TRADES Zone 3: Medium Preparation

Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers

Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers earn $52,600 nationally at the median. The middle 50% of workers fall between $44,490 and $67,300. Where you land depends on specialization, employer, and experience.

About Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers

This page sets out what the federal data says about working as a audiovisual equipment installers and repairers: what the job pays, how fast it is growing, and what it takes to get in. Most people arrive through a degree in Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians and what it leads to, though it is not the only route.

Install, repair, or adjust audio or television receivers, stereo systems, camcorders, video systems, or other electronic entertainment equipment in homes or other venues. May perform routine maintenance.


Median Wage
$52,600
Employed Nationally
20K
Openings / Year
2,200
Entry Education
Postsecondary nondegree award
Job Zone
Zone 3: Medium Preparation

Also known as:

A/V Installation Tech (Audio Visual Installation Technician) A/V Installer (Audio Visual Installer) Audio Installer Audio Video Installer Audio Video Mechanic

How Much Do Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers Make?

Most audiovisual equipment installers and repairers take home around $52,600 a year, below what most graduates with a bachelor's make. Half earn somewhere between $44,490 and $67,300, so where you land depends a lot on employer, specialty and city. Think carefully about how much debt is worth taking on for it. 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.

$52,600
National Median (Annual)

Below average for bachelor's degree holders.

$44K–$67K
Middle 50% Range

25th to 75th percentile. Most workers earn within this band.


Earnings Range

What Do Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers 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

  • Install, service, and repair electronic equipment or instruments such as televisions, radios, and videocassette recorders.
  • Calibrate and test equipment, and locate circuit and component faults, using hand and power tools and measuring and testing instruments such as resistance meters and oscilloscopes.
  • Confer with customers to determine the nature of problems or to explain repairs.
  • Position or mount speakers, and wire speakers to consoles.
  • Instruct customers on the safe and proper use of equipment.

Core Skills Employers Look For

Troubleshooting Repairing Quality Control Analysis Speaking Equipment Maintenance

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.

I
Investigative

This career demands analytical thinking: researching problems, interpreting data, and applying logical reasoning to find practical solutions.

Where Do Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers 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 Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers?

Through 2035 the BLS expects this field to change by +4.8%, meaning it is growing at about the same pace as everything else, so expect steady demand. Around 2,200 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.

↗ +4.8%
10-Year Growth (2025–2035)

About as fast as average.

2,200
Annual Openings

New positions plus replacements for retirees and career-changers.

20K
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 Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers professionals nationwide. State-level wages can differ significantly from the $52,600 national median. Research your specific market before committing to a program.

# State Jobs Median Wage vs. National
1 California 2,590 $62,390 +18.6%
2 Texas 2,490 $47,770 -9.2%
3 Florida 1,610 $49,780 -5.4%
4 Georgia 890 $50,090 -4.8%
5 New York 870 $62,380 +18.6%

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 program below is the most common route in, ordered by how many people actually graduate from each one.

Postsecondary nondegree award
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 Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians 7,979 — 384

Top Colleges for Aspiring Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers

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 Victor Valley College Victorville, CA 90 $1,947 $36,119
2 South Georgia Technical College Americus, GA 86 $1,164 $30,364
3 Imperial Valley College Imperial, CA 86 $1,115 $34,487
4 Irvine Valley College Irvine, CA 83 $2,090 $49,156
5 Central Louisiana Technical Community College Alexandria, LA 83 $5,702 $29,558
6 Northeast Alabama Community College Rainsville, AL 82 $2,756 $34,913

Plan Your Path

Once you've sized up Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers, 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.

Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers Pros & Cons

The data on Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers shows 2 measurable strengths and 1 real trade-offs. All points are drawn from BLS wage data, employment projections, and IPEDS program completions.

PROS
  • Steady job outlook The BLS projects +4.8% growth through 2035, keeping pace with the national average. Demand is stable and annual openings remain consistent.
  • 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
  • Modest median salary At $52,600 median, this career lags STEM and business fields. High-cost degree programs may be difficult to justify on salary alone.

Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers professionals earn?
Around $52,600 a year for the typical worker, below the national median, program ROI depends heavily on keeping tuition costs low. The middle 50% of earners fall between $44,490 and $67,300. Treat the national figure as a starting point rather than a promise: employer size, industry and city all move it.
Is Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers a good career?
Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers involves trade-offs worth understanding before committing. At $52,600 median, programs with high tuition are difficult to justify on salary return alone. Prioritize in-state public schools or employer-sponsored pathways. Job growth is projected at +4.8% through 2035. Genuine interest in the work, not just the salary, matters most here.
How do I become an Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers?
Most Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers 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 Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians are common starting points.
What is the job outlook for Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers?
Employment is projected to change by +4.8% through 2035, about as fast as average compared with other occupations. Around 2,200 roles open each year once you count people retiring and moving on, which matters more to someone starting out than the growth rate does. 20K people do this job nationwide today, so it is an established field rather than a niche one. Source: BLS May 2025.
What skills do Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers professionals need?
Mainly Troubleshooting, Repairing, Quality Control Analysis, Speaking, and Equipment Maintenance. 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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