truest.me
Explore CareersSponsor Someone 🎁Log InSign Up
truest.me
AboutCareer Growth ToolsWays to access truestPricingSponsor people/teamsWho is truest for
Terms of useContactPrivacy policytruest is a public benefit company
Copyright © 2026, Truest.me. All rights reserved.
Browse Careers
Career Explorer →
Tracks
See all →
Admin & OfficeAgricultureArts & MediaBusiness OperationsConstructionEducationEngineeringExecutive LeadershipFacilitiesFinanceFood ServiceHealthcareHuman ResourcesLegalMaintenance & RepairMarketingOperationsPersonal CareProductionProtective ServicesReal EstateSalesScienceSocial ServicesTechnologyTransportation
Top industries
See all →
HealthcareAdministrative ServicesK-12 SchoolsHospitality & Food ServiceHospital SystemsRetailWholesale & DistributionCatering & Mobile Food ServicesProfessional ServicesHospitals & Medical CentersEducationRestaurants & DiningGovernmentManufacturingAmbulatory Healthcare ServicesAdministrative Support ServicesConstructionFinancial ServicesGeneral Merchandise StoresColleges & UniversitiesConsumer ServicesLocal Government ServicesFull-Service RestaurantsSpecialty Trade ContractorsTransportation & LogisticsReal Estate Services
Top metros
See all →
New York-NewarkLos Angeles-Long BeachChicago-NapervilleDallas-Fort WorthHouston-PasadenaWashington-ArlingtonAtlanta-Sandy SpringsPhiladelphia-CamdenMiami-Fort LauderdaleBoston-CambridgeSan Francisco-OaklandPhoenix-MesaSeattle-TacomaMinneapolis-St. PaulDetroit-WarrenRiverside-San BernardinoDenver-AuroraSan Diego-Chula VistaTampa-St. PetersburgOrlando-KissimmeeCharlotte-ConcordBaltimore-ColumbiaSt. LouisAustin-Round RockPortland-VancouverSan Jose-Sunnyvale
Careers›Roles›Audio Video Engineer
Mid-Level

Audio Video Engineer

The sound and picture in a room, an event, or a broadcast work because you engineer them: designing, installing, and running AV systems so everything is heard and seen cleanly. When it works, no one notices the gear.

Career Level
Junior
Mid
Senior
Director
VP
Executive
Work Personality
R
A
C
I
E
S
Realistichands-on, practical
Artisticcreative, expressive
Based on Holland Code framework
Industries that often hire Audio Video Engineers
Hospitality & Food ServiceConstructionTechnology & Information · 58%Entertainment & Media · 19%Professional Services · 6%Education · 6%
Job markets for Audio Video Engineers
Employment concentration · ~43 areas
Based on employment in related occupations
Mapped SOC categories:
Engineering
BLS Occupational Employment Statistics
Jump to:What it's likeCareer pathsBy the numbers
What it's like

What it's like to be a Audio Video Engineer

Work mixes designing and wiring systems, configuring equipment, and troubleshooting live, often against a hard deadline like an event or broadcast. You move between a rack, a desk, and the floor, with clients and crews. Calm troubleshooting under pressure is the craft, and something always needs fixing right before go-time, with everyone watching.

The harder part is the live, no-second-take pressure when something fails in front of an audience. Hours can be long and irregular around events, the technology keeps evolving, and standards and gear vary widely by venue. Work spans corporate, broadcast, live events, and install.

It fits someone technically sharp, quick-thinking, and unflappable when it counts. If you want predictable hours or a quiet desk, the event pace may not suit. But if there's a charge in making complex AV simply work, and in solving problems on the fly, the role tends to deliver it.

What people in this role value
IndependenceHigh
RelationshipsAbove avg
AchievementAbove avg
Working ConditionsModerate
RecognitionModerate
SupportLower
O*NET Work Values survey
✦ Editorial — written by Truest from industry research and career patterns
Career Paths

Where this role sits in the broader career landscape — and where it can take you.

Earning potential across this track
$239K$179K$119K$60K$0KLower paying387 metro areas, sorted by salary level
All experience levels1
This level's estimated range
INDUSTRIES PAYING ABOVE AVERAGE
Technology & Information$117K+15%
Professional Services$103K+1%
Energy & Utilities$87K-14%
Financial Services$86K-16%
Wholesale & Distribution$74K-28%
Compared to Engineering average across all industries
1 BLS OEWS May 2024 covers all Audio Video Engineers (SOC 27-4014.00), not just this title · BEA RPP 2023
* Top salaries exceed this figure. BLS caps reported wages at ~$240K to protect individual privacy in high-earning roles.
Related rolesExplore Engineering →
Audio Video EngineerAudio Visual Specialist (AV Specialist)Video OperatorVideo Production AssistantVideo InstallerVideo TechnicianAudio Video TechnicianVideo Control OperatorVideo Equipment TechnicianVideo Production SpecialistVideo Projection TechnicianAudio OperatorProducerMusic ProducerRecordistSound CutterDisc RecordistFilm RecordistSound EngineerSound RecordistDub Room EngineerRerecording MixerAcoustical EngineerFilm Sound EngineerFilm Sound Coordinator+1 more
Exploring the Audio Video Engineer career path? Truest helps you figure out if it's the right fit — and plan your path forward.
Explore career tools
✦ Editorial — career progression and interview guidance based on industry patterns
The Broader Landscape

Roles like this one sit within a broader occupational category. The numbers below reflect that full landscape — helpful for context, but your specific experience will depend on level, specialty, and where you work.

$37K–$135K
Salary Range
10th – 90th percentile
13K
U.S. Employment
-1.7%
10yr Growth
1K
Annual Openings

How this category is changing

$77K$74K$71K$68K$65K201920202021202220232024$65K$77K
BLS OEWS May 2024 · BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034

Skills & Requirements

Active ListeningSpeakingCritical ThinkingComplex Problem SolvingOperations MonitoringOperation and ControlJudgment and Decision MakingReading ComprehensionSystems AnalysisTime Management
O*NET OnLine · Bureau of Labor Statistics
Mapped SOC Codes
27-4014.00

Explore related roles

Roles with similar work and overlapping career paths

midAudio Visual Specialist (AV Specialist)$60KmidVideo Operator$59KmidVideo Production Assistant$54KmidVideo Installer$55KmidVideo Technician$55KmidAudio Video Technician$55K
View all Engineering roles →

Navigate your career with clarity

Truest gives you tools to understand your strengths, explore roles that fit, and plan your next move.

Explore Truest career tools
Federal data: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (May 2024) · BLS Employment Projections · O*NET OnLine
Truest editorial: Fit check, role profile, things that vary, advancement analysis, lateral moves, interview questions.