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Arts, design, media and sports

Lighting technician

Set up, maintain, and dismantle light fixtures, lighting control devices, and the associated lighting electrical and rigging equipment used for photography, television, film, video, and live productions. May focus or operate light fixtures, or attach color filters or other lighting accessories.

Median pay

$68,060

Growth to 2035

−5%

declining

Openings a year

600

Time to qualify*

13 months

* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.

Pay

Lighting technician

$68,06010% earn under $42,310 · middle half $52,770–$95,640 · top 10% over $130,760
Bar: middle 50% of workers. Line: 10th to 90th percentile. Dot: median. BLS OEWS, May 2025, national.

Getting in

Typical entry education
Postsecondary nondegree award
On-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
Prior experience
None

Calculate your switch to lighting technician

What the work is like

Lighting technician

Dealing with the public

Rarely
Constantly

Time pressure

Rarely
Constantly

Freedom to make decisions

Little
A lot
Average worker ratings, 1 to 5. O*NET 31.0 work context survey.

Core tasks

Outlook and AI

Lighting technicians held 9,900 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 9,400 by 2035 (−5%, declining; all jobs: +3.5%).

Productivity change - share decreases as technology, including artificial intelligence (AI) systems, allows workers to design and operate lighting displays.

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