News Reporter
Median wage · national
$62,200
Range: $45K – $98K
Employed
39K
Openings/yr
3K
Typically: bachelor's degree
TRADES
Audio and Video Technicians
Audio and Video Technicians earn $58,100 nationally at the median. The middle 50% of workers fall between $46,390 and $77,560. Where you land depends on specialization, employer, and experience.
About Audio and Video Technicians
This page sets out what the federal data says about working as a audio and video technicians: what the job pays, how fast it is growing, and what it takes to get in. Most people arrive through a degree in Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians and what it leads to, though it is not the only route.
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.
- Median Wage
- $58,100
- Employed Nationally
- 70K
- Openings / Year
- 6,600
- Entry Education
- Postsecondary nondegree award
- Job Zone
- Zone 3: Medium Preparation
Also known as:
Audio Installer
Audio Technician
Audio Video Technician
Audio Visual Communications Systems Technician
Audio Visual Specialist (AV Specialist)
How Much Do Audio and Video Technicians Make?
Most audio and video technicians take home around $58,100 a year, about what a typical college graduate makes. Half earn somewhere between $46,390 and $77,560, so where you land depends a lot on employer, specialty and city. A solid living in most parts of the country. Source: BLS.
A wage on its own says nothing about whether the degree behind it pays for itself, which is a question of lifetime earnings set against the total cost of getting there.
$58,100
National Median (Annual)
Near the national median for college graduates.
$46K–$78K
Middle 50% Range
25th to 75th percentile. Most workers earn within this band.
Earnings Range
$46,390
Entry-level
$58,100
Median
$77,560
Experienced
What Do Audio and Video Technicians Do?
This is what the job actually looks like on a Tuesday: 5 core activities and 5 skills the work depends on. Read it before the salary, because pay matters less than whether you would want to spend your days doing this. Source: O*NET.
What You'll Do
- 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.
Core Skills Employers Look For
Monitoring
Operations Monitoring
Critical Thinking
Reading Comprehension
Complex Problem Solving
Who Thrives Here
R
Realistic
Hands-on tasks, physical activity, or working with tools and real materials are central parts of the daily work here.
C
Conventional
Success depends on precision and structured processes, where detail-oriented people who work consistently within established systems perform best.
A
Artistic
Creative and original thinking matters in this field, where fresh approaches, design sensibility, or expressive work drives real outcomes.
Where Do Audio and Video Technicians Work?
What the physical and mental conditions of this job actually look like day to day, based on O*NET Work Context data collected from people working in this occupation.
Work Setting
Mixed
Split between indoor and outdoor or field settings.
Physical Demands
Light
Mix of sitting and movement throughout the day.
Stress Level
Moderate
Moderate pressure. Regular deadlines exist but are generally manageable with experience.
What Is the Job Outlook for Audio and Video Technicians?
Through 2035 the BLS expects this field to change by +3.9%, meaning it is growing slowly, a little behind the average job. Around 6,600 roles open up each year, which is the number that matters most if you are starting out. Source: BLS.
Growth rates are only meaningful next to other occupations, and the full list of careers with their projected growth puts this one in context.
↗ +3.9%
10-Year Growth (2025–2035)
About as fast as average.
6,600
Annual Openings
New positions plus replacements for retirees and career-changers.
70K
Currently Employed
Total US employment as of BLS May 2025.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025–2035 and Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025.
Where the Jobs Are
The five states below employ the most Audio and Video Technicians professionals nationwide. State-level wages can differ significantly from the $58,100 national median. Research your specific market before committing to a program.
| # | State | Jobs | Median Wage | vs. National |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 9,280 | $64,620 | +11.2% |
| 2 | New York | 7,990 | $67,600 | +16.4% |
| 3 | Florida | 6,000 | $54,230 | -6.7% |
| 4 | Texas | 4,280 | $49,440 | -14.9% |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | 3,080 | $56,890 | -2.1% |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Employment figures rounded. Read our methodology →
How to Get Here
To get hired here you will usually need a postsecondary nondegree award. The 2 programs below are the most common routes in, ordered by how many people actually graduate from each one.
The next most common path is an Agricultural Public program and the colleges offering it, which suits a different kind of applicant.
Typical Entry Education
Postsecondary nondegree award
Job Zone
Zone 3: Medium Preparation
A medium amount of preparation is required, often an associate degree, certificate program, or apprenticeship, plus some related experience.
Degree Programs That Lead Here
| # | Program | Graduates/yr | 4yr Median | Colleges |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians | 6,764 | $44,889 | 339 |
| 2 | Agricultural Public | 866 | $54,152 | 46 |
Top Colleges for Aspiring Audio and Video Technicians
Colleges offering the degree programs that lead to this career, ranked by UCD Score. A strong program plus solid outcomes is a good place to begin your search.
| # | College | UCD Score | Net Price | Salary 10yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign, IL | 89 | $14,355 | $81,054 |
| 2 | College of the Ozarks Point Lookout, MO | 88 | $6,100 | $41,592 |
| 3 | Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD | 88 | $18,809 | $87,555 |
| 4 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo, CA | 88 | $16,665 | $90,768 |
| 5 | University of Georgia Athens, GA | 88 | $13,936 | $68,726 |
| 6 | Purdue University-Main Campus West Lafayette, IN | 86 | $14,600 | $72,424 |
Plan Your Path
Once you've sized up Audio and Video Technicians, these tools turn the numbers into a plan. Estimate the real cost of a degree that leads here, weigh the long-term payoff, compare specific colleges side-by-side, and find programs that match your profile.
College ROI Calculator
See if the degree that leads to Audio and Video Technicians pays off. Weighs each college's cost against the earnings graduates see.
College Cost Calculator
Enter a budget and see the colleges whose net price fits, with the out-of-pocket cost and likely loan load for each.
Compare Colleges
Put any 2–4 colleges side-by-side. Admissions, cost, outcomes, and earnings, all on one screen, no tab-hopping.
College Match Quiz
Answer six quick questions and see your best-fit colleges ranked by budget, field of study, and what matters most to you.
Audio and Video Technicians Pros & Cons
The data on Audio and Video Technicians shows 2 measurable strengths and 1 real trade-offs. All points are drawn from BLS wage data, employment projections, and IPEDS program completions.
PROS
- Competitive salary $58,100 median wage puts this career near or above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.
- Accessible entry path The typical entry requirement is a postsecondary nondegree award, lower than many comparable-paying careers. This creates a shorter path from training to first paycheck.
CONS
- Earnings and demand vary significantly by region National figures for Audio and Video Technicians mask real geographic variation. High-demand metros can pay 20% or more above the national median while lower-cost or rural markets often fall well short. Where you work matters nearly as much as your credentials.
Audio and Video Technicians Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Audio and Video Technicians professionals earn?
Around $58,100 a year for the typical worker, near the national median for full-time workers. The middle 50% of earners fall between $46,390 and $77,560. Treat the national figure as a starting point rather than a promise: employer size, industry and city all move it.
Is Audio and Video Technicians a good career?
For people genuinely interested in the work, yes. At $58,100 median, with +3.9% projected growth through 2035, there is a real financial case and a stable market for new entrants. Compare program net price against local salary outcomes (not just the national median) before committing.
How do I become an Audio and Video Technicians?
Most Audio and Video Technicians positions require a postsecondary nondegree award as the minimum credential. a medium amount of preparation is required, often an associate degree, certificate program, or apprenticeship, plus some related experience. Programs like Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians are common starting points.
What is the job outlook for Audio and Video Technicians?
Employment is projected to change by +3.9% through 2035, about as fast as average compared with other occupations. Around 6,600 roles open each year once you count people retiring and moving on, which matters more to someone starting out than the growth rate does. 70K people do this job nationwide today, so it is an established field rather than a niche one. Source: BLS May 2025.
What skills do Audio and Video Technicians professionals need?
Mainly Monitoring, Operations Monitoring, Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, and Complex Problem Solving. Notice how many of those are habits rather than facts: they come from doing the work, not from a lecture. That is why programs with an internship or co-op requirement put you ahead of people who only studied the theory. Source: O*NET.
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Group every career by the degree it requires and master's-level jobs pay a median of about $91,000, statistically tied with bachelor's-level work. The premium hides in a few fields.
- Master's degree
- Bachelor's degree
- Median wage
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- Career outcomes
-
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- Job outlook
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