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Media Technical Directors/Managers

Typical education: Bachelor's degreeHigh pressure Bright Outlook

What they do

Coordinate activities of technical departments, such as taping, editing, engineering, and maintenance, to produce radio or television programs.

Kinds of work

  • Enterprising: Leading, persuading, selling and starting new projects or businesses.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.
  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.

High 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 $90,360 Median per year · $43.44/hr Most earn $45,780–$198,540

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Switch between video sources in a studio or on multi-camera remotes, using equipment such as switchers, video slide projectors, and video effects generators.
  • Observe pictures through monitors and direct camera and video staff concerning shading and composition.
  • Act as liaisons between engineering and production departments.
  • Monitor broadcasts to ensure that programs conform to station or network policies and regulations.
  • Discuss filter options, lens choices, and the visual effects of objects being filmed with photography directors and video operators.
  • Follow instructions from production managers and directors during productions, such as commands for camera cuts, effects, graphics, and takes.

Job outlook

Bright Outlook Rapid Growth

United States
4% more jobs by 2035, about as fast as average · about 12,100 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

  • Self-employed (their own business)20.4%
  • Media streaming distribution services, social networks, and other media networks and content providers12.8%
  • Television broadcasting stations7.2%
  • Advertising, public relations, and related services4.6%
  • Theater companies and dinner theaters3.5%

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

Career path

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

Typical education: Bachelor's degreeExperience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Media Technical Director/Manager is usually not a first job straight out of school. Most people earn a bachelor's degree and then spend about 1 to 2 years in hands-on production or technical work before taking on this role.

  1. Bachelor's degree in broadcast media, communications, film, or a related field

    4 years

    You learn how studios, cameras, audio, and editing work, and you build a portfolio or reel of projects that shows employers what you can do.

  2. Production Assistant or Studio Technician

    1-2 years

    You work hands-on with taping, editing, audio, and equipment, learning how each technical team runs and how to keep a show on schedule.

  3. Media Technical Director/Manager

    Ongoing

    You coordinate the taping, editing, engineering, and maintenance teams so that radio or television programs are produced smoothly and on time.

Where it can lead

  1. Producer or Director

    2-4 years of experience first

    You move from managing the technical side to guiding the creative direction of a show, shaping what gets made and how it looks and sounds.

  2. Media Programming Director

    2-4 years of experience first

    You take on bigger decisions about what a station or network airs, which usually means strong planning skills and a track record of running productions well.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take media, video, or computer classesClasses in video production, audio, or digital media give you early hands-on skills and show whether you enjoy working on a production team.
  • Join the school news, video, or radio clubWorking on school announcements or a morning show teaches you teamwork, deadlines, and how to run equipment.
  • Learn basic editing softwareFree or school-provided video and audio editing tools let you practice and start a small portfolio of your work.
  • Get a starter job or volunteerHelping at a local event, community access station, or church media team gives you real experience with cameras, sound, and schedules.
  • Take math and science classesPhysics and electronics help you understand how broadcast equipment and signals work, which matters for a technical leadership role.

In college

  • Major in broadcast media, film, or communicationsA degree in one of these fields gives you the bachelor's education this career usually requires, plus the production knowledge you'll need.
  • Work on the campus TV or radio stationHands-on production work at a campus station is one of the closest things to real broadcast technical work and builds your résumé.
  • Take courses in audio engineering, lighting, or video post-productionTechnical courses show you how the parts of a production fit together, which is what technical directors manage every day.
  • Apply for a media internshipAn internship at a local station, production company, or studio gives you the entry-level experience employers look for.
  • Join a student media or production organizationLeading a student crew or project teaches you the coordination and scheduling skills this job depends on.

Tips for getting started

  • Build a portfolio early. Keep copies of the videos, audio, or shows you help make, since employers in this field often ask to see your work before your résumé.
  • Get comfortable with the technical tools now, like editing software, cameras, and audio mixers, and learn how a whole production team fits together, not just your own part.
  • Look for part-time or volunteer jobs at campus or local TV and radio stations. Hands-on time with real schedules and deadlines is hard to get any other way.

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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