All careers › Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers
Audiovisual equipment installer: pay, job outlook and how to become one
- $36,760lowest 10% earn less
- $44,49025th percentile
- $52,600median
- $67,30075th percentile
- $84,190top 10% earn more
Audiovisual equipment installers and repairers had a median pay of $52,600 a year in May 2025[1]. Jobs are projected to grow 4.8% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% for all occupations[2][3].
- Job growth, 2025–35
- +4.8%[2]
- Openings per year
- 2,200[6]
- Typical entry education
- Postsecondary nondegree award[7]
How much do audiovisual equipment installers make?
The median wage was $52,600 a year, or $25.29 an hour, in May 2025[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less[1]. For all occupations the median was $50,980[5]. The average for this job was $57,930 a year[8].
Annual pay across the range[4]:
| Point in the range | Annual wage | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile[4] | $36,760 | |
| 25th percentile[4] | $44,490 | |
| Median[1] | $52,600 | |
| 75th percentile[4] | $67,300 | |
| 90th percentile[4] | $84,190 |
The lowest-paid 10% of workers earned less than $36,760[4]. A percentile is a boundary, and BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[9]. Hourly, the 10th percentile was $17.67 and the 90th was $40.48[10].
These figures cover wage and salary workers only. They leave out the self-employed and the cost of benefits[11]. About 19,780 people held such jobs[12].
Pay by state and city
Connecticut had the highest state median at $74,890[13]. Washington followed at $70,720 and Delaware at $69,990[13]. Wyoming had the lowest listed median, at $33,300 on 30 jobs[13].
California had the most jobs, at 2,590, followed by Texas with 2,490 and Florida with 1,610[14]. Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA had the highest median at $78,580, then New York-Newark-Jersey City at $71,990 and Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue at $70,720[15]. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim had the most metro jobs, at 1,060[16].
Show median pay in 44 states and DC
| State | Median per year | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Connecticut[13] | $74,890 | n/a |
| Washington | $70,720 | 350 |
| Delaware | $69,990 | n/a |
| Maryland | $65,160 | 200 |
| Iowa | $64,390 | n/a |
| Illinois | $62,870 | 530 |
| New Hampshire | $62,810 | n/a |
| California | $62,390 | 2,590 |
| New York | $62,380 | 870 |
| Montana | $60,900 | 60 |
| Oregon | $59,890 | 130 |
| Colorado | $57,680 | 550 |
| District of Columbia | $57,620 | n/a |
| Idaho | $56,690 | 240 |
| Virginia | $56,310 | 370 |
| Massachusetts | $56,040 | n/a |
| Minnesota | $54,330 | 40 |
| Louisiana | $53,320 | 140 |
| Utah | $53,080 | 330 |
| Pennsylvania | $51,010 | 560 |
| North Dakota | $50,890 | 40 |
| Missouri | $50,540 | 580 |
| Kansas | $50,130 | 100 |
| Georgia | $50,090 | 890 |
| Florida | $49,780 | 1,610 |
| New Jersey | $48,780 | 650 |
| Nevada | $48,750 | 190 |
| Kentucky | $48,380 | 180 |
| Wisconsin | $48,300 | 150 |
| Ohio | $48,130 | 190 |
| Tennessee | $48,010 | 400 |
| Oklahoma | $47,880 | 150 |
| Texas | $47,770 | 2,490 |
| Alabama | $46,770 | 230 |
| Arkansas | $46,530 | 220 |
| Indiana | $46,450 | 170 |
| New Mexico | $45,580 | 110 |
| Arizona | $45,400 | 520 |
| Michigan | $45,400 | 310 |
| South Carolina | $45,180 | 480 |
| North Carolina | $44,490 | 660 |
| Mississippi | $41,920 | 120 |
| Nebraska | $39,940 | n/a |
| South Dakota | $38,860 | 60 |
| Wyoming | $33,300 | 30 |
How to become an audiovisual equipment installer
BLS lists a postsecondary nondegree award as the typical education. It lists no work experience in a related job and short-term on-the-job training[7].
- First: complete a postsecondary nondegree award[7].
- Next: get hired and learn the work through short-term on-the-job training[7].
O*NET places the job in Job Zone Three, which it describes as needing medium preparation[17]. The facts here do not say how long the award takes, which programs count, or whether a license is needed.
What audiovisual equipment installers do
O*NET describes the work as installing, repairing or adjusting audio and TV receivers, stereo systems, camcorders, video systems and similar entertainment electronics in homes or other venues[18]. Typical tasks include[19]:
- Installing, servicing and repairing electronic equipment.
- Calibrating and testing equipment, and tracing faults with hand tools and test instruments.
- Talking with customers about problems and explaining repairs.
- Mounting speakers and wiring them to consoles.
- Showing customers how to use equipment safely and properly.
- Making service calls at customers' homes, or taking units back to a shop for major repairs.
- Reading circuit diagrams and service manuals, and keeping records of work orders.
Workers report titles such as A/V installer, home theater installer and satellite installer[20].
Job outlook
BLS projects employment to grow 4.8% from 2025 to 2035, from about 22,400 to 23,400 jobs[2]. Growth for all occupations is projected at 3.5%[3]. These counts include self-employed workers, and 10.1% of workers in this field were self-employed in 2025[2][21].
About 2,200 openings a year are projected[6]. Openings include jobs left by people who retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs[6]. Each year, 3.7% of workers leave the labor force and 5.3% move to a different occupation[22].
Is it a good fit?
The facts describe a job that asks for a postsecondary nondegree award and short on-the-job training[7]. Pay is a little above the all-occupation median[1][5], and projected growth is above the all-occupation rate[2][3]. Pay depends on where you work, with state medians from $74,890 in Connecticut to $33,300 in Wyoming[13].
Frequently asked questions
- How much does an audiovisual equipment installer make a year?
- The median wage was $52,600 a year in May 2025[1]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $36,760 and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $84,190[4].
- How much does an electronic tech in audiovisual work make an hour?
- The median was $25.29 an hour[1]. The 10th percentile was $17.67 and the 90th was $40.48[10].
- What education do you need to install audiovisual equipment?
- BLS lists a postsecondary nondegree award as the typical entry education, with short-term on-the-job training[7].
Facts and sources
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers in the US was $52,600 per year and $25.29 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: employment of Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers is projected to grow 4.8% from 2025 to 2035, from about 22,400 to 23,400 jobs (a change of +1,100). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers: 10th percentile $36,760, 25th percentile $44,490, 75th percentile $67,300, 90th percentile $84,190. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: about 2,200 openings for Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers: education needed for entry: Postsecondary nondegree award; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers was $57,930 per year and $27.85 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers: 10th percentile $17.67, 25th percentile $21.39, 75th percentile $32.36, 90th percentile $40.48. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 19,780 people were employed as Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage for Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers jobs: California 2,590; Texas 2,490; Florida 1,610; Georgia 890; New York 870. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers (areas with at least 100 jobs): San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $78,580; New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $71,990; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $70,720; Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $65,150; Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $64,490; San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $63,720; Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $63,140; Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $63,130. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers jobs: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 1,060 (median $51,210); New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 760 (median $71,990); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 680 (median $51,530); Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 600 (median $46,400); Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 470 (median $58,660); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 470 (median $63,130). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- O*NET 49-2097.00: Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed. 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. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET description of Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET task list for Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET 49-2097.00 sample job titles reported by workers: A/V Installation Tech (Audio Visual Installation Technician), A/V Installer (Audio Visual Installer), Electronic Tech (Electronic Technician), Field Service Tech (Field Service Technician), Home Theater Installer, Installer, Satellite Installer, TV Analyzer (Television Analyzer). O*NET OnLine
- BLS Employment Projections: 10.1% of Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers: 3.7% of workers leave the labor force each year and 5.3% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
- Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 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. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.