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Boston Career Explorer

Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media

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.

Also called: Audio Technician, Audio Visual Specialist (AV Specialist), AV Tech (Audio Visual Technician), Media Technician, Operations Technician, Stagehand

Median pay in Greater Boston
$86,470
$41.57/hr
Jobs in Greater Boston
Not published
Massachusetts 2024–2034
+3.5%
120 openings a year
Typical U.S. entry requirement
Postsecondary nondegree award
plus Short-term on-the-job training

Greater Boston: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, May 2025. Growth and openings: Massachusetts statewide projection.

Pay range in Greater Boston

Yearly pay in Greater Boston by percentile
10th25thMedian75th90th
$51,190$63,990$86,470$99,880$100,610

10% of workers earn less than the first figure and 10% earn more than the last.

What you’d 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.

AI and this job

AI exposure: how much of this job’s work AI tools can do or help with, based on national research. It is not a forecast of job loss.

Moderate exposure46 of 100

The index averages three national research measures, each shown as a percentile of all jobs:

  • AIOE 46
  • Language-model AIOE 44
  • GPTs-are-GPTs 49

Observed AI use today: Little or none (Anthropic Economic Index)

AI exposure for this job is moderate, and observed AI use is little or none so far. AI tools could help with tasks like compressing, digitizing, and storing audio and video files, or spotting system problems. Setting up equipment, fixing it on site, and directing crew during live events still depend on people. Massachusetts jobs are projected to grow 3.5% from 2024 to 2034.

Likely to change

  • Compressing and storing audio and video files
  • Finding and diagnosing media system problems

Still relies on people

  • Setting up and adjusting equipment at events
  • Directing assistants and crew during production

Written with AI from the data on this page. Check with a career coach before making a decision.

Next steps from here

Related jobs that build on what you already do.

  • Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers

    Your experience with cables and tracing signal problems carries over. This job has a Boston median pay of $103,090, but slower growth at 0.9%.

    Pay difference
    +$16,620 median
    AI exposure
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    MA growth
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    High school diploma or equivalent

  • Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door

    Diagnosing equipment problems and recording repairs carries over. It offers $95,520 median pay, 4.8% growth, and moderate on-the-job training.

    Pay difference
    +$9,050 median
    AI exposure
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    MA growth
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    High school diploma or equivalent

  • Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians

    Reading technical manuals and checking that equipment works properly carry over. It offers $93,280 median pay and 6.5% growth, and it typically requires a postsecondary award.

    Pay difference
    +$6,810 median
    AI exposure
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    MA growth
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    To get started
    Postsecondary nondegree award

Training near Boston

College and school programs in the Boston metro area that lead to this job, with 2023-24 completions (IPEDS).

2 programs near Boston

Related occupations

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