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
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.