How to become an audio and video technician
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.
Steps to get there
Most employers expect most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree..Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
What audio and video technicians do
- Notify supervisors when major equipment repairs are needed.
- Install, adjust, and operate electronic equipment to record, edit, and transmit radio and television programs, motion pictures, video conferencing, or multimedia presentations.
- Direct and coordinate activities of assistants and other personnel during production.
- Compress, digitize, duplicate, and store audio and video data.
- 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.
Skills that matter most
- Monitoring
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Speaking
- Active Learning
- Learning Strategies
Is audio and video technician a good career?
On the numbers, this job pays above the typical job. Median pay is 14% above the all-occupation median. Whether it fits you depends on the work itself, the schooling you are willing to do and where you want to live.
Where it pays most
- District of Columbia $78,770
- New Jersey $71,040
- Maryland $70,040
- Washington $69,270
- New York $67,600
Audio and Video Technicians salary by state and city
Sources: O*NET® 31.0 (CC BY 4.0, USDOL/ETA) and BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025.