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The differences between audio technicians and stage 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 technician and a stage technician. Additionally, an audio technician has an average salary of $51,473, which is higher than the $40,047 average annual salary of a stage technician.
The top three skills for an audio technician include wireless microphones, video equipment and audio systems. The most important skills for a stage technician are video equipment, venues, and audio equipment.
| Audio Technician | Stage Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $51,473 | $40,047 |
| Hourly rate | $24.75 | $19.25 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 30,951 | 30,456 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
An audio technician is a person who works in a variety of media fields and broadcasting and is responsible for capturing audio signals. They are involved in maintaining audio equipment, setup, speakers and sound mixer, and everything from the cables and microphones to the monitor. Also, audio technicians repair equipment that is faulty to continue recording with minimal disruption to the recording session. They are needed for live production venues, recording studios, television, radio broadcasts, and worship spaces. An audio technician works under a sound engineer who handles the creative process and final mixing involved with audio production.
A stage technician is part of the production and technical side of a stage play performance. The stage technician's job is to work alongside the floor director and the props team in the set up of the stage before a performance and packing it up afterward. Alongside this main role, a stage technician also serves as one of the people involved in the set up of props, lighting, stage equipment, sound placements, and other technical issues needed for a stage performance.
Audio technicians and stage technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Audio Technician | Stage Technician | |
| Average salary | $51,473 | $40,047 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $88,000 | Between $27,000 And $58,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Reno, NV |
| Highest paying state | - | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | - | General Electric |
| Best paying industry | - | Technology |
There are a few differences between an audio technician and a stage technician in terms of educational background:
| Audio Technician | Stage Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Most common major | Music | Theatre |
| Most common college | Johns Hopkins University | Johns Hopkins University |
Here are the differences between audio technicians' and stage technicians' demographics:
| Audio Technician | Stage Technician | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 87.8% Female, 12.2% | Male, 78.4% Female, 21.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 6.3% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 5.1% White, 62.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 6.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.1% Asian, 5.1% White, 62.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |