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The role of a Broadcast Engineer involves the maintenance and operation of broadcasting equipment, ensuring that signals are transmitted effectively. As of October 2025, the average annual salary for broadcast engineers stands at about $70,490. This figure can fluctuate significantly based on factors such as geographic location, years of experience, and the specific industry segment.
Broadcast engineers in states like California and New York often see higher salaries due to the cost of living and demand for broadcasting services. For example, the highest paying states for broadcast engineers can offer salaries exceeding $80,000 annually.
Entry-level positions typically start lower, around $50,000, but with experience, engineers can command salaries in the upper ranges. Specializing in areas such as digital broadcasting or telecommunications can further enhance earning potential.
For those interested in becoming a broadcast engineer, job prospects remain strong, particularly as the media landscape continues to evolve. Positions are available in television, radio, and online platforms, providing a variety of opportunities across the country.
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The highest-paying states for broadcast engineers are Virginia, New York, and Oregon. The lowest average broadcast engineer salary states are Hawaii, Kansas, and Mississippi.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virginia | $104,962 | $50.46 |
| 2 | New York | $99,704 | $47.93 |
| 3 | Oregon | $87,260 | $41.95 |
| 4 | Colorado | $80,824 | $38.86 |
| 5 | Texas | $82,001 | $39.42 |
| 6 | California | $84,390 | $40.57 |
| 7 | Ohio | $85,184 | $40.95 |
| 8 | Florida | $76,746 | $36.90 |
| 9 | Maine | $86,772 | $41.72 |
| 10 | Delaware | $74,487 | $35.81 |
| 11 | West Virginia | $85,685 | $41.19 |
| 12 | Kentucky | $80,781 | $38.84 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $74,154 | $35.65 |
| 14 | Rhode Island | $76,433 | $36.75 |
| 15 | Washington | $71,721 | $34.48 |
| 16 | Utah | $70,767 | $34.02 |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | $75,321 | $36.21 |
| 18 | Connecticut | $76,152 | $36.61 |
| 19 | Nevada | $72,706 | $34.95 |
| 20 | Oklahoma | $78,026 | $37.51 |
| 21 | South Carolina | $73,467 | $35.32 |
| 22 | District of Columbia | $73,483 | $35.33 |
| 23 | Vermont | $71,335 | $34.30 |
| 24 | North Carolina | $69,188 | $33.26 |
| 25 | Michigan | $66,801 | $32.12 |
| 26 | Louisiana | $71,040 | $34.15 |
| 27 | Massachusetts | $68,410 | $32.89 |
| 28 | Illinois | $67,178 | $32.30 |
| 29 | Wyoming | $62,253 | $29.93 |
| 30 | Maryland | $66,633 | $32.04 |
| 31 | South Dakota | $67,963 | $32.67 |
| 32 | New Jersey | $69,095 | $33.22 |
| 33 | Minnesota | $65,354 | $31.42 |
| 34 | Montana | $67,270 | $32.34 |
| 35 | Alabama | $60,703 | $29.18 |
| 36 | Arizona | $61,001 | $29.33 |
| 37 | Indiana | $60,098 | $28.89 |
| 38 | North Dakota | $63,835 | $30.69 |
| 39 | New Mexico | $62,286 | $29.95 |
| 40 | Georgia | $60,612 | $29.14 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $59,573 | $28.64 |
| 42 | Tennessee | $60,781 | $29.22 |
| 43 | Hawaii | $57,929 | $27.85 |
| 44 | Idaho | $59,982 | $28.84 |
| 45 | Wisconsin | $59,434 | $28.57 |
| 46 | Nebraska | $54,296 | $26.10 |
| 47 | Iowa | $58,452 | $28.10 |
| 48 | Alaska | $49,974 | $24.03 |
| 49 | Kansas | $57,646 | $27.71 |
| 50 | Missouri | $55,846 | $26.85 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $55,930 | $26.89 |
The highest-paying cities for broadcast engineers are Arlington, VA, New York, NY, and Sacramento, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arlington, VA | $106,549 | $51.23 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $99,822 | $47.99 |
| 3 | Sacramento, CA | $90,558 | $43.54 |
| 4 | Cleveland, OH | $86,591 | $41.63 |
| 5 | Irving, TX | $82,473 | $39.65 |
| 6 | Centennial, CO | $80,864 | $38.88 |
| 7 | Saint Petersburg, FL | $76,903 | $36.97 |
| 8 | Hartford, CT | $76,296 | $36.68 |
| 9 | Philadelphia, PA | $75,712 | $36.40 |
| 10 | Washington, DC | $73,576 | $35.37 |
| 11 | Seattle, WA | $72,366 | $34.79 |
| 12 | Raleigh, NC | $70,052 | $33.68 |
| 13 | Missoula, MT | $69,215 | $33.28 |
| 14 | Jersey City, NJ | $69,192 | $33.27 |
| 15 | Boston, MA | $68,413 | $32.89 |
| 16 | Detroit, MI | $67,146 | $32.28 |
| 17 | Columbia, MD | $66,692 | $32.06 |
| 18 | Minneapolis, MN | $65,436 | $31.46 |
| 19 | Rock Island, IL | $65,177 | $31.34 |
| 20 | Bismarck, ND | $63,621 | $30.59 |
A broadcast engineer's salary ranges from $50,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $98,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $98,000 | $8,167 | $47 |
| 75th Percentile | $84,000 | $7,000 | $40 |
| Average | $70,490 | $5,874 | $34 |
| 25th Percentile | $59,000 | $4,917 | $28 |
| 10th Percentile | $50,000 | $4,167 | $24 |
The highest paying types of broadcast engineers are remote broadcast engineer, master control engineer, and station engineer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Master Control Operator | $52,528 | $4,377 | $25.25 | 70,063 |
| Board Operator | $42,557 | $3,546 | $20.46 | 31,348 |
| Remote Broadcast Technician | $29,076 | $2,423 | $13.98 | 31,162 |
| Audio/Video Engineer | $85,179 | $7,098 | $40.95 | 9,309 |
| Engineer | $92,076 | $7,673 | $44.27 | 618,207 |
| Audio Engineer | $55,853 | $4,654 | $26.85 | 1,750 |
Top companies hiring broadcast engineers now:
Broadcast engineer salaries at Apple and Altice USA are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average broadcast engineer salary at companies like Boston College and Advanced Systems Group are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Apple | $134,351 | $64.59 |
| 2 | Altice USA | $100,328 | $48.23 |
| 3 | Boston College | $97,208 | $46.73 |
| 4 | Advanced Systems Group | $96,300 | $46.30 |
| 5 | Globecomm | $94,670 | $45.51 |
| 6 | Fox News | $92,272 | $44.36 |
| 7 | TEKsystems | $85,576 | $41.14 |
| 8 | The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation | $84,552 | $40.65 |
| 9 | AMC Networks | $83,851 | $40.31 |
| 10 | Zoetis | $83,264 | $40.03 |
| 11 | Univision Communications | $80,824 | $38.86 |
| 12 | NBCUniversal | $80,778 | $38.84 |
| 13 | Riot Games | $78,420 | $37.70 |
| 14 | T-Mobile | $77,409 | $37.22 |
| 15 | Comcast | $77,004 | $37.02 |
| 16 | WNYC | $76,724 | $36.89 |
| 17 | WarnerMedia | $76,708 | $36.88 |
| 18 | NEP Group | $75,729 | $36.41 |
| 19 | The Edward W Scripps Trust | $75,729 | $36.41 |
| 20 | DIRECTV Puerto Rico | $74,346 | $35.74 |
The average broadcast engineer salary has risen by $11,325 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average broadcast engineer earned $59,165 annually, but today, they earn $70,490 a year. That works out to a 13% change in pay for broadcast engineers over the last decade.
Compare broadcast engineer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare broadcast engineer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $70,500 | $33.89 | +6.9% |
| 2024 | $65,600 | $31.56 | +1.2% |
| 2023 | $64,800 | $31.17 | +2.5% |
| 2022 | $63,200 | $30.38 | +1.3% |
| 2021 | $62,400 | $29.98 | +2.7% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fox | Senior Broadcast Engineer | Tempe, AZ | 06/28/2025 | $143,000 |
| Teampeople | Senior Broadcast Engineer | Sunnyvale, CA | 06/25/2025 | $165,000 |
| Major League Baseball Players Association | Senior Broadcast Engineer | New York, NY | 06/22/2025 | $110,000 |
| Corporation for Public Broadcasting | Senior Broadcast Engineer | Cleveland, OH | 06/20/2025 | $65,000 |
| Ideastream Public Media | Senior Broadcast Engineer | Cleveland, OH | 06/20/2025 | $65,000 |
| Langston University | Chief Broadcast Engineer | Langston, OK | 06/18/2025 | $70,000 |
| Cosm | Broadcast Engineer | Los Angeles, CA | 06/14/2025 | $90,000 |
| Sinclair Broadcast Group | Broadcast Engineer | Eureka, CA | 06/11/2025 | $44,871 |
| MLB | Senior Broadcast Engineer | New York, NY | 06/11/2025 | $110,000 |
| Advanced Systems Group | Senior Broadcast Engineer-(California Based) | Los Angeles, CA | 06/11/2025 | $130,000 |
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