SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Set up, operate, and maintain the electronic equipment used to acquire, edit, and transmit audio and video for radio or television programs. Control and adjust incoming and outgoing broadcast signals to regulate sound volume, signal strength, and signal clarity. Operate satellite, microwave, or other transmitter equipment to broadcast radio or television programs.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 27-4012.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $31,390 | $2,616 | $604 | $15.09 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $40,320 | $3,360 | $775 | $19.38 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $59,570 | $4,964 | $1,146 | $28.64 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $83,520 | $6,960 | $1,606 | $40.16 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $123,670 | $10,306 | $2,378 | $59.46 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Broadcast Technicians is $59,570, which is 17% higher. Among the 41 occupations of the field Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media, it ranks number 28 by median pay. With 21,110 jobs, it makes up about 1.4 of every 10,000 jobs in the country. The average ($67,960) is well above the median, a sign that a smaller group of high earners pulls the average up.
Broadcast Technicians pay by state
The highest median pay was in District of Columbia ($108,270), New Hampshire ($81,150) and Pennsylvania ($80,470). The lowest was in West Virginia ($27,310), Mississippi ($27,750) and Utah ($31,490). The most jobs were in California (2,340), New York (1,690) and Texas (1,380). The occupation is most concentrated in District of Columbia, where its share of all jobs is 3.1 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 290 | $108,270 | $99,760 | $52.05 |
| New Hampshire | 170 | $81,150 | $87,240 | $39.01 |
| Pennsylvania | 950 | $80,470 | $85,180 | $38.69 |
| New York | 1,690 | $78,840 | $84,490 | $37.90 |
| Illinois | 690 | $74,210 | $77,070 | $35.68 |
| Colorado | 820 | $74,040 | $76,890 | $35.60 |
| Nevada | 280 | $73,070 | $69,990 | $35.13 |
| Arizona | 530 | $73,040 | $80,880 | $35.12 |
| California | 2,340 | $72,800 | $79,420 | $35.00 |
| Florida | 1,130 | $64,950 | $72,690 | $31.23 |
| Maryland | 460 | $64,030 | $70,490 | $30.79 |
| Wisconsin | 410 | $62,400 | $59,670 | $30.00 |
| Washington | 270 | $62,070 | $64,490 | $29.84 |
| Connecticut | 700 | $58,930 | $66,970 | $28.33 |
| Virginia | 710 | $57,940 | $57,520 | $27.86 |
| Maine | 90 | $55,110 | $58,420 | $26.49 |
| New Mexico | 80 | $49,990 | $53,860 | $24.03 |
| Rhode Island | 110 | $49,580 | $56,700 | $23.84 |
| Texas | 1,380 | $49,440 | $58,700 | $23.77 |
| Hawaii | 70 | $49,200 | $57,990 | $23.65 |
| Ohio | 430 | $48,720 | $54,530 | $23.43 |
| North Dakota | 80 | $48,090 | $50,810 | $23.12 |
| North Carolina | 580 | $47,780 | $56,510 | $22.97 |
| Michigan | 580 | $47,730 | $53,820 | $22.95 |
| Georgia | 440 | $47,340 | $56,560 | $22.76 |
| Tennessee | 400 | $47,340 | $51,190 | $22.76 |
| Alabama | 220 | $47,290 | $50,140 | $22.74 |
| Massachusetts | 560 | $47,260 | $56,340 | $22.72 |
| South Carolina | 210 | $46,860 | $52,100 | $22.53 |
| Iowa | 180 | $46,820 | $50,220 | $22.51 |
| Minnesota | 330 | $46,790 | $52,230 | $22.49 |
| Montana | 60 | $46,600 | $51,380 | $22.41 |
| Idaho | 90 | $44,730 | $54,850 | $21.50 |
| Oklahoma | 240 | $44,530 | $54,100 | $21.41 |
| Louisiana | 120 | $44,440 | $49,040 | $21.37 |
| Oregon | 220 | $44,420 | $50,380 | $21.36 |
| Indiana | 760 | $44,400 | $49,060 | $21.35 |
| Nebraska | 160 | $43,680 | $45,940 | $21.00 |
| Arkansas | 220 | $41,870 | $43,870 | $20.13 |
| Kansas | 90 | $41,600 | $57,170 | $20.00 |
| Missouri | 300 | $41,600 | $50,970 | $20.00 |
| Kentucky | 230 | $40,240 | $40,060 | $19.35 |
| Wyoming | 50 | $39,380 | $43,260 | $18.93 |
| South Dakota | 40 | $32,150 | $37,600 | $15.46 |
| Puerto Rico | 130 | $31,580 | $33,970 | $15.18 |
| Utah | 300 | $31,490 | $39,070 | $15.14 |
| Mississippi | 60 | $27,750 | $39,850 | $13.34 |
| West Virginia | 120 | $27,310 | $33,660 | $13.13 |
| New Jersey | 790 | not published | not published | not published |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists$62,200 a year
- Actors$29.05 an hour
- Interpreters and Translators$60,170 a year
- Audio and Video Technicians$58,100 a year
- Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators$55,490 a year
- Choreographers$55,310 a year
Common questions
How much do Broadcast Technicians earn in the United States?
The median pay was $59,570 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $31,390 and the highest-paid 10% more than $123,670.
How many people work as Broadcast Technicians?
About 21,110 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.
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