Audio and Video Technicians
SOC Code: 27-4011.00
Arts, Design & MediaAudio and video technicians set up, maintain, operate, and dismantle the equipment that makes modern media production possible—microphones, speakers, mixing boards, video cameras, monitors, projectors, streaming systems, and the miles of cables connecting everything. With a median salary around $54,830 and 3.3% projected growth, these hands-on technical professionals work behind the scenes at live events, broadcast studios, corporate offices, houses of worship, sports venues, conference centers, and production facilities, ensuring that audiences see clear images and hear crisp sound whether they're in the front row or streaming from home.
Salary Overview
Median
$54,830
25th Percentile
$43,860
75th Percentile
$73,590
90th Percentile
$98,190
Salary Distribution
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Growth Rate
+3.3%
New Openings
7,300
Outlook
As fast as average
Key Skills
Knowledge Areas
What They Do
- Notify supervisors when major equipment repairs are needed.
- Install, adjust, and operate electronic equipment to record, edit, and transmit radio and television programs, motion pictures, video conferencing, or multimedia presentations.
- Direct and coordinate activities of assistants and other personnel during production.
- Compress, digitize, duplicate, and store audio and video data.
- 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.
- Perform minor repairs and routine cleaning of audio and video equipment.
Tools & Technology
★ = Hot Technology (in-demand)
Education Requirements
Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's Degree
Related Careers
Top Career Pivot Targets
View all 26 →Careers with the highest skill compatibility from Audio and Video Technicians.
A Day in the Life
A corporate AV technician might start the morning by setting up a boardroom for an executive video conference—testing cameras, checking audio levels, troubleshooting network connections, and ensuring the presentation system displays properly. Mid-morning involves rigging microphones and speakers in an event space for a company town hall. Afternoon brings a live-streamed product launch requiring multi-camera switching, graphics integration, and monitoring audio levels while encoding the stream in real time. A concert venue technician's day looks different—afternoon sound check with the performing band, adjusting monitor mixes for individual musicians, testing wireless microphone frequencies, and running the front-of-house mixing console during the evening performance. A broadcast technician operates studio cameras, controls lighting boards, and ensures transmission equipment delivers signals to transmitters or streaming platforms. Between events, technicians inventory equipment, perform maintenance, update firmware, and plan technical layouts for upcoming productions.
Work Environment
AV technicians work in constantly changing environments—concert venues tonight, corporate boardrooms tomorrow, outdoor festival stages next week. The physical demands include lifting heavy equipment (speakers, amplifiers, lighting fixtures), running cables through ceiling spaces and under floors, climbing ladders and rigging trusses, and standing for extended periods during events. Work schedules are often irregular, with evening and weekend events being standard. Travel for touring productions, corporate events, and installations in various cities adds variety but also displacement. The pace intensifies dramatically during load-in and setup periods before events, often under tight time constraints. The culture is generally collaborative and solution-oriented—when equipment fails during a live event, the team collaborates rapidly to resolve issues. Indoor environments range from temperature-controlled studios to warehouse-like staging areas.
Career Path & Advancement
Many audio and video technicians enter the field through associate's degrees in audio engineering, broadcast technology, or media production, while others begin with on-the-job training in entry-level positions. Certifications from manufacturers (Crestron, Extron, QSC, Shure) and industry organizations (AVIXA CTS certification, SBE certification) strengthen credentials and earning potential. Entry-level positions include AV setup crew, audio assistant, camera operator assistant, and technical support at AV integration companies. Advancement leads to lead technician, chief engineer, technical director, or AV systems designer roles. Senior professionals may manage AV departments for venues, hotels, or corporations, or establish independent production companies. The transition from technician to designer—creating AV system specifications for permanent installations—represents a significant career elevation.
Specializations
Audio technicians (sound engineers) specialize in live sound reinforcement, studio recording, broadcast audio, or podcast production. Video technicians focus on camera operation, video switching, video streaming, or LED display systems. Lighting technicians design and operate lighting systems for concerts, theater, broadcast, and architectural applications. AV integration technicians install permanent audiovisual systems in corporate offices, education facilities, and worship spaces. Broadcast engineers maintain and operate transmission facilities for television and radio stations. Live event technicians handle the setup, operation, and teardown of temporary AV systems for concerts, conferences, and festivals. Post-production technicians work in editing suites, managing video and audio editing workflows. Systems programmers configure control systems that integrate multiple AV components into unified, user-friendly systems.
Pros & Cons
Advantages
- ✓Diverse and dynamic work environments from concert stages and broadcast studios to corporate events and houses of worship
- ✓Hands-on technical work creating tangible results—making audiences hear and see performances and presentations
- ✓Growing demand driven by hybrid work technology, live streaming expansion, and LED display proliferation
- ✓Variety of specialization paths from live sound and broadcast to corporate AV and systems integration
- ✓Creative satisfaction of contributing to memorable performances, broadcasts, and production experiences
- ✓Continuous technology evolution keeping the work interesting and requiring ongoing learning
- ✓Relatively accessible entry through hands-on experience and certifications without requiring four-year degrees
Challenges
- ✗Irregular and often anti-social work hours including evenings, weekends, and holidays for live events
- ✗Physical demands including heavy lifting, climbing, cable running, and extended standing during events
- ✗Median salary of $54,830 is modest relative to the technical skills and irregular hours required
- ✗Stressful troubleshooting during live events where technical failures are immediately visible to audiences
- ✗Job instability in freelance and contract-based segments of the industry, particularly during economic downturns
- ✗Hearing damage risk from prolonged exposure to high sound pressure levels despite protective measures
- ✗Rapid technology changes requiring continuous self-education to maintain relevancy with current equipment and standards
Industry Insight
The AV industry is experiencing significant growth driven by the permanent adoption of hybrid meeting technology in corporate environments, the expansion of live streaming across all sectors, and the proliferation of LED display technology in retail, sports, and entertainment venues. Network-based AV (AV-over-IP) is replacing traditional point-to-point signal distribution, requiring technicians to develop IT networking skills alongside traditional AV knowledge. AI-enhanced AV systems—auto-framing cameras, intelligent audio processing, automated production tools—are changing operational workflows while creating demand for technicians who can configure and optimize these systems. The corporate AV market is expanding faster than live entertainment, driven by workplace technology upgrades and distributed workforce support. Sustainability is influencing equipment choices, with LED lighting and efficient amplification reducing energy consumption.
How to Break Into This Career
Hands-on experience matters more than formal education in most AV careers. Volunteering at houses of worship, community theaters, school events, and local music venues provides foundational experience with audio and video equipment. Community college programs in audio engineering or broadcast technology provide structured training in fundamentals. Pursuing AVIXA CTS (Certified Technology Specialist) certification demonstrates professional competency and is increasingly required by employers. Building proficiency with major platforms—digital audio mixers (Yamaha, Allen & Heath, DiGiCo), video switchers (Blackmagic, Ross), streaming platforms (vMix, OBS), and control systems (Crestron, Extron)—makes candidates immediately productive. Networking through local IATSE (International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees) chapters and AVIXA events connects aspiring technicians with hiring opportunities. Starting with AV rental houses or hotels provides exposure to diverse equipment and event types.
Career Pivot Tips
AV technicians develop versatile technical skills—signal processing, electronics, networking, project management, and client-facing communication—that transfer to multiple fields. IT and network administration is a natural transition as AV increasingly relies on IP networks, with CompTIA and Cisco certifications bridging the knowledge gap. Broadcast engineering at television and radio stations offers stable employment for those with strong electronics backgrounds. Systems integration sales and design provides higher compensation by combining technical knowledge with client consulting skills. Event production management leverages AV technical expertise with project coordination for large-scale events. Corporate communications and facilities management departments hire technically skilled professionals to manage AV infrastructure and support executive communications. Some technicians transition to equipment manufacturing as product managers, application engineers, or technical trainers, leveraging their field experience to improve products and train users.
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