Audio and video technicians
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.
Audio and video technicians 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 . The role reports a median annual salary of $54,830 in the US and is projected to grow 3% over the next decade (about as fast as average). Entry typically requires a Postsecondary nondegree award, and shows moderate AI exposure (0.58 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include Monitoring, Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Operations Monitoring, Complex Problem Solving.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £32,643 a year for Photographers, audio-visual and broadcasting equipment operators (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 3417). ONS rates this estimate reasonably precise. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)
Pay in India (occupation group)
Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Technicians and associate professionals” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only Audio and video technicians, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.
Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 3. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- Computers and Electronics
- Communications and Media
- English Language
- Telecommunications
- Fine Arts
- Engineering and Technology
- Customer and Personal Service
- Education and Training
A day in the life
You start the day at a conference venue, unloading cases of cables, cameras, projectors and speakers before the audience arrives. You wire up the stage, test each microphone and screen, and run through the programme with the event organiser. Minutes before the start, a projector fails, so you quickly swap in a spare and adjust the settings. During the sessions you sit at the control desk, switching between cameras, balancing sound levels and cueing videos at the right moment while guiding an assistant who handles lighting. At lunch you check recordings are being saved correctly. In the afternoon you record and livestream a panel, then compress and store the files once it ends. When everything is packed away, you report a faulty mixer that needs repair. The hours are long and the pressure is real during live events, but when everything runs perfectly, no one notices, and that is the point.
Illustrative: one typical day, written from the O*NET task statements for this occupation. Real days vary by employer and seniority.
What you'd actually do
- Notify supervisors when major equipment repairs are needed.
- Diagnose and resolve media system problems.
- Direct and coordinate activities of assistants and other personnel during production.
- Compress, digitize, duplicate, and store audio and video data.
- Install, adjust, and operate electronic equipment to record, edit, and transmit radio and television programs, motion pictures, video conferencing, or multimedia presentations.
- Control the lights and sound of events, such as live concerts, before and after performances, and during intermissions.
Tools & technology you'd use
Frequently asked questions
What does Audio and video technicians do?
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.
What does a typical day look like in Audio and video technicians?
You start the day at a conference venue, unloading cases of cables, cameras, projectors and speakers before the audience arrives. You wire up the stage, test each microphone and screen, and run through the programme with the event organiser. Minutes before the start, a projector fails, so you quickly swap in a spare and adjust the settings.
How much does Audio and video technicians earn?
The median annual salary for Audio and video technicians in the US is $54,830.
What is the job outlook for Audio and video technicians?
The role is projected to grow 3% over the next decade (about as fast as average). Current US employment is approximately 92,300 workers.
How do I become audio and video technicians?
The typical entry education is a Postsecondary nondegree award. Building a foundation in the top skills below will strengthen your application.
What skills does Audio and video technicians need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include Monitoring, Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Operations Monitoring, Complex Problem Solving, Active Listening. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace Audio and video technicians?
Our AI-durability model gives Audio and video technicians a score of 0.58 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.
How hard is it to enter this field?
Audio and video technicians has low barrier to entry — generally accessible — you can enter with basic credentials and on-the-job learning.