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

What is a surveillance technician and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Surveillance equipment, from CCTV cameras to hidden microphones, has made it easier for law enforcement and private businesses to monitor property and catch crooks. However, in order to use this equipment, companies need someone that knows how to install and maintain it, and that is the job of a surveillance technician.

A surveillance technician can work anywhere from an office building to a casino, wherever a company thinks they need surveillance. They help install cameras and microphones, especially in hard-to-reach places and connect them to networks. Once a system is installed, they help maintain it by troubleshooting any problems.

Surveillance technicians need to know a lot about surveillance equipment, from CCTV cameras to network wiring and electrical cables. Although some surveillance technicians have bachelor's degrees, most learn these necessary skills in a vocational school or by getting an associate's degree in IT systems. Most surveillance technicians learn specifically about surveillance systems while on the job. They earn an average salary of about $35,459 a year.

ScoreSurveillance TechnicianUS Average

Salary

3.2

Avg. Salary $41,279

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

6.4

Growth rate 9%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

4.9

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.06%

Asian 10.38%

Black or African American 9.60%

Hispanic or Latino 16.97%

Unknown 6.19%

White 55.80%

Gender

female 18.29%

male 81.71%

Age - 35

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 - 35

Stress level

6.4

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.2

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

3.8

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a surveillance technician

Explore surveillance technician education requirements

Most common surveillance technician degrees

Bachelor's

44.2 %

Associate

29.5 %

High School Diploma

14.5 %

Start to develop specific surveillance technician skills

Skills	Percentages
Ladders	9.72%
CCTV	7.79%
Construction Sites	7.42%
Surveillance Equipment	6.90%
CST	5.64%

Complete relevant surveillance technician training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New surveillance 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 surveillance technician based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real surveillance technician resumes.

Research surveillance technician duties and responsibilities

Manage implementation and networking of multi-million dollar tactical datalink architecture consisting of windows base and proprietary systems.
Manage numerous outdoor storage locations for government ammunition stockpiles while simultaneously providing rapid logistical support to facilitate employee training.
Switch over to digital recording which involve IP addressing cameras, video encoders, hard drive arrays, and Cisco switches.
Maintain hardware and software systems and manual records require to successfully perform stock control accounting procedures for ammunition and explosives.

Prepare your surveillance technician resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your surveillance 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 surveillance 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 surveillance technician resume templates

Build a professional surveillance 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 surveillance technician resume.