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Light technician salary
Average light technician salary
$40,111
Average Light Technician Salary
The role of a light technician is essential in various industries, from film production to event management. As of October 2025, the average annual salary for light technicians is approximately $40,111, translating to around $19 per hour. Salaries can differ significantly based on factors such as geographic location, years of experience, and the specific industry.
Salary by State
Light technicians in states like California and New York often command higher salaries due to the high demand and cost of living. For instance, in California, the average salary can exceed $45,000 annually, while in Texas, it may be around $38,000.
Job Opportunities
Career opportunities for light technicians are expanding, especially in entertainment and live events. Many companies are seeking skilled technicians for various projects, making this a viable career option.
Conclusion
Understanding the salary trends and opportunities available can guide aspiring light technicians in their career decisions. Whether you are just starting or looking to advance, this information can help you navigate your professional path.
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Where can a Light Technician earn more?
Average light technician salary by state
The average light technician salary in California, Nevada, and Connecticut are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average light technician salary states are Arkansas, Washington, and Minnesota.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for light technicians
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut | $50,458 | $24.26 |
| 2 | Vermont | $48,212 | $23.18 |
| 3 | Nevada | $51,068 | $24.55 |
| 4 | Delaware | $48,476 | $23.31 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $50,372 | $24.22 |
| 6 | Maine | $41,266 | $19.84 |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $49,462 | $23.78 |
| 8 | New York | $46,829 | $22.51 |
| 9 | South Carolina | $41,114 | $19.77 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $47,638 | $22.90 |
| 11 | California | $54,155 | $26.04 |
| 12 | North Carolina | $38,320 | $18.42 |
| 13 | Alaska | $38,815 | $18.66 |
| 14 | Montana | $39,391 | $18.94 |
| 15 | Georgia | $39,286 | $18.89 |
| 16 | Idaho | $41,558 | $19.98 |
| 17 | New Jersey | $39,956 | $19.21 |
| 18 | North Dakota | $41,091 | $19.76 |
| 19 | Wyoming | $40,204 | $19.33 |
| 20 | Indiana | $37,293 | $17.93 |
| 21 | Virginia | $40,267 | $19.36 |
| 22 | Louisiana | $38,226 | $18.38 |
| 23 | District of Columbia | $46,637 | $22.42 |
| 24 | South Dakota | $37,729 | $18.14 |
| 25 | Oklahoma | $36,285 | $17.44 |
| 26 | Iowa | $34,526 | $16.60 |
| 27 | Missouri | $35,895 | $17.26 |
| 28 | Utah | $35,279 | $16.96 |
| 29 | Tennessee | $34,319 | $16.50 |
| 30 | Colorado | $35,688 | $17.16 |
| 31 | West Virginia | $31,922 | $15.35 |
| 32 | Maryland | $37,106 | $17.84 |
| 33 | Florida | $34,437 | $16.56 |
| 34 | Hawaii | $41,184 | $19.80 |
| 35 | Mississippi | $32,439 | $15.60 |
| 36 | Oregon | $37,341 | $17.95 |
| 37 | Michigan | $33,979 | $16.34 |
| 38 | Kansas | $34,443 | $16.56 |
| 39 | Illinois | $34,756 | $16.71 |
| 40 | Pennsylvania | $34,153 | $16.42 |
| 41 | Wisconsin | $31,983 | $15.38 |
| 42 | Arizona | $33,609 | $16.16 |
| 43 | New Mexico | $34,227 | $16.46 |
| 44 | Nebraska | $32,232 | $15.50 |
| 45 | Texas | $33,276 | $16.00 |
| 46 | Kentucky | $30,587 | $14.71 |
| 47 | Minnesota | $31,051 | $14.93 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $31,530 | $15.16 |
| 49 | Alabama | $29,822 | $14.34 |
| 50 | Washington | $31,386 | $15.09 |
| 51 | Ohio | $25,640 | $12.33 |
Highest paying cities for light technicians
The highest-paying cities for light technicians are San Francisco, CA, Las Vegas, NV, and Boston, MA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $55,986 | $26.92 |
| 2 | Las Vegas, NV | $50,960 | $24.50 |
| 3 | Boston, MA | $47,642 | $22.90 |
| 4 | New York, NY | $46,816 | $22.51 |
| 5 | Charlottesville, VA | $39,870 | $19.17 |
| 6 | Atlanta, GA | $39,380 | $18.93 |
| 7 | Atlantic City, NJ | $39,197 | $18.84 |
| 8 | Raleigh, NC | $38,648 | $18.58 |
| 9 | Baltimore, MD | $37,385 | $17.97 |
| 10 | Colorado Springs, CO | $35,711 | $17.17 |
| 11 | West Valley City, UT | $35,237 | $16.94 |
| 12 | Des Plaines, IL | $34,891 | $16.77 |
| 13 | Allentown, PA | $34,681 | $16.67 |
| 14 | Tampa, FL | $34,659 | $16.66 |
| 15 | Brentwood, TN | $34,279 | $16.48 |
| 16 | Detroit, MI | $34,165 | $16.43 |
| 17 | San Antonio, TX | $33,643 | $16.17 |
| 18 | Tucson, AZ | $33,241 | $15.98 |
| 19 | Omaha, NE | $32,141 | $15.45 |
| 20 | Fayetteville, AR | $31,467 | $15.13 |
Light technician salary details
A light technician's salary ranges from $28,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $56,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a light technician's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $56,000 | $4,667 | $27 |
| 75th Percentile | $47,000 | $3,917 | $23 |
| Average | $40,111 | $3,343 | $19 |
| 25th Percentile | $33,000 | $2,750 | $16 |
| 10th Percentile | $28,000 | $2,333 | $13 |
Highest paying light technician jobs
The highest paying types of light technicians are video engineer, audio technician, and audio visual specialist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Video Coordinator | $39,127 | $3,261 | $18.81 | 13,613 |
| Video Production Internship | $33,585 | $2,799 | $16.15 | 105,041 |
| Video Engineer | $100,343 | $8,362 | $48.24 | 8,900 |
| Videographer | $43,620 | $3,635 | $20.97 | 1,267 |
| Audio Visual Technician | $43,529 | $3,627 | $20.93 | 15,387 |
| Studio Technician | $32,545 | $2,712 | $15.65 | 13,598 |
Top companies hiring light technicians now:
Which companies pay light technicians the most?
Light technician salaries at BlackRock and Whitney Museum of American Art are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average light technician salary at companies like Los Angeles County Museum of Art and Univision Communications are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BlackRock | $62,483 | $30.04 |
| 2 | Whitney Museum of American Art | $57,854 | $27.81 |
| 3 | Los Angeles County Museum of Art | $54,364 | $26.14 |
| 4 | Univision Communications | $52,332 | $25.16 |
| 5 | Acuity Brands | $51,206 | $24.62 |
| 6 | Binghamton University | $48,668 | $23.40 |
| 7 | Fox News | $48,498 | $23.32 |
| 8 | M.C. Dean | $47,512 | $22.84 |
| 9 | Orion Lighting | $46,684 | $22.44 |
| 10 | Ingles Markets | $45,772 | $22.01 |
| 11 | AEG | $45,696 | $21.97 |
| 12 | Napleton Automotive Group | $43,921 | $21.12 |
| 13 | Food City | $43,788 | $21.05 |
| 14 | Ferreira Construction Co., Inc. | $43,504 | $20.92 |
| 15 | California Academy of Sciences | $43,439 | $20.88 |
| 16 | Yaamava' Resort & Casino | $42,937 | $20.64 |
| 17 | Window Genie | $42,650 | $20.50 |
| 18 | Bruce Transportation Group | $41,716 | $20.06 |
| 19 | Kitchen Tune-Up Franchise System | $41,388 | $19.90 |
| 20 | Gaylor Electric | $41,097 | $19.76 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Light Technician salary by industry
The average light technician salary varies across industries:
- The average light technician salary in the hospitality industry is $45,296, the highest of any industry.
- The average light technician salary in the finance industry is $43,343.
- Light technicians in the retail industry earn an average salary of $38,274, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for light technicians
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hospitality | $45,296 | $21.78 |
| 2 | Manufacturing | $43,343 | $20.84 |
| 3 | Professional | $40,268 | $19.36 |
| 4 | Media | $38,863 | $18.68 |
| 5 | Retail | $38,274 | $18.40 |
High paying light technician jobs
Light technician salary trends
The average light technician salary has risen by $5,265 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average light technician earned $34,846 annually, but today, they earn $40,111 a year. That works out to a 13% change in pay for light technicians over the last decade.
Compare light technician salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average light technician salary over time
Compare light technician salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Light technician salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $40,100 | $19.28 | +4.2% |
| 2024 | $38,400 | $18.48 | +4.7% |
| 2023 | $36,600 | $17.61 | +3.6% |
| 2022 | $35,300 | $16.98 | -0.1% |
| 2021 | $35,300 | $16.99 | +1.9% |
Recently added light technician salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Napleton Automotive Group | Light Duty Technician | Wayzata, MN | 06/29/2025 | $37,566 |
| Lithia & Driveway | Light Duty Technician | Minnetonka, MN | 06/24/2025 | $40,592 |
| American Heritage Companies | REP Lighting Technician/Operator-The Polar Express Train Ride, Whippany | Downe, NJ | 06/23/2025 | $54,262 |
| Penn Entertainment, Inc. | Sound and Lighting Tech | Vicksburg, MS | 06/17/2025 | $41,740 |
| Tom Wood Group | Light Duty Technician-Richfield Bloomington Honda | Richfield, MN | 06/16/2025 | $36,904 |
| PRG Parking Management LLC | Automated Lighting Technician | San Fernando, CA | 06/10/2025 | $41,740 |
| McNally Enterprises | Lighting Technician | Anaheim, CA | 06/10/2025 | $62,610 |
| Veolia | Lighting Technician | San Francisco, CA | 06/07/2025 | $58,436 |
| Veolia North America | Lighting Technician | San Francisco, CA | 06/06/2025 | $58,436 |
| Walser Automotive Group | Walser Hyundai Coon Rapids Light Duty Technician | Coon Rapids, MN | 06/06/2025 | $45,079 |
Light technician salary FAQs
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