Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers: Salary, Job Outlook & How to Become One (2026 Parent Guide)

Installation, Maintenance, and Repair · SOC 49-2097 · O*NET 49-2097.00

Median salary
$50,620
Rank #493 of ~830 BLS occupations
10-year growth
+6.6%
2024–2034, average
Employment
22.2M
BLS 2024
Projected 2034
26K
BLS projection
Official O*NET description

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.

Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers fall under the Installation, Maintenance, and Repair category in the U.S. occupational classification. Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers earn a median salary of $50,620 per year, ranking in the top 61% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects +6.6% job growth through 2034, projected to grow at roughly the US average. Entry into this field typically requires an apprenticeship, technical certification, or postsecondary training, with specific licensing or certification depending on the state and employer. For parents whose teenager is exploring this path, the most actionable step is mapping the education requirements to specific colleges and majors before junior year — not waiting until application season.

What do audiovisual equipment installers and repairers earn?

The median annual wage for audiovisual equipment installers and repairers is $50,620. That puts audiovisual equipment installers and repairers at #493 on the BLS ranked list of all U.S. occupations by median pay. This salary is around or below the U.S. median for individual workers, so career growth often depends on advancement into supervisory roles, specialization, or additional credentials. Actual pay varies meaningfully by state, employer type, and years of experience — entry-level salaries are typically 30–40% below the median, while top-decile earners often exceed it by 50% or more.

Full salary distribution (national, BLS 2024)
10th percentile (entry-level)$36,310
25th percentile$43,330
50th percentile (median)$50,620
75th percentile$63,250
90th percentile (top earners)$82,150
Median hourly wage$24.34/hr

Is audiovisual equipment installers and repairers a growing career?

The 10-year outlook for audiovisual equipment installers and repairers is +6.6%, projected to grow at roughly the US average. Employment is projected to move from approximately 24K positions in 2024 to 26K in 2034, a net change of 2K. Average growth signals a healthy, resilient occupation that mirrors broader U.S. employment trends. Job availability tends to track regional economic conditions.

What do audiovisual equipment installers and repairers do every day?

According to O*NET task surveys of working audiovisual equipment installers and repairers, these are the core responsibilities most professionals perform. This is what your teen would actually be doing in this role.

  1. 1.Instruct customers on the safe and proper use of equipment.
  2. 2.Read and interpret electronic circuit diagrams, function block diagrams, specifications, engineering drawings, and service manuals.
  3. 3.Keep records of work orders and test and maintenance reports.
  4. 4.Disassemble entertainment equipment and repair or replace loose, worn, or defective components and wiring, using hand tools and soldering irons.
  5. 5.Calibrate and test equipment, and locate circuit and component faults, using hand and power tools and measuring and testing instruments such as resistance meters and oscilloscopes.
  6. 6.Tune or adjust equipment and instruments to obtain optimum visual or auditory reception, according to specifications, manuals, and drawings.
  7. 7.Install, service, and repair electronic equipment or instruments such as televisions, radios, and videocassette recorders.
  8. 8.Confer with customers to determine the nature of problems or to explain repairs.

Top skills for audiovisual equipment installers and repairers

O*NET ranks these as the most important skills for this occupation, on a 1–5 importance scale derived from worker surveys.

Troubleshooting
3.6
Quality Control Analysis
3.6
Repairing
3.6
Speaking
3.4
Equipment Maintenance
3.4
Installation
3.4
Complex Problem Solving
3.4

What education does my child need to become audiovisual equipment installers and repairer?

Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers typically enter the field through a formal apprenticeship, technical certification, or vocational training program — a strong fit for teens who prefer hands-on learning over traditional college. For parents helping a teen prepare, the highest-leverage step before junior year is identifying colleges and programs that feed reliably into this occupation — Solyo's college search lets parents filter by major and admissions data side by side.

Actual education levels of working audiovisual equipment installers and repairers

Based on O*NET surveys of incumbents — what people in this job actually have, not what employers list as required.

High school diploma
38.4%
Some college courses
27.6%
Associate's degree
14.4%
Less than high school
12.2%
Bachelor's degree
5.2%
Post-secondary certificate
2.3%

Related careers your child might also consider

How parents help teens explore careers like this

Solyo helps parents map a teen's interests to specific careers, then back to the colleges and majors that lead there. Salary, outlook, and education data come from BLS and O*NET — the same sources high school counselors use — but presented for the parent's planning lens, not the student's exploration view.

Common questions parents ask about audiovisual equipment installers and repairers

What is the median salary for audiovisual equipment installers and repairers?

The median annual salary for audiovisual equipment installers and repairers is $50,620 according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Is audiovisual equipment installers and repairers a growing career?

BLS projects +6.6% growth for audiovisual equipment installers and repairers from 2024 through 2034, which is average growth projected to grow at roughly the US average.

What education does my child need to become audiovisual equipment installers and repairer?

The typical entry path requires an apprenticeship, technical certification, or postsecondary training, plus any state licensure or certification specific to the role. Programs that align well with this career can be filtered inside Solyo's college search.

What careers are similar to audiovisual equipment installers and repairers?

Related occupations within the Installation, Maintenance, and Repair category share education paths and skill profiles, so they're a useful starting set when a teen is uncertain. The "Related careers" section below lists nearby options.

Salary data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics program. Skills, tasks, and education distribution from the O*NET database. Job outlook from the BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 release.