Audio & Video Technology Degree
Students study audio engineering, video production technology, live event systems, and multimedia equipment operation and maintenance. Graduates typically pursue careers as audio engineers, video production technicians, live event specialists, and AV systems designers for venues, studios, and corporate facilities. The live events and streaming industries drive consistent demand for skilled AV technicians.
What Audio & Video Technology Graduates Do
Your career in audiovisual technology is hands-on from day one. You might spend your days as an audio and video technician, setting up microphones for a conference, running a soundboard for a concert, or troubleshooting a corporate livestream. In a different role, you could be a camera operator, meticulously framing shots on a film set, or a video editor, sifting through hours of raw footage to cut scenes and polish the final product with color and sound.
Most people start as assistants or junior technicians, learning the equipment and industry workflows on the job. From there, you build a portfolio to advance into senior roles like lead editor or technical director. While demand for digital content creators is growing, some traditional roles in broadcast and live events face headwinds. With moderate AI exposure across the field, your job will change. AI will increasingly handle routine tasks like creating rough video cuts or basic sound mixing, shifting your focus to creative oversight, complex problem-solving, and final polish. Note that a few paths, like court reporting and captioning, face fundamental disruption from automation.
Common Career Paths
Where Audio & Video Technology graduates typically work, ranked by salary. Salary ranges show 25th–75th percentile spread. This field has roughly 20,800 combined openings per year.
| Career Path | Salary Range | Openings/yr | Growth | AI Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Film and video editors | 3,600 | +4.0% | 53% | |
| Camera operators, television, video, and film | 2,900 | +1.2% | 42% | |
| Court reporters and simultaneous captioners | 1,700 | -0.3% | 96% | |
| Sound engineering technicians | 1,200 | -1.7% | 43% | |
| Lighting technicians | 800 | -4.6% | 16% | |
| Audio and video technicians | 7,300 | +3.3% | 44% | |
| Broadcast technicians | 1,800 | -2.8% | 52% | |
| Disc jockeys, except radio | N/A | 1,500 | +3.8% | 53% |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. Salary range shows 25th–median–75th percentile (national).
Best Schools for Audio & Video Technology
14 schools ranked by DegreeOutlook Score. Click any row for full AI scenario analysis and earnings projections.
| # | School | DW Score | Earnings | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bowie State University Bowie, MD |
42 39–43 |
$35,168/yr | 15.0x |
| 2 | Ferris State University Big Rapids, MI |
26 23–26 |
$34,043/yr | 6.1x |
| 3 | New England Institute of Technology East Greenwich, RI |
25 22–26 |
$37,101/yr | 2.4x |
| 4 | Alabama A & M University Normal, AL |
25 23–25 |
$28,938/yr | 6.2x |
| 5 | Rowan University Glassboro, NJ |
22 21–23 |
$27,701/yr | 6.3x |
| 6 | SUNY Buffalo State University Buffalo, NY |
22 21–22 |
$24,687/yr | 10.1x |
| 7 | Husson University Bangor, ME |
18 16–18 |
$29,736/yr | 2.9x |
| 8 | University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo Arecibo, PR |
18 16–19 |
$6,316/yr | 10.2x |
| 9 | Full Sail University Winter Park, FL |
17 15–17 |
$30,014/yr | 2.1x |
| 10 | American University Washington, DC |
16 14–16 |
$19,337/yr | 1.9x |
| 11 | Columbia College Chicago Chicago, IL |
14 12–14 |
$20,927/yr | 2.5x |
| 12 | St. John's University-New York Queens, NY |
11 10–11 |
$24,389/yr | 0.9x |
| 13 | Belmont University Nashville, TN |
11 10–11 |
$22,664/yr | 1.4x |
| 14 | Savannah College of Art and Design Savannah, GA |
10 9–11 |
$20,682/yr | 1.3x |
Highest Earning Audio & Video Technology Programs
Schools where Audio & Video Technology graduates earn the most in their first year after graduation.
| School | 1-Year Earnings | DW Score |
|---|---|---|
| New England Institute of Technology | $37,101/yr | 25 |
| Bowie State University | $35,168/yr | 42 |
| Ferris State University | $34,043/yr | 26 |
| Full Sail University | $30,014/yr | 17 |
| Husson University | $29,736/yr | 18 |
| Alabama A & M University | $28,938/yr | 25 |
| Rowan University | $27,701/yr | 22 |
| SUNY Buffalo State University | $24,687/yr | 22 |
| St. John's University-New York | $24,389/yr | 11 |
| Belmont University | $22,664/yr | 11 |
Best ROI for Audio & Video Technology
Schools with the highest earnings-to-tuition ratio for Audio & Video Technology.
| School | ROI Multiple | Earnings | DW Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowie State University | 15.0x | $35,168/yr | 42 |
| University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo | 10.2x | $6,316/yr | 18 |
| SUNY Buffalo State University | 10.1x | $24,687/yr | 22 |
| Rowan University | 6.3x | $27,701/yr | 22 |
| Alabama A & M University | 6.2x | $28,938/yr | 25 |
| Ferris State University | 6.1x | $34,043/yr | 26 |
| Husson University | 2.9x | $29,736/yr | 18 |
| Columbia College Chicago | 2.5x | $20,927/yr | 14 |
| New England Institute of Technology | 2.4x | $37,101/yr | 25 |
| Full Sail University | 2.1x | $30,014/yr | 17 |
Related Majors
Explore similar fields of study.
Consider the Trade Route
Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Audio & Video Technology offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.