What Does an Audio Visual Technician Do?
Audio visual technicians set up the projectors, microphones, speakers and screens for lectures, meetings and events, then stay close by to fix whatever fails mid-session. Lecture halls, hotel ballrooms, conference centers and offices all need them, and some also run planetarium shows. Most fixes happen with an audience watching.
Also known as: Media Technician, Planetarium Technician, Senior Media Technician
Other Job Titles for This Work
Workers in this occupation report titles such as Audio Technician, Audio Visual Specialist (AV Specialist), AV Tech (Audio Visual Technician), Media Technician, Operations Technician, Stagehand, Video Technician.
Audio Visual Technician Duties and Responsibilities
The primary responsibilities of an audio visual technician include:
- Set up projectors, microphones, speakers and mixing consoles for classes, meetings and events.
- Answer classroom support calls and fix projector, display and control panel problems quickly.
- Record lectures and events, and upload video to Panopto or the campus media site.
- Mix live sound for talks, panels and performances in auditoriums and ballrooms.
- Program and test Crestron or Extron control systems after installations and upgrades.
- Check out portable equipment to faculty and students, and inspect it when returned.
- Run planetarium shows and maintain the dome projection system and its software.
- Label, coil and store cables, and replace worn connectors and batteries.
- Keep an equipment inventory and log repairs, lamp hours and warranty claims.
- Stream hybrid events so remote viewers get clear audio and video.
Required Skills and Qualifications
To succeed as an audio visual technician, you will need the following skills and qualifications:
- Audio mixing on analog and digital consoles
- Projectors, displays and video switching
- Crestron or Extron control systems
- Lecture capture and streaming tools such as Panopto or Zoom
- Signal flow and cable troubleshooting
- CTS certification (valued by many employers)
- Calm under live-event pressure
- Lifting and carrying gear, sometimes up ladders
Education and Training
A postsecondary certificate in audio or video technology is the typical starting credential. Plenty of technicians first learned by running sound for bands, theater crews or student events. Expect to lift and carry gear, sometimes up ladders. The job can lead on to AV systems design or live event production.
Salary and Job Outlook
Typical pay: $46,390 - $77,560 per year, with a median of $58,100.
The range covers the middle half of earners nationwide. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Audio and Video Technicians.
According to BLS, growth for audio and video technicians is projected at about 4 percent from 2025 to 2035, with roughly 6,600 openings a year. And, as long as there are lecture halls and meeting rooms, technicians will be needed to make sure the sound, screens and recordings work when the doors open.
Outlook source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, Audio and video technicians.
Audio Visual Technician Pay Range
| Earners | Annual pay |
|---|---|
| Bottom 10% earn less than | $37,990 |
| Bottom 25% earn less than | $46,390 |
| Median (half earn more, half less) | $58,100 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $77,560 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $100,650 |
Highest-Paying States for Audio Visual Technicians
The states with the highest median pay for this occupation are District of Columbia ($78,770), New Jersey ($71,040), Maryland ($70,040), Washington ($69,270), New York ($67,600). Pay is lowest in Louisiana ($44,480), Arkansas ($43,910), Mississippi ($43,500).
Median pay in all 49 states with BLS data
| State | Median annual pay |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $50,160 |
| Alaska | $62,060 |
| Arizona | $47,140 |
| Arkansas | $43,910 |
| California | $64,620 |
| Colorado | $56,790 |
| Connecticut | $62,120 |
| Delaware | $59,700 |
| District of Columbia | $78,770 |
| Florida | $54,230 |
| Georgia | $51,350 |
| Hawaii | $60,150 |
| Idaho | $49,950 |
| Illinois | $60,740 |
| Indiana | $49,870 |
| Iowa | $51,030 |
| Kansas | $50,030 |
| Kentucky | $48,320 |
| Louisiana | $44,480 |
| Maine | $46,080 |
| Maryland | $70,040 |
| Michigan | $58,300 |
| Minnesota | $53,800 |
| Mississippi | $43,500 |
| Missouri | $50,680 |
| Montana | $46,700 |
| Nebraska | $50,660 |
| Nevada | $62,770 |
| New Hampshire | $56,180 |
| New Jersey | $71,040 |
| New Mexico | $47,070 |
| New York | $67,600 |
| North Carolina | $46,700 |
| North Dakota | $50,110 |
| Ohio | $49,890 |
| Oklahoma | $49,010 |
| Oregon | $52,000 |
| Pennsylvania | $56,890 |
| Rhode Island | $64,070 |
| South Carolina | $52,000 |
| Tennessee | $49,970 |
| Texas | $49,440 |
| Utah | $48,730 |
| Vermont | $51,500 |
| Virginia | $53,960 |
| Washington | $69,270 |
| West Virginia | $46,590 |
| Wisconsin | $51,390 |
| Wyoming | $49,680 |
What the Work Is Like
O*NET surveys people who work as audio and video technicians about their daily conditions. Of those surveyed:
- 96% say being exact and accurate is very or extremely important
- 93% say teamwork is very or extremely important in their job
- 90% work indoors in a climate-controlled space every day
- 86% use their hands on tools, objects or controls for more than half the day
- 56% have a lot of freedom to make decisions
- 39% are on the phone every day
Education Workers Say the Job Needs
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree | 43% |
| High school diploma or GED | 25% |
| Post-secondary certificate | 20% |
| Associate's degree | 11% |
Tools and Software Audio Visual Technicians Use
Tools and equipment
Software
Is This Job a Good Fit for You?
People who do well in this job tend to enjoy hands-on work with tools, machines or the outdoors as well as organized work with data, records and clear procedures.
Skills O*NET rates most important: Monitoring, Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking, Operations Monitoring, Complex Problem Solving, Active Listening.
Knowledge areas used most: Computers and Electronics, Communications and Media, English Language, Telecommunications, Fine Arts.
Preparation: O*NET places this occupation in Job Zone 3 of 5, which means medium preparation.
Related Careers
These jobs use similar skills, according to O*NET's related-occupation data:
Applying for an Audio Visual Technician Job
- Job application letter sample
- How to write the skills section of a resume
- How to describe your work experience
- Job interview tips
- Interview thank-you note
The Job Explorer never charges candidates any money. If someone asks you to pay to apply for a audio visual technician job or to get hired, treat it as a warning sign.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
- O*NET 30.1 Database, occupation 27-4011.00 (Audio and Video Technicians). View on O*NET OnLine.
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. The Job Explorer has modified some of the information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these changes.