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Audio engineer vs public address technician

The differences between audio engineers and public address technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both an audio engineer and a public address technician. Additionally, an audio engineer has an average salary of $55,853, which is higher than the $39,375 average annual salary of a public address technician.

The top three skills for an audio engineer include video production, audio systems and audio visual. The most important skills for a public address technician are photoshop, GIS, and press releases.

Audio engineer vs public address technician overview

Audio EngineerPublic Address Technician
Yearly salary$55,853$39,375
Hourly rate$26.85$18.93
Growth rate10%10%
Number of jobs1,75013,327
Job satisfaction5-
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 55%Bachelor's Degree, 51%
Average age4242
Years of experience22

Audio engineer vs public address technician salary

Audio engineers and public address technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

Audio EngineerPublic Address Technician
Average salary$55,853$39,375
Salary rangeBetween $30,000 And $102,000Between $25,000 And $60,000
Highest paying CityNovato, CA-
Highest paying stateOregon-
Best paying companyMeta-
Best paying industry--

Differences between audio engineer and public address technician education

There are a few differences between an audio engineer and a public address technician in terms of educational background:

Audio EngineerPublic Address Technician
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 55%Bachelor's Degree, 51%
Most common majorMusicBusiness
Most common collegeJohns Hopkins UniversityNew York University

Audio engineer vs public address technician demographics

Here are the differences between audio engineers' and public address technicians' demographics:

Audio EngineerPublic Address Technician
Average age4242
Gender ratioMale, 92.3% Female, 7.7%Male, 43.7% Female, 56.3%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 5.1% White, 62.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%Black or African American, 8.7% Unknown, 6.8% Hispanic or Latino, 16.1% Asian, 5.0% White, 63.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage8%8%

Differences between audio engineer and public address technician duties and responsibilities

Audio engineer example responsibilities.

  • Manage PowerPoint and mixing music at the same time.
  • Manage troubleshooting of videoconferencing and networking equipment.
  • Freelance engineer for sound reinforcement, broadcast audio, teleconferencing, and truck A1.
  • Serve as audio engineer, sound board operator, and backstage audio technician (A2).
  • Stabilize IFB communication systems for talent/clientele and production teams.
  • Prepare audio, amps, and cords.
  • Show more

Public address technician example responsibilities.

  • Lead false-positive team to identify and resolve network service issues and produce a manual for outsource providers to troubleshoot technical issues.
  • Increase company SharePoint knowledge and assist staff in meeting firm wide SharePoint goals.
  • Utilize SharePoint for document management and control.
  • Work consist of calibration and installation of many electronic transmitters used in monitoring power boiler operations.
  • Operate FOH for various live events including music concerts, comedians, presentations, and speeches.

Audio engineer vs public address technician skills

Common audio engineer skills
  • Video Production, 8%
  • Audio Systems, 7%
  • Audio Visual, 7%
  • Audio Equipment, 7%
  • Troubleshoot, 6%
  • Video Conferencing, 4%
Common public address technician skills
  • Photoshop, 36%
  • GIS, 32%
  • Press Releases, 32%

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