Media Technical Directors/Managers: Career Overview
Coordinate activities of technical departments, such as taping, editing, engineering, and maintenance, to produce radio or television programs.
Featured schools near , edit
What Tasks Do Media Technical Directors/Managers Take On?
Typical responsibilities of media technical directors/managers cover:
- Switch between video sources in a studio or on multi-camera remotes, using equipment such as switchers, video slide projectors, and video effects generators.
- Observe pictures through monitors and direct camera and video staff concerning shading and composition.
- Supervise and assign duties to workers engaged in technical control and production of radio and television programs.
- Monitor broadcasts to ensure that programs conform to station or network policies and regulations.
- Operate equipment to produce programs or broadcast live programs from remote locations.
- Test equipment to ensure proper operation.
- Train workers in use of equipment, such as switchers, cameras, monitors, microphones, and lights.
- Act as liaisons between engineering and production departments.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Effective media technical directors/managers combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The competencies that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Other Media Technical Directors/Managers Job Titles
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Broadcast Director
- News Director
- News Technical Director
- Newscast Director
- Operations Director
- Operations Manager
- Production Director
- Production Manager
Employment and Demand
There are roughly 140,123 media technical directors/managers working in the United States today. Employment is projected to decline by -2.6% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Media Technical Directors/Managers
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $65,049 |
| Hourly median | $31.27 |
| 10th percentile | $39,310 |
| 25th percentile | $52,179 |
| 75th percentile | $77,918 |
| 90th percentile | $90,788 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
Media Technical Directors/Managers Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| California | $122,150 |
| New Jersey | $107,850 |
| New York | $104,010 |
| District of Columbia | $99,900 |
| Delaware | $93,930 |
| Connecticut | $85,710 |
| Florida | $81,240 |
| Oregon | $80,610 |
| Washington | $79,220 |
| Massachusetts | $79,100 |
| Nevada | $78,050 |
| Georgia | $76,800 |
| Rhode Island | $76,490 |
| Illinois | $76,370 |
| Maryland | $75,900 |
| Pennsylvania | $72,450 |
| Utah | $71,500 |
| Colorado | $71,480 |
| Virginia | $70,310 |
| Hawaii | $69,760 |
| Maine | $67,000 |
| North Carolina | $66,000 |
| New Mexico | $65,980 |
| Louisiana | $64,370 |
| Alabama | $63,920 |
| Tennessee | $63,410 |
| Texas | $63,400 |
| Wisconsin | $63,200 |
| Michigan | $62,710 |
| New Hampshire | $62,040 |
| Minnesota | $61,300 |
| Ohio | $61,260 |
| Wyoming | $60,260 |
| Arizona | $60,260 |
| Alaska | $58,240 |
| Puerto Rico | $57,770 |
| Missouri | $57,320 |
| Vermont | $56,650 |
| South Dakota | $56,340 |
| South Carolina | $54,870 |
| Kansas | $54,750 |
| Indiana | $54,600 |
| Nebraska | $53,220 |
| Idaho | $52,220 |
| Oklahoma | $51,180 |
| Kentucky | $50,610 |
| Iowa | $50,130 |
| Montana | $49,100 |
| North Dakota | $48,290 |
| Mississippi | $44,290 |
| Arkansas | $39,420 |
| West Virginia | $39,150 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Pay for media technical directors/managers differ across the country. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $115,395 | 28.9% | 1.92 |
| Middle Atlantic | $99,368 | 28.9% | 2.79 |
| New England | $78,945 | 4.7% | 1.05 |
| Southeast | $70,450 | 17.0% | 0.73 |
| Rocky Mountains | $66,837 | 2.8% | 0.73 |
| Great Lakes | $65,682 | 7.1% | 0.51 |
| Southwest | $62,230 | 6.9% | 0.56 |
| Other U.S. Territories | $57,770 | 0.3% | 0.47 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | CA | $127,590 | 24,110 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $122,210 | 4,850 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $106,730 | 28,760 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | FL | $101,840 | 2,410 |
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | CT | $98,920 | 790 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | DC | $96,530 | 4,610 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | CT | $95,540 | 660 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | CA | $88,090 | 1,040 |
Which Industries Hire Media Technical Directors/Managers
The largest employers of media technical directors/managers work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Information | 90,050 | $90,790 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 19,690 | $74,090 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 16,990 | $100,630 |
| Educational Services | 6,130 | $68,890 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 3,700 | $98,180 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 2,100 | n/a |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1,370 | $67,000 |
| Wholesale Trade | 430 | $112,330 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Software Media Technical Directors/Managers Use
- Video creation and editing software: Adobe After Effects (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Photoshop (hot technology)
- Project management software: Atlassian JIRA (hot technology)
- Development environment software: C (hot technology)
- Object or component oriented development software: C++ (hot technology)
- Web page creation and editing software: Facebook (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Linux (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)
- Data base management system software: Microsoft SQL Server (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
The work environment for media technical directors/managers reflects the following characteristics:
- Contact With Others
- Time Pressure
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
Getting Started in This Career
Entry-level media technical directors/managers positions require a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Considerable Preparation Needed (Job Zone 4), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Project Management Specialists (Primary-Short)
- Computer Systems Analysts (Supplemental)
- Computer Network Support Specialists (Supplemental)
- Computer Network Architects (Supplemental)
- Network and Computer Systems Administrators (Supplemental)
- Web Administrators (Supplemental)
- Information Technology Project Managers (Primary-Short)
- Art Directors (Primary-Long)
Top Programs to Study For This Career
Students preparing for media technical directors/managers typically earn programs in:
Visual and Performing Arts
9 programs across 3 majors
Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs
1 programs across 1 majors
References
Statistics shown above are sourced 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: 27-2012.05 (Producers and Directors).
Course Advisor provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. The displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© Course Advisor – All Rights Reserved.