Prevailing Wage for Audio and Video Technicians
Prevailing wage for Audio and Video Technicians (SOC 27-4011) is set by DOL using regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys. Whether your title is Audio Technician, AV Tech, or Audio Visual Specialist, DOL assigns four experience levels, and the wage floor shifts considerably depending on which U.S. city your worksite sits in.
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Entry-level technicians with limited experience, typically following close supervision and handling routine setup and teardown tasks. Most candidates in this tier have under two years of hands-on AV work and are still building familiarity with mixing boards and signal routing.
Technicians with moderate experience who work independently on standard live-event or production setups. Level 2 is the most common filing level for Audio and Video Technicians, covering candidates who manage complete signal chains without day-to-day supervisory oversight.
Experienced technicians who handle complex multi-camera or large-venue audio configurations, often mentoring junior staff. Candidates at this level typically bring several years of specialized production experience and regularly exercise independent technical judgment on non-routine problems.
Senior or lead technicians with comprehensive expertise across broadcast, live-event, or studio environments. These professionals design system architectures, oversee full production crews, and are recognized as subject-matter authorities within their organizations.
Prevailing Wage for Audio and Video Technicians by OES area
Each shape is a DOL OES area, the unit prevailing wage is published for.
What’s an OES area?
The Department of Labor publishes prevailing wages for geographic zones called OES areas. Every U.S. county belongs to exactly one, and the wage floor applies across the whole area. A worker in Oakland gets the San Francisco metro wage, not a separate Oakland wage.
Top 10 cities · Level 1
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See which U.S. employers are actively hiring for Audio and Video Technicians and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Watch for title aliasing on your LCA
Job postings for AV Specialists or Media Technicians sometimes get filed under broadcast or IT SOC codes instead of 27-4011, setting a different wage floor. Confirm your LCA lists SOC 27-4011 before signing any offer letter.
Account for per-event pay structure gaps
Many AV employers structure comp as a base retainer plus per-show stipends. For prevailing wage purposes, DOL counts only guaranteed annual wages on the LCA, so variable event fees cannot be used to meet the floor.
Compare metros before accepting a venue-tied role
Atlantic City and Seattle post prevailing wages roughly double those in College Station or Logan at every level. If your role is venue-specific, the worksite city on the LCA controls your floor, not your employer's headquarters.
Use Migrate Mate to find sponsors with AV filing history
Broadcast networks, large convention centers, and live-events companies differ sharply in H-1B sponsorship frequency for this role. Migrate Mate shows which employers have historically sponsored Audio and Video Technicians, letting you target outreach efficiently.
Jobs for Audio and Video Technicians are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for Audio and Video TechniciansPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 27-4011.00 alongside Audio and Video Technicians, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Audio Technician Prevailing Wage
Audio Technician Prevailing Wage
Audio Technician positions fall under SOC 27-4011.00 (Audio and Video Technicians). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Audio Visual Specialist (AV Specialist) Prevailing Wage
Audio Visual Specialist (AV Specialist) Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Audio Visual Specialist (AV Specialist) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 27-4011.00 (Audio and Video Technicians). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
AV Tech (Audio Visual Technician) Prevailing Wage
AV Tech (Audio Visual Technician) Prevailing Wage
AV Tech (Audio Visual Technician) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 27-4011.00 (Audio and Video Technicians). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Media Technician Prevailing Wage
Media Technician Prevailing Wage
Media Technician positions fall under SOC 27-4011.00 (Audio and Video Technicians). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Operations Technician Prevailing Wage
Operations Technician Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Operations Technician for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 27-4011.00 (Audio and Video Technicians). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Stagehand Prevailing Wage
Stagehand Prevailing Wage
Stagehand is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 27-4011.00 (Audio and Video Technicians). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Video Technician Prevailing Wage
Video Technician Prevailing Wage
Video Technician positions fall under SOC 27-4011.00 (Audio and Video Technicians). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Audio and Video Technicians?
DOL derives prevailing wages from Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, broken down by SOC code and metropolitan area. For SOC 27-4011, OFLC maps those survey results to four experience levels. Employers sponsoring a worker file a Labor Condition Application certifying the offered wage meets or exceeds the applicable level for the worksite location.
What do the four wage levels mean, and how do I know which one applies to my offer?
Level 1 covers entry-level work under close supervision. Level 2 reflects qualified independent work and is the most common filing level for this occupation. Level 3 applies to experienced technicians with specialized skills and some leadership responsibility. Level 4 covers fully competent senior or lead professionals. Your level should match your actual job duties and experience, not just your job title. If the duties described in the LCA match a higher level, the higher wage floor applies.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same AV role vary so much from city to city?
OFLC uses regional OES survey data, so wages reflect local labor market conditions rather than a single national rate. The worksite address on the LCA determines which metro's wage applies, regardless of where your employer is headquartered. Markets with dense production studios, broadcast networks, or convention infrastructure, such as Seattle or New York, record higher survey wages than smaller or lower-cost metros.
What happens if an employer offers a salary below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
An employer cannot certify a Labor Condition Application with an offered wage below the applicable prevailing wage. OFLC will reject or audit LCAs where the wage does not meet the floor. For H-1B and E-3 petitions, USCIS requires a certified LCA as part of the petition package, so a below-floor offer effectively blocks sponsorship unless the employer raises the salary or files under the correct, lower level.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for Audio and Video Technicians in a specific U.S. city?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool, which lets you query by SOC code (27-4011) and metropolitan area to retrieve the current four-level wage grid for any covered location. You can also review employer LCA disclosure data published by OFLC to see what wages comparable employers have certified for this occupation in your target city. Migrate Mate's job board identifies employers with active sponsorship history for this role, giving you a practical starting point for outreach in your preferred market.
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