Career-PathGPS
← All education and training
Career

Broadcast Technicians

Typical education: Certificate or apprenticeshipLower pressure

What they do

Set up, operate, and maintain the electronic equipment used to acquire, edit, and transmit audio and video for radio or television programs. Control and adjust incoming and outgoing broadcast signals to regulate sound volume, signal strength, and signal clarity. Operate satellite, microwave, or other transmitter equipment to broadcast radio or television programs.

Kinds of work

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

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 $59,570 Median per year · $28.64/hr Most earn $31,390–$123,670

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Install broadcast equipment, troubleshoot equipment problems, and perform maintenance or minor repairs, using hand tools.
  • Monitor strength, clarity, and reliability of incoming and outgoing signals, and adjust equipment as necessary to maintain quality broadcasts.
  • Install broadcast equipment, troubleshoot equipment problems, and perform maintenance or minor repairs, using hand tools.
  • Develop budgets.
  • Control audio equipment to regulate volume and sound quality during radio and television broadcasts.
  • Monitor strength, clarity, and reliability of incoming and outgoing signals, and adjust equipment as necessary to maintain quality broadcasts.

Job outlook

United States
3% fewer jobs by 2035, declining · about 1,600 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

  • Media streaming distribution services, social networks, and other media networks and content providers29.5%
  • Television broadcasting stations20.2%
  • Radio broadcasting stations15.0%
  • Self-employed (their own business)11.3%
  • Colleges, universities, and professional schools5.2%

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

Experience before this job: 2 to 4 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: Certificate or apprenticeshipExperience before this job: 2 to 4 years

Broadcast Technician is usually not an entry-level job you can walk into straight from school. Most people first finish a certificate or apprenticeship and then spend about 2 to 4 years in related audio or video work before moving into this role.

  1. High school diploma plus a certificate or associate degree in broadcast, electronics, or audio/video technology

    1-2 years

    You learn how audio, video, and signal equipment work, and get hands-on practice with cameras, switchers, and transmitters that prepares you for a first technical job.

  2. Audio and Video Technician

    1-2 years

    You set up and maintain AV equipment for studios, events, or venues, building the troubleshooting skills and experience that broadcast employers look for.

  3. Broadcast Technician

    Ongoing career

    You set up, operate, and maintain the equipment that acquires, edits, and transmits radio or television programs, controlling signal quality and transmitter performance.

Where it can lead

  1. Senior Broadcast Technician

    3-5 years of experience first

    You take on harder repairs, mentor newer technicians, and handle more complex systems and on-air problems with less supervision.

  2. Broadcast Engineer

    3-5 years of experience first

    You plan and design station systems and upgrades, which usually calls for deeper knowledge of electronics, networking, and broadcast standards, often gained through more schooling or on-the-job study.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take physics, math, and any electronics or engineering-related classesThese subjects build the understanding of signals, circuits, and equipment that broadcast technicians use every day.
  • Join the school TV, radio, or video production clubYou get practice running cameras, audio boards, and editing software in a real production setting.
  • Volunteer at a community or public-access TV stationMany stations need help during live shows and events, which gives you real broadcast experience and contacts.
  • Get a part-time job at a venue, AV rental company, or electronics storeSetting up sound and video gear for events builds the same troubleshooting skills broadcast work requires.
  • Learn basic computer and networking skillsModern broadcast systems rely heavily on computers and networks, so this knowledge will help you later.

In college

  • Enroll in a broadcast technology, electronics, or AV certificate or associate programThis is the most common training route into the field and gives you the technical base employers expect.
  • Work on your campus radio or TV stationHands-on time running equipment and fixing problems on a live schedule is valuable experience for your resume.
  • Pursue a paid or for-credit internship at a local TV or radio stationAn internship shows you how a real broadcast operation runs and often leads to references and first job leads.
  • Take a part-time job in event production or AV supportWorking with sound, lighting, and video gear under deadlines builds the skills and experience needed for entry-level technician roles.
  • Ask your program about industry certificationsIf your school offers recognized certifications in broadcast or AV systems, earning one can make your resume stand out.

Tips for getting started

  • Ask a local radio or TV station, public-access channel, or school media department whether you can shadow a technician or volunteer. Seeing the equipment up close helps you decide if this is for you.
  • Build a simple portfolio or log of the equipment you have set up, repaired, or operated. Employers in this field often care more about hands-on experience than grades alone.
  • Look at certificate and apprenticeship programs near you before you choose a college major, and ask whether they include paid or unpaid hands-on time at a station or studio.

Related jobs that often lead here

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.

Related careers