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The differences between light technicians and audio technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a light technician and an audio technician. Additionally, an audio technician has an average salary of $51,473, which is higher than the $40,111 average annual salary of a light technician.
The top three skills for a light technician include ladders, hand tools and light fixtures. The most important skills for an audio technician are wireless microphones, video equipment, and audio systems.
| Light Technician | Audio Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $40,111 | $51,473 |
| Hourly rate | $19.28 | $24.75 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 31,530 | 30,951 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A light technician is responsible for controlling and setting up all the needed lighting production equipment used in a show or concert. This person acts as an assistant to the lighting engineer or designer who controls and determines what needs to be developed and enhanced. They are the technicians who operate the visual effects, color lights, control switch, reflectors, and dim lights in a live or recorded show. A light technician always keeps the lighting equipment in good shape and condition.
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.
Light technicians and audio technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Light Technician | Audio Technician | |
| Average salary | $40,111 | $51,473 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $56,000 | Between $30,000 And $88,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | - |
| Highest paying state | California | - |
| Best paying company | BlackRock | - |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | - |
There are a few differences between a light technician and an audio technician in terms of educational background:
| Light Technician | Audio Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Most common major | Photography | Music |
| Most common college | New Mexico State University | Johns Hopkins University |
Here are the differences between light technicians' and audio technicians' demographics:
| Light Technician | Audio Technician | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 86.6% Female, 13.4% | Male, 87.8% Female, 12.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 6.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.5% Asian, 5.1% White, 62.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |