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Audio, AV & Live Production Jobs in the USA

Live sound engineers, AV technicians, broadcast audio pros, and church production leads — the hands-on roles that make services, games, concerts, and broadcasts sound right. Your ears and your reps on a console matter more than a diploma.

$45k–$130k+
Typical salary (range by role)
Mostly on-site
Modality
Church · Arena · Broadcast
Settings
No degree
Required (most roles)
The live-audio job market

Live sound engineers, AV technicians, broadcast audio pros, and church production leads — the hands-on roles that make services, games, concerts, and broadcasts sound right. These are on-site, in-the-room jobs where your ears and your reps on a console matter more than a diploma. We list real, verified openings across houses of worship, arenas, broadcast facilities, and corporate AV teams.

Search "audio engineer jobs" or "sound engineer jobs" on a big aggregator and you'll wade through recording-studio fantasies, unpaid "exposure" gigs, and corporate AV listings that bury the actual audio work under IT ticket queues. This page is narrower on purpose: hands-on live-production and AV roles where running a console, patching a stage, or keeping a broadcast on air is the point of the hire.

The category is broader than most people think. It runs from front-of-house and monitor engineers mixing live shows, to AV technicians setting up conference and event spaces, to broadcast audio engineers keeping a 24/7 signal clean, to church production leads who mix worship and run a volunteer tech team every weekend. Houses of worship in particular are one of the largest and steadiest employers of live-audio talent in the country — and one of the least-covered by mainstream job boards.

One honest note up front: pay tracks the room, not the résumé. An experienced engineer at a broadcast network or a large multi-site church can clear six figures, while an entry-level AV tech or audio assistant starts hourly. What moves you up is reps on real gear — digital consoles, Dante/AV-over-IP networks, RF wrangling — and a reputation for calm hands when something breaks during a live event.

What you'll find here

Types of audio, AV & live-production jobs

Not all audio jobs are alike — the gear and the day-to-day vary a lot. Here are the formats you'll see most often:

Live sound / front-of-house (FOH) engineer. Mixes the main house sound for services, concerts, and events on a digital console. Reads a room and a stage plot; lives and dies by the soundcheck.

Monitor engineer (A2). Runs the on-stage mixes and in-ears so performers hear themselves. Detail-oriented, fast, and unflappable during a show.

Audio assistant / stagehand. Sets up mics, stands, speakers, and cabling; distributes wireless and IFBs; troubleshoots on the fly. The most common entry point into live sound.

AV technician. Supports audio, video, and conferencing for events and meeting spaces — setup, teardown, live streaming, and rapid troubleshooting. Strong in corporate, hospitality, and campus settings.

AV integration / installation technician. Installs racks, runs and terminates cable, and commissions permanent AV systems to spec. A trades-style path into professional AV.

Broadcast audio engineer. Handles audio for radio, TV, podcast, and streaming — mixing, routing, and keeping the signal clean on deadline, often around the clock.

Church / worship production lead. Mixes worship audio and runs lighting, cameras, and a volunteer tech team for weekend services. Blends live-production skill with people leadership.

AVL systems consultant / integrator. Designs and delivers audio/video/lighting projects for clients — especially houses of worship — from design through install, training, and support.

The real numbers

How much do audio & AV jobs pay?

Pay in live audio and AV is wide — it tracks the setting and your experience more than your credential. Here's what BLS occupation data and current live postings show:

  • Live sound / audio engineers — BLS puts the median for Sound Engineering Technicians in the mid-$60Ks (about $66,400 in the May 2024 OEWS release), but that flattens a wide range. Touring and arena work commonly pays $30–$40+/hour (a live-events Audio Assistant posting on JobSnag lists $38/hour at a major DC arena), and experienced broadcast leaders go far higher (see below).
  • AV technicians — BLS Audio and Video Technicians sit near the mid-$50Ks median; entry hourly runs $22–$30/hour (an on-site AV Technician posting on JobSnag lists $22.60–$30.29/hour), while AV integration/installation techs typically land $45k–$65k.
  • Broadcast audio engineers / supervisors$70k–$140k+ depending on market and seniority. A live Audio Engineering Supervisor posting on JobSnag lists $124,200–$136,000/year.
  • Church / worship production leads & tech directors — typically $45k–$75k, higher at large multi-site churches.
  • AVL systems consultants / integrators — generally $60k–$90k+, more with AVIXA CTS certification and project-management experience.

Honest caveat: a lot of live work is part-time, seasonal, or per-event before it becomes a salaried role. Stacking event gigs (arena + church + corporate) is a normal and legitimate way people build to full-time in this field.

Getting started

How to break into live audio & AV without a degree

Live audio is one of the few fields where showing up and running gear beats a diploma. The recurring advice on r/livesound is the same year after year: volunteer, learn the console, and be reliable. How to build that history:

  1. Volunteer at a church or venue. Houses of worship are the single best on-ramp — most train volunteers on real digital consoles every single week, and many hire from that pool.
  2. Learn one digital console well. Behringer X32/Midas, Yamaha, DiGiCo, or Allen & Heath — pick one and get fluent. Free offline editor apps let you practice mixing without the hardware.
  3. Take the entry gigs. Audio assistant, A2, and AV setup roles are how nearly everyone starts. Reliability and calm hands get you invited back — that's the whole game early on.
  4. Learn the network layer. Dante / AV-over-IP and basic RF (wireless mic) coordination are what separate a stagehand from an engineer. A little networking knowledge goes a long way.
  5. Build a reputation, not just a résumé. This field hires on word of mouth. Show up early, label your cables, stay till strike is done — the next call comes from the people you worked with.
Protect yourself

How to spot a live-production / AV job scam

A legitimate employer will never ask you to pay for "equipment," buy gift cards, or send money to get started. If they do, it's a scam.

Red flags that are common in this category:

  • A "sound tech / AV" offer with no interview, arriving by text or DM, that pays unusually well for vague work.
  • A request to buy your own gear or software through a specific link and get "reimbursed later."
  • A check to deposit before you start, with instructions to send part of it back — always fraud.
  • Any request for bank, SSN, or payment details before a real interview and offer.
  • A real-looking venue or church name, but contact only from a personal Gmail or a texting app with no official domain.

We review every listing before publishing. When you search elsewhere, this list is your filter.

Frequently asked questions

Audio, AV & live production jobs — FAQ

What kinds of audio and AV jobs are available?

Live sound / front-of-house engineers, monitor engineers (A2), audio assistants, AV technicians, AV integration/installation techs, broadcast audio engineers, church/worship production leads, and AVL systems consultants — across houses of worship, arenas, broadcast facilities, corporate offices, and event venues.

How much do live audio and AV jobs pay?

Entry AV and audio-assistant roles usually run $22–$40/hour; AV integration and church production roles land roughly $45k–$75k; broadcast audio engineers and supervisors reach $70k–$140k+. Pay tracks the setting and your console experience more than your degree.

Do I need a degree to work in live audio or AV?

No, for most roles. Employers hire on demonstrated skill — reps on a real console, AV setups you've run, references who vouch for you. A degree or AVIXA CTS certification helps for senior integration and broadcast roles but isn't a gate for getting started.

Are these jobs remote?

Mostly not — live production and AV are hands-on, on-site work. Some broadcast and AVL-consulting roles are hybrid with a remote-support component, but the core of this category happens in the room.

How do I get started with no experience?

Volunteer at a local church or venue, learn one digital console well, and take entry-level audio-assistant or AV-setup gigs. Reliability and a growing reputation move you up faster than anything on paper.

How do I spot an audio/AV job scam?

Legitimate employers never ask you to pay for equipment, deposit a check and wire money back, or hand over bank details before a real interview. Offers with no interview, contact only via a texting app, or "buy your own gear through this link" are red flags.

Bottom line

Is a live audio or AV job worth pursuing?

Live audio and AV is one of the few fields where what you can do on a console outweighs where you went to school. The work is hands-on and genuinely in-demand — every church, arena, broadcaster, and conference center needs people who can make it sound right and fix it fast when it doesn't. The honest caveats: a lot of it starts part-time, seasonal, or per-event, and the hours skew nights and weekends around the event calendar. Go in expecting to stack gigs and build a reputation, and it's one of the most reliable no-degree paths into skilled, well-paid technical work.

Check the listings above, apply to several this week, and remember: if an "employer" ever asks you to pay for gear or wire money back, close the tab.