Arts, design, media and sports
Audio and video technicians
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 pay
$58,100
Growth to 2035
+4%
about as fast as average
Openings a year
6,600
Time to qualify*
13 months
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Audio and video technicians
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- Postsecondary nondegree award
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Prior experience
- None
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Hazardous conditions
Audio and video technicians: 21% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core tasks
- 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.
Also called: Audio Technician · Audio Visual Specialist (AV Specialist) · AV Tech (Audio Visual Technician) · Media Technician · Operations Technician · Stagehand · Video Technician
Outlook and AI
Audio and video technicians held 87,600 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 91,100 by 2035 (+4%, about as fast as average; all jobs: +3.5%).
Compare with
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