How To Become A Stage Technician: What It Is and Career Path

What is a stage technician and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

Scott Boyle

A stage technician is responsible for the technical side of a production and is one of the most vital backstage staff members. The duties of a stage technician include setting up props on stage, operating the audio mixer, running soundboards, maintaining multimedia equipment, and ensuring that all stage equipment is up and running.

In case of technical failure, the stage technician is usually the first one to act. That said, this role requires adequate knowledge and skill in troubleshooting various issues of stage and multimedia equipment. Moreover, a stage technician is responsible for ensuring that the production complies with all safety standards and regulations.

Many stage technicians have a degree in theater, but one can qualify for the role with another major or even a high school diploma as long as one has adequate knowledge and experience with technical operations of stage plays. Apart from being highly skilled in stage equipment operation, stage technicians must also be able to keep their cool during high-pressure situations, which are very common during productions.

What general advice would you give to a stage technician?

Scott Boyle

Associate Professor/Technical Director, University of Minnesota - Duluth

Theater companies are still figuring things out post-pandemic. A lot of experienced workers moved on leaving some companies scrambling for people to fill the vacancies. There's also a lot of financial instability within the theater world. DO YOUR RESEARCH when searching for a job. Search for local articles written about the health of the Arts scene in that area. Look at the cost of housing, food and transportation. Be realistic about what it costs to live and how that stacks up against what the job pays.

ScoreStage TechnicianUS Average

Salary

3.1

Avg. Salary $40,047

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

5.7

Growth rate 10%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.4

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.37%

Asian 5.05%

Black or African American 9.57%

Hispanic or Latino 16.15%

Unknown 6.37%

White 62.49%

Gender

female 21.63%

male 78.37%

Age - 41

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 41

Stress level

5.7

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

6.3

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

6.6

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a stage technician

Explore stage technician education requirements

Most common stage technician degrees

Bachelor's

47.8 %

Associate

22.6 %

High School Diploma

17.6 %

Start to develop specific stage technician skills

Skills	Percentages
Video Equipment	10.21%
Venues	9.81%
Audio Equipment	9.39%
Troubleshoot	9.32%
OSHA	7.27%

Complete relevant stage technician training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New stage technicians learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a stage technician based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real stage technician resumes.

Research stage technician duties and 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.

Prepare your stage technician resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your stage technician resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a stage technician resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable stage technician resume templates

Build a professional stage technician resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your stage technician resume.