What Does a Media Specialist Do?
Teachers, students and staff often bring a variety of needs to a school or college media center, from a projector that won't connect to a video project due that week. The ability to handle numerous requests at once is essential to ensure that each class, recording or event starts on time. Media specialists provide that help, setting up equipment, recording and editing media, and showing people how to use it.
Also known as: Associate Media Specialist, Digital Media Specialist, Principal Media Specialist, Assistant Digital Media Professional, Media Utilization Specialist, Senior Media Specialist, Digital Media Professional
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.
Media Specialist Duties and Responsibilities
The primary responsibilities of a media specialist include:
- Set up projectors, displays, microphones and sound systems for classes, meetings and events.
- Record, edit and caption lectures and presentations for online courses and archives.
- Answer help calls from classrooms and fix connection, audio or display problems on the spot.
- Check out cameras, laptops and recorders to students and staff; inspect returns for damage.
- Operate lecture capture and videoconferencing systems, starting and monitoring each scheduled recording.
- Show teachers and students how to use room controls, cameras and editing software.
- Keep an equipment inventory and schedule repairs, lamp changes and firmware updates.
- Produce short videos, slide graphics and podcasts for departments that request them.
- Test each room's equipment before term starts and report faults that need a contractor.
- Convert older tapes and discs into digital files for the media library.
Required Skills and Qualifications
To succeed as a media specialist, you will need the following skills and qualifications:
- Classroom AV equipment and control systems
- Video editing in Premiere Pro or Camtasia
- Lecture capture and videoconferencing tools
- Basic networking for AV-over-IP gear
- Captioning and accessible media practices
- Patient, plain-spoken help for users
- Quick troubleshooting under time pressure
- Certificate or associate degree in AV technology
Education and Training
Media specialists typically train through a certificate or associate program in audio-visual technology, but some start out as student media workers and learn on the job. Any applicant can say they are good with technology. To get hired, you need to show examples of your setups, recordings and edits in action.
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.
BLS projects employment of audio and video technicians, the group that includes media specialists, to grow about 4 percent from 2025 to 2035, with roughly 6,600 openings a year. That points to steady work, given that classrooms and meeting rooms keep adding screens, microphones and cameras. Median pay for the group was about $58,100 in May 2025.
Outlook source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, Audio and video technicians.
Media Specialist 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 Media Specialists
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 Media Specialists 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 a Media Specialist 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 media specialist 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.