What Does a Media Services Manager Do?
Most days in a campus media office bring routine projector fixes, microphone swaps and equipment loans. The busiest stretch is the start of each term, when every lecture hall needs working audio, video and lecture capture at once. The media services manager plans for both, leading the technicians, budget and equipment behind a college's classroom and event technology.
Also known as: Media Technician Supervisor
Other Job Titles for This Work
Workers in this occupation report titles such as CMC Director (Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls Director), Compliance Director, Global RA Director (Global Regulatory Affairs Director), Global RA Manager (Global Regulatory Affairs Manager), RA Director (Regulatory Affairs Director), RA Manager (Regulatory Affairs Manager), RA QA Director (Regulatory Affairs Quality Assurance Director), RA VP (Regulatory Affairs Vice President).
Media Services Manager Duties and Responsibilities
The primary responsibilities of a media services manager include:
- Lead media technicians and student workers who support classrooms, lecture halls and campus events.
- Plan equipment upgrades for projectors, displays, microphones and lecture capture across teaching spaces.
- Prepare the department budget and justify replacement cycles for aging audio and video equipment.
- Set service standards for help calls, response times and event support requests.
- Manage the equipment loan pool; recover late items and repair damaged gear.
- Oversee lecture capture and live streaming systems such as Panopto or Zoom for faculty.
- Coordinate AV design for new and renovated rooms with architects, IT and facilities staff.
- Negotiate vendor contracts for equipment purchases, installation work and maintenance agreements.
- Schedule staff for evening lectures, graduation ceremonies and weekend events.
- Train faculty on room controls and recording tools at the start of each term.
Required Skills and Qualifications
To succeed as a media services manager, you will need the following skills and qualifications:
- AVIXA CTS certification
- Classroom AV systems and control panels
- Lecture capture platforms such as Panopto
- Budgeting and equipment lifecycle planning
- Supervising technicians and student staff
- Vendor and contract management
- Clear, patient help for nontechnical users
- Bachelor's degree in media, IT or a related field
Education and Training
AVIXA's Certified Technology Specialist (CTS) credential and a bachelor's degree give candidates an edge for this post. Colleges look for people who have already run classroom technology, broadcast equipment or IT support. Most also want proof that you have supervised technicians or student staff.
Salary and Job Outlook
Typical pay: varies widely for this role, and BLS does not publish pay for it separately. In the wider BLS group it belongs to (Managers, All Other), the middle half of earners made $102,880 to $186,300 a year, and the median was $141,900.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Managers, All Other.
BLS groups this job with managers not listed elsewhere, a broad group it projects to grow about 5 percent from 2025 to 2035, with roughly 100,900 openings a year. Campus media budgets often are tied to enrollment and IT spending, but media managers will be needed as more courses are recorded and more events stream online. Pay figures on this page reflect that whole mixed group, so campus pay may differ.
Outlook source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, Managers, all other.
Media Services Manager Pay Range
| Earners | Annual pay |
|---|---|
| Bottom 10% earn less than | $74,300 |
| Bottom 25% earn less than | $102,880 |
| Median (half earn more, half less) | $141,900 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $186,300 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $238,270 |
Highest-Paying States for Media Services Managers
The states with the highest median pay for this occupation are Massachusetts ($182,950), District of Columbia ($175,720), California ($174,560), Colorado ($171,140), Delaware ($168,060). Pay is lowest in Tennessee ($99,430), Arkansas ($87,520), Indiana ($79,900).
Median pay in all 51 states with BLS data
| State | Median annual pay |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $135,890 |
| Alaska | $127,950 |
| Arizona | $129,870 |
| Arkansas | $87,520 |
| California | $174,560 |
| Colorado | $171,140 |
| Connecticut | $162,690 |
| Delaware | $168,060 |
| District of Columbia | $175,720 |
| Florida | $108,890 |
| Georgia | $125,000 |
| Hawaii | $130,000 |
| Idaho | $131,550 |
| Illinois | $140,240 |
| Indiana | $79,900 |
| Iowa | $128,080 |
| Kansas | $131,710 |
| Kentucky | $122,930 |
| Louisiana | $103,140 |
| Maine | $115,920 |
| Maryland | $159,040 |
| Massachusetts | $182,950 |
| Michigan | $134,260 |
| Minnesota | $152,600 |
| Mississippi | $101,570 |
| Missouri | $125,760 |
| Montana | $110,470 |
| Nebraska | $116,430 |
| Nevada | $112,040 |
| New Hampshire | $145,630 |
| New Jersey | $161,510 |
| New Mexico | $123,550 |
| New York | $167,200 |
| North Carolina | $141,160 |
| North Dakota | $126,440 |
| Ohio | $129,940 |
| Oklahoma | $131,870 |
| Oregon | $125,580 |
| Pennsylvania | $131,600 |
| Rhode Island | $165,900 |
| South Carolina | $129,960 |
| South Dakota | $119,470 |
| Tennessee | $99,430 |
| Texas | $134,390 |
| Utah | $134,890 |
| Vermont | $125,440 |
| Virginia | $166,230 |
| Washington | $164,160 |
| West Virginia | $124,940 |
| Wisconsin | $107,050 |
| Wyoming | $113,420 |
What the Work Is Like
O*NET surveys people who work as managers, all other about their daily conditions. Of those surveyed:
- 100% use email every day
- 100% say teamwork is very or extremely important in their job
- 95% spend more than half the workday sitting
- 87% say being exact and accurate is very or extremely important
- 74% work indoors in a climate-controlled space every day
- 64% are on the phone every day
- 61% usually work more than 40 hours a week
Education Workers Say the Job Needs
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree | 74% |
| Master's degree | 13% |
Tools and Software Media Services Managers Use
Tools and equipment
Software
Is This Job a Good Fit for You?
People who do well in this job tend to enjoy leading, persuading and making business decisions as well as organized work with data, records and clear procedures.
Skills O*NET rates most important: Writing, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Speaking, Critical Thinking, Complex Problem Solving.
Knowledge areas used most: English Language, Law and Government, Administration and Management, Biology, Education and Training.
Related Careers
These jobs use similar skills, according to O*NET's related-occupation data:
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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 11-9199.00 (Managers, All Other). View on O*NET OnLine.
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