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Media technician vs stage technician

The differences between media 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 a media technician and a stage technician. Additionally, a media technician has an average salary of $45,576, which is higher than the $40,047 average annual salary of a stage technician.

The top three skills for a media technician include video production, troubleshoot and technical support. The most important skills for a stage technician are video equipment, venues, and audio equipment.

Media technician vs stage technician overview

Media TechnicianStage Technician
Yearly salary$45,576$40,047
Hourly rate$21.91$19.25
Growth rate10%10%
Number of jobs38,42230,456
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 62%Bachelor's Degree, 48%
Average age4242
Years of experience22

What does a media technician do?

Media technicians are professionals who are responsible for setting up and operating audio-visual and computer media equipment and materials. To enhance meetings, lectures, seminars, these technicians are required to schedule and assist the usage of equipment in academic or business settings. They must identify and perform troubleshooting with technical difficulties with online streaming and must effectively communicate with the staff from the information technology (IT) department. Media technicians must also identify sound or multimedia requirements for a given task and perform appropriate actions to produce this sound or media.

What does a stage technician do?

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.

Media technician vs stage technician salary

Media technicians and stage technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

Media TechnicianStage Technician
Average salary$45,576$40,047
Salary rangeBetween $29,000 And $70,000Between $27,000 And $58,000
Highest paying CityStamford, CTReno, NV
Highest paying stateDelawareRhode Island
Best paying companyZoetisGeneral Electric
Best paying industryProfessionalTechnology

Differences between media technician and stage technician education

There are a few differences between a media technician and a stage technician in terms of educational background:

Media TechnicianStage Technician
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 62%Bachelor's Degree, 48%
Most common majorCommunicationTheatre
Most common collegeJohns Hopkins UniversityJohns Hopkins University

Media technician vs stage technician demographics

Here are the differences between media technicians' and stage technicians' demographics:

Media TechnicianStage Technician
Average age4242
Gender ratioMale, 69.7% Female, 30.3%Male, 78.4% Female, 21.6%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 8.9% Unknown, 6.5% Hispanic or Latino, 16.3% Asian, 5.1% White, 62.8% 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 Percentage8%8%

Differences between media technician and stage technician duties and responsibilities

Media 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.
  • Participate in brainstorming sessions, proofread and edit marketing materials, manage magazine inventory.
  • Provide technical support for VTC conference call monitoring, performance reports, troubleshooting of AV/VTC issues and audio/video conferencing relate issues.
  • Provide private IP address ranges for testing.
  • Work with Resolume and Watchout projection mapping software.
  • Input outgoing social media messages into Hootsuite and Facebook daily.
  • Show more

Stage technician example responsibilities.

  • Maintain and manage multiple stages: FOH mix, monitor mix, and video presentation editing mix.
  • Help set with lights, audio sound equipment, stage props, and backline band gear.
  • Work include setup, strike and operation of sound, lighting, and video equipment as well as carpentry and rigging.
  • Assist in the unloading and division of backline equipment.
  • Operate professional audio mixer, utilize on board and off board components, including eq.
  • Install necessary software and update drivers, windows update security policies and group policies through proper network protocols.
  • Show more

Media technician vs stage technician skills

Common media technician skills
  • Video Production, 14%
  • Troubleshoot, 9%
  • Technical Support, 5%
  • Windows, 5%
  • Audio Equipment, 4%
  • Visual Equipment, 4%
Common stage technician skills
  • Video Equipment, 10%
  • Venues, 10%
  • Audio Equipment, 9%
  • Troubleshoot, 9%
  • OSHA, 7%
  • Sound Systems, 7%

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