Audio and Video Technicians
Also called: Audio Installer, Audio Technician, Audio Video Technician, Audio Visual Communications Systems Technician, Audio Visual Installer (AV Installer), Audio Visual Specialist (AV Specialist), AV Installation Tech (Audiovisual Installation Technician), AV Production Specialist (Audio Visual Production Specialist)
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.
What audio and video technicians do
Typical 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.
- Perform minor repairs and routine cleaning of audio and video equipment.
- Design layouts of audio and video equipment and perform upgrades and maintenance.
- Conduct training sessions on selection, use, and design of audio-visual materials and on operation of presentation equipment.
- Monitor incoming and outgoing pictures and sound feeds to ensure quality and notify directors of any possible problems.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Audio and Video Technicians salary
The median annual wage for audio and video technicians is $58,100 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $37,990 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $100,650. The mean annual wage is $64,630.
The mean hourly wage of $31.00 is 4.3× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for Audio and Video Technicians (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $58,100 → in 3 years $63,500 → in 5 years $67,400 → in 10 years $78,200 (10-year range $67,200–$90,700). The model assumes pay growth of +3.0% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Audio and Video Technicians
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Audio and Video Technicians? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Audio and Video Technicians
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
Skills, education and requirements for Audio and Video Technicians
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Education of workers
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 3 — medium preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★★☆☆☆ Fairly easy (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become audio and video technicians
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as audio and video technicians
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.