Audio and Video Technicians: Career Overview
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.
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What Do Audio and Video Technicians Take On?
The core tasks performed by audio and video technicians include:
- Notify supervisors when major equipment repairs are needed.
- Diagnose and resolve media system problems.
- Direct and coordinate activities of assistants and other personnel during production.
- Compress, digitize, duplicate, and store audio and video data.
- Install, adjust, and operate electronic equipment to record, edit, and transmit radio and television programs, motion pictures, video conferencing, or multimedia presentations.
- Control the lights and sound of events, such as live concerts, before and after performances, and during intermissions.
- Switch sources of video input from one camera or studio to another, from film to live programming, or from network to local programming.
- Record and edit audio material, such as movie soundtracks, using audio recording and editing equipment.
Skills and Knowledge
Effective audio and video technicians rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The competencies most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Related Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- AV Installation Tech (Audiovisual Installation Technician)
- AV Production Specialist (Audio Visual Production Specialist)
- AV Specialist (Audiovisual Specialist)
- AV Tech (Audio Visual Technician)
- AV Tech (Audiovisual Technician)
- Audio Installer
- Audio Technician
- Audio Video Technician
How Many Audio and Video Technicians Are There?
There are about 337,710 audio and video technicians working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +6.8% over the projection horizon.
Audio and Video Technicians Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $73,086 |
| Hourly median | $35.14 |
| 10th percentile | $48,812 |
| 25th percentile | $60,949 |
| 75th percentile | $85,223 |
| 90th percentile | $97,360 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| New Jersey | $75,220 |
| Washington | $73,160 |
| District of Columbia | $72,030 |
| Delaware | $69,310 |
| New York | $63,640 |
| Connecticut | $63,000 |
| California | $62,240 |
| Massachusetts | $61,680 |
| New Hampshire | $61,410 |
| Hawaii | $60,180 |
| Maryland | $59,820 |
| Wyoming | $59,390 |
| Nevada | $59,270 |
| West Virginia | $58,000 |
| Pennsylvania | $57,450 |
| Rhode Island | $57,250 |
| Missouri | $56,830 |
| Illinois | $55,030 |
| Colorado | $54,920 |
| Oregon | $53,850 |
| Michigan | $52,240 |
| Georgia | $51,000 |
| Virginia | $50,990 |
| Iowa | $50,720 |
| Florida | $50,170 |
| Texas | $49,290 |
| Nebraska | $48,470 |
| Wisconsin | $48,280 |
| New Mexico | $48,210 |
| Indiana | $48,190 |
| Alaska | $48,060 |
| Tennessee | $48,010 |
| Ohio | $47,560 |
| Minnesota | $47,460 |
| Oklahoma | $47,320 |
| Kansas | $47,070 |
| South Carolina | $46,890 |
| Idaho | $46,800 |
| Arizona | $45,790 |
| North Dakota | $45,740 |
| North Carolina | $43,870 |
| Maine | $43,860 |
| Montana | $43,500 |
| Alabama | $43,240 |
| Vermont | $42,170 |
| Utah | $41,600 |
| Kentucky | $41,590 |
| Louisiana | $40,240 |
| Arkansas | $38,620 |
| South Dakota | $37,440 |
| Mississippi | $33,210 |
| Puerto Rico | $29,340 |
Where Audio and Video Technicians Earn the Most
Pay for audio and video technicians vary by region. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Atlantic | $64,081 | 22.9% | 1.64 |
| Far Western US | $62,327 | 20.6% | 1.34 |
| New England | $59,992 | 3.7% | 0.80 |
| Plains States | $51,055 | 5.0% | 0.84 |
| Great Lakes | $50,974 | 10.4% | 0.75 |
| Southeast | $48,182 | 22.8% | 1.10 |
| Southwest | $48,162 | 9.4% | 0.79 |
| Rocky Mountains | $46,118 | 4.7% | 1.74 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $78,480 | 1,890 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $76,450 | 1,010 |
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | CT | $76,170 | 50 |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | NJ | $75,660 | 600 |
| Springfield, MA | MA | $75,560 | 70 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $73,140 | 7,970 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | NJ | $72,610 | 70 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | HI | $71,360 | 330 |
Industry Breakdown
The largest employers of audio and video technicians are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Information | 14,570 | $56,150 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 13,310 | $51,560 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 10,850 | $51,230 |
| Educational Services | 7,790 | $54,120 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 6,200 | $56,230 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 5,850 | $60,020 |
| Accommodation and Food Services | 2,380 | $64,270 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1,950 | $44,630 |
Audio and Video Technicians work in the following industries:
Tools and Technology
- Video creation and editing software: Adobe After Effects (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Illustrator (hot technology)
- Desktop publishing software: Adobe InDesign (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Photoshop (hot technology)
- Video conferencing software: Cisco Webex (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Linux (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Project management software: Microsoft Teams (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
Daily working conditions for audio and video technicians is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
How to Become Audio and Video Technicians
Entry-level audio and video technicians positions require a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Medium Preparation Needed (Job Zone 3), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Computer Network Support Specialists (Supplemental)
- Computer User Support Specialists (Supplemental)
- Electronics Engineers, Except Computer (Supplemental)
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians (Primary-Short)
- Robotics Technicians (Primary-Long)
- Calibration Technologists and Technicians (Primary-Long)
- Media Programming Directors (Supplemental)
- Media Technical Directors/Managers (Supplemental)
Top Programs to Study For This Career
Future audio and video technicians often complete programs in:
Communications Technologies/Technicians and Support Services
2 programs across 1 majors
Agriculture, Agriculture Operations, and Related Sciences
1 programs across 1 majors
Sources
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 27-4011.00 (Audio and Video Technicians).
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