audio and Video Technician in four numbers
- Median pay
- $58,100a year, or $27.93/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $38KTop 10% $101K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +3.9%About as fast as averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+3.9%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +3.9% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 6,60087,600 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202587.6K
- Projected 203591.1K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 87.6K Projected 2035 91.1K - Typical education
- Certificateneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- High school25.1%
- Certificate19.9%
- Some college1.2%
- Associate's11.2%
- Bachelor's42.7%
Highest education held by audio and video technicians Segment Value High school 25.1% Certificate 19.9% Some college 1.2% Associate's 11.2% Bachelor's 42.7%
Also advertised as: Audio Technician, Audio Visual Specialist (AV Specialist), AV Tech (Audio Visual Technician), Media Technician, Operations Technician, Stagehand.
Pay
How much do Audio and Video Technicians make?
Every audio and video technician in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$58,100
Middle half earn $46,390 to $77,560
- 10th
- $37,990
- 25th
- $46,390
- 75th
- $77,560
- 90th
- $100,650
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $37,990 |
| 25th | $46,390 |
| Median | $58,100 |
| 75th | $77,560 |
| 90th | $100,650 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $58,100
- Median hourly wage
- $27.93/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $64,630
- People employed
- 70,230
Versus all US occupations
At $58,100, Audio and Video Technicians earn 14% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $7,120 a year.
Versus arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations
Inside the Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media group, where the middle occupation pays $68,060, this is 15% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $100,650 or more while the bottom 10% earn $37,990, a gap of 2.6×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 30% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
District of Columbia pays the most at $78,770, and still leads at $71,674 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Audio and Video Technicians the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1District of Columbia | $78,770 | $71,674 | 830 |
| 2New Jersey | $71,040 | $65,291 | 2,280 |
| 3Maryland | $70,040 | $66,731 | 1,770 |
| 4Washington | $69,270 | $64,730 | 1,360 |
| 5New York | $67,600 | $62,638 | 7,990 |
| 6California | $64,620 | $58,363 | 9,280 |
| 7Rhode Island | $64,070 | $62,642 | 150 |
| 8Nevada | $62,770 | $62,783 | 1,580 |
| 9Connecticut | $62,120 | $59,956 | 820 |
| 10Alaska | $62,060 | $60,630 | 70 |
Job outlook
Is Audio and Video Technician a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
About as fast as average. +3.9% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Audio and Video Technicians | +3.9% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
About as fast as average
BLS projects employment of Audio and Video Technicians to change 3.9% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 3,400 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 6,600 openings are projected each year, 7.5% of the 87,600 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Overall employment of broadcast, sound, and video technicians is projected to show little or no change from 2025 to 2035.
Despite limited employment growth, about 9,800 openings for broadcast, sound, and video technicians are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
Most of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Projected employment of broadcast, sound, and video technicians varies by occupation (see table).
Getting in
How to become an Audio and Video Technician
Broadcast, sound, and video technicians typically need postsecondary education. Depending on the work they do, educational requirements may vary.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Postsecondary nondegree award
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Some preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as audio and video technicians.
- Bachelor's Degree42.7%
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)25.1%
- Post-Secondary Certificate19.9%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree11.2%
- Some College Courses1.2%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | 42.7% |
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 25.1% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 19.9% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 11.2% |
| Some College Courses | 1.2% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does an Audio and Video Technician do?
Set up, maintain, and dismantle audio and video equipment, such as microphones, sound speakers, connecting wires and cables, sound and mixing boards, video cameras, video monitors and servers, and related electronic equipment for live or recorded events, such as concerts, meetings, conventions, presentations, podcasts, news conferences, and sporting events.
Broadcast, sound, and video technicians set up, operate, and maintain the electrical equipment for radio programs, television broadcasts, concerts, sound recordings, and movies.
Day-to-day tasks
- Notify supervisors when major equipment repairs are needed.
- Perform minor repairs and routine cleaning of audio and video equipment.
- Diagnose and resolve media system problems.
- Direct and coordinate activities of assistants and other personnel during production.
- Record and edit audio material, such as movie soundtracks, using audio recording and editing equipment.
- Design layouts of audio and video equipment and perform upgrades and maintenance.
- Conduct training sessions on selection, use, and design of audio-visual materials and on operation of presentation equipment.
- Install, adjust, and operate electronic equipment to record, edit, and transmit radio and television programs, motion pictures, video conferencing, or multimedia presentations.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Technicians usually work full time. They may occasionally work overtime to meet broadcast deadlines or set up for live events. Evening, weekend, and holiday work is common because most radio and television stations are on the air 24 hours a day.
Technicians who work on motion pictures may be on a tight schedule and may work additional hours to meet contract deadlines with the movie studio.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayIndoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayAlmost never works outdoors.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition. Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Monitoring3.8
- Reading Comprehension3.5
- Critical Thinking3.5
- Active Listening3.1
- Writing3.1
- Speaking3.1
- Active Learning3.0
- Learning Strategies2.8
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Monitoring | 3.8 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.5 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.5 |
| Active Listening | 3.1 |
| Writing | 3.1 |
| Speaking | 3.1 |
| Active Learning | 3.0 |
| Learning Strategies | 2.8 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Operations Monitoring3.5
- Complex Problem Solving3.3
- Coordination3.1
- Service Orientation3.1
- Social Perceptiveness3.0
- Operation and Control3.0
- Judgment and Decision Making3.0
- Systems Analysis3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Operations Monitoring | 3.5 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.3 |
| Coordination | 3.1 |
| Service Orientation | 3.1 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.0 |
| Operation and Control | 3.0 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.0 |
| Systems Analysis | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Desktop publishing software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Graphics or photo imaging software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Operating system software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Project management software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Video conferencing software · in demand
- Video creation and editing software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits an Audio and Video Technician?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Audio and Video Technician |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 5 |
| Investigative | 3 |
| Artistic | 3 |
| Social | 2 |
| Enterprising | 2 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Realistic5.2
- Conventional4.6
- Artistic3.2
- Investigative2.7
- Social2.0
- Enterprising1.9
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Audio and Video Technician
O*NET related occupations
- Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
- Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
- Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
Camera Operator, Television, Video, and Film
$74,990median a year
Most earn $39K to $135K
+1.3%Bachelor's - Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
- Architecture and Engineering
Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologist and Technician
$78,190median a year
Most earn $50K to $116K
+2.4%Associate's - Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
Audiovisual Equipment Installer and Repairer
$52,600median a year
Most earn $37K to $84K
+4.8%Certificate
More arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media careers
Median annual pay, with audio and video technicians highlighted
- Art Director$114,850
- Technical Writer$90,390
- Editor$77,920
- Writer and Author$76,910
- Public Relations Specialist$74,750
- Interior Designer$67,190
- Graphic Designer$62,960
- Audio and Video Technician$58,100
- Photographer$44,660
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Art Director | $114,850 |
| Technical Writer | $90,390 |
| Editor | $77,920 |
| Writer and Author | $76,910 |
| Public Relations Specialist | $74,750 |
| Interior Designer | $67,190 |
| Graphic Designer | $62,960 |
| Audio and Video Technician | $58,100 |
| Photographer | $44,660 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Specialty careers within audio and video technician
Distinct careers BLS counts inside this occupation, each with its own profile.
Lists Audio and Video Technician appears on
Questions
Audio and Video Technician: frequently asked questions
How much do Audio and Video Technicians make?
Audio and Video Technicians earn a median of $58,100 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 14% above the $50,980 US median across all occupations. That works out at $27.93/hr. The middle half earn between $46,390 and $77,560. The top 10% earn $100,650 or more.
Do you need a degree to become an Audio and Video Technician?
Not a degree, but you do need credentialed training: BLS lists a postsecondary non-degree award (a certificate or license program) as the typical entry route for Audio and Video Technicians. BLS also lists short-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 42.7% hold bachelor's degree.
Is Audio and Video Technician a growing career?
It is stable rather than fast-growing: employment is projected to change 3.9% over 2025–2035, about the same as the 3.5% projected across all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 6,600 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does an Audio and Video Technician do?
Broadcast, sound, and video technicians set up, operate, and maintain the electrical equipment for radio programs, television broadcasts, concerts, sound recordings, and movies. A core O*NET task: notify supervisors when major equipment repairs are needed. Employers most often ask for Data base user interface and query software, Desktop publishing software, Electronic mail software.
Which states pay Audio and Video Technicians the most?
The highest state medians for Audio and Video Technicians are District of Columbia ($78,770), New Jersey ($71,040), Maryland ($70,040) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits an Audio and Video Technician?
O*NET scores Audio and Video Technicians highest on the Realistic, Conventional and Artistic interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.