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Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers

Typical education: High school diplomaLower pressure Bright Outlook

What they do

Install, repair, or adjust audio or television receivers, stereo systems, camcorders, video systems, or other electronic entertainment equipment in homes or other venues. May perform routine maintenance.

Kinds of work

  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.

Lower pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $52,600 Median per year · $25.29/hr Most earn $36,760–$84,190

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Install, service, and repair electronic equipment or instruments such as televisions, radios, and videocassette recorders.
  • Make service calls to repair units in customers' homes, or return units to shops for major repairs.
  • Instruct customers on the safe and proper use of equipment.
  • Confer with customers to determine the nature of problems or to explain repairs.
  • Keep records of work orders and test and maintenance reports.
  • Compute cost estimates for labor and materials.

Job outlook

Bright Outlook Rapid Growth

United States
5% more jobs by 2035, faster than average · about 2,200 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Electronics and appliance retailers32.7%
  • Electrical contractors and other wiring installation contractors22.2%
  • Self-employed (their own business)10.1%
  • Rental and leasing services7.0%
  • Merchant wholesalers, durable goods3.6%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: High school diplomaExperience before this job: 1 to 2 years

This is an entry-level career. A high school diploma is the usual starting point, and many people build the 1 to 2 years of related experience that employers often expect while working in a related job first.

  1. High school diploma

    4 years

    Build a base in math, physics, and electronics or shop classes, and learn how to read wiring diagrams and follow technical instructions. This gives you the foundation for handling equipment safely and accurately.

  2. Electronics Sales Associate or Installation Helper

    1-2 years

    Work in a store selling or setting up home electronics, or help experienced installers run cables, mount equipment, and test systems. You learn how customers' home setups work and how installs are done on site.

  3. Audiovisual Equipment Installer and Repairer

    Ongoing career

    Install and calibrate audio and video systems such as TVs, speakers, and home theaters, and repair or adjust them when they fail. Most learning continues on the job as you handle new equipment.

Where it can lead

  1. Audio and Video Technician

    1-2 years of experience first

    Move into more complex work such as commercial, studio, or event audio and video systems, which often expects more technical training, such as an associate degree.

  2. Electronics Repair Technician

    2-4 years of experience first

    Shift toward diagnosing and repairing larger commercial or industrial electronic equipment, which usually requires a certificate or apprenticeship and hands-on repair experience.

  3. Installation Team Lead

    3-5 years of experience first

    Plan and oversee installation jobs, train newer installers, and manage schedules and customer communication. This usually requires a strong track record of reliable installs and good people skills.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take electronics or physics classesThese teach how circuits, signals, and speakers work, which is the core of installing and fixing audio and video gear.
  • Join a tech or robotics clubWorking on builds with a team lets you practice wiring, testing, and troubleshooting in a low-pressure setting.
  • Work at an electronics or appliance storeA starter job helps you learn about consumer equipment and talk with customers, both useful skills for installers.
  • Help with school AV setupVolunteering to run sound or video for assemblies or plays gives real practice with cables, mixers, and projectors.
  • Ask a local installer for a job shadowSeeing a real installation day shows you what the work involves and lets you ask questions about training paths.

In college

  • Take electronics and signal coursesClasses in circuits, audio or video technology, and basic networking give you knowledge that employers look for in installers.
  • Get a part-time job in AV or home installationWorking with an installer or AV company builds the 1 to 2 years of related experience that often comes before this job.
  • Earn a relevant certificationMany training programs and manufacturers offer certificates in audio, video, or installation skills that show employers you are serious about the work.
  • Join a student tech or AV clubRunning live events or campus media gives you hands-on practice and a network of people who work in the field.
  • Build a portfolio of projectsDocument your installs, repairs, or home setups with photos and short notes so you can show what you can do in interviews.

Tips for getting started

  • Take any electronics, computer, or shop classes you can, and keep notes on how things work, since hands-on comfort with tools matters a lot in this job.
  • Look for part-time or weekend work at an electronics store, AV shop, or home installation company, even if the first job is just carrying equipment and learning.
  • Practice safe habits early, such as following lockout rules around power and checking connections carefully, because employers value people they can trust in customers' homes.

Related jobs that often lead here

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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