Lighting Technicians: Salary, Job Outlook & How to Become One (2026 Parent Guide)
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media · SOC 27-4015 · O*NET 27-4015.00
Set up, maintain, and dismantle light fixtures, lighting control devices, and the associated lighting electrical and rigging equipment used for photography, television, film, video, and live productions. May focus or operate light fixtures, or attach color filters or other lighting accessories.
Lighting Technicians fall under the Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media category in the U.S. occupational classification. Lighting Technicians earn a median salary of $60,560 per year, ranking in the top 47% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects -4.6% job growth through 2034, projected to lose jobs through 2034. Entry into this field typically requires a bachelor's degree, 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 lighting technicians earn?
The median annual wage for lighting technicians is $60,560. That puts lighting technicians at #382 on the BLS ranked list of all U.S. occupations by median pay. This salary is above the U.S. median for individual workers and reflects a stable, credentialed occupation. 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.
| 10th percentile (entry-level) | $36,340 |
| 25th percentile | $47,100 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $60,560 |
| 75th percentile | $83,340 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $117,690 |
| Median hourly wage | $29.11/hr |
Is lighting technicians a growing career?
The 10-year outlook for lighting technicians is -4.6%, projected to lose jobs through 2034. Employment is projected to move from approximately 12K positions in 2024 to 11K in 2034, a net change of -1K. A declining outlook does not mean the field is disappearing; it means automation, demographics, or substitution effects are shrinking the pool of openings. Students entering a declining field should plan for adjacent skills that transfer to growing roles.
What education does my child need to become lighting technician?
The standard path into lighting technicians begins with a bachelor's degree in a related field, followed by entry-level experience or internships during 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.
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 lighting technicians
What is the median salary for lighting technicians?
The median annual salary for lighting technicians is $60,560 according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Is lighting technicians a growing career?
BLS projects -4.6% growth for lighting technicians from 2024 through 2034, which is declining growth projected to lose jobs through 2034.
What education does my child need to become lighting technician?
The typical entry path requires a bachelor's degree, 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 lighting technicians?
Related occupations within the Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 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.