Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians: earnings, debt, and careers
CIP 10.02. Official graduate outcomes from the U.S. Department of Education across 560 programs, and the careers this field is linked to.
Graduate earnings by credential level
| Credential | Programs | Graduates (recent year) | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Typical program median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate certificate | 259 | 3,903 | $27,737 | $33,223 | $9,833 7 programs |
| Associate's degree | 217 | 1,919 | $29,515 | $35,660 | $18,499 14 programs |
| Bachelor's degree | 68 | 1,273 | $34,374 | $44,889 | $23,250 15 programs |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 2 | 0 | Data unavailable | $28,950 | Data unavailable |
| Master's degree | 10 | 74 | $46,948 | $64,808 | Data unavailable |
| Graduate certificate | 4 | 0 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
National earnings are published by the Department of Education for each field and credential level Verified data. Typical program median debt is ConnectPrep's calculation: the median across programs of each program's median federal debt Calculated estimate. It covers federal loans only.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most Recent Field of Study Data. Varies by measure; see measure definitions. Published October 15, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Undergraduate certificate programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full Sail University FL · Private, for-profit · 29 graduates measured | $44,955 | $36,188 | $18,375 |
| SAE Expression College · Private, for-profit · 27 graduates measured | $32,877 | Data unavailable | $16,250 |
| Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences AZ · Private, for-profit · 503 graduates measured | $31,781 | $37,556 | $9,399 |
| SAE Institute of Technology-Nashville TN · Private, for-profit · 525 graduates measured | $26,812 | $31,742 | $9,833 |
| Florida Institute of Recording Sound and Technology FL · Private, for-profit · 211 graduates measured | $26,575 | $33,711 | $11,497 |
| Liceo de Arte y Tecnologia PR · Private, for-profit · 71 graduates measured | $17,846 | $22,331 | $9,235 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Associate's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAE Expression College · Private, for-profit · 34 graduates measured | $46,270 | $37,593 | Data unavailable |
| Full Sail University FL · Private, for-profit · 120 graduates measured | $37,886 | $44,156 | $29,076 |
| Institute of Production and Recording (The) · Private, for-profit · 48 graduates measured | $36,917 | $41,042 | Data unavailable |
| Vincennes University IN · Public · 22 graduates measured | $35,943 | $35,421 | Data unavailable |
| University of Cincinnati-Main Campus OH · Public · 26 graduates measured | $34,507 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| University of Cincinnati-Blue Ash College OH · Public · 26 graduates measured | $34,507 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Cincinnati State Technical and Community College OH · Public · 18 graduates measured | $33,286 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Northampton County Area Community College PA · Public · 24 graduates measured | $32,082 | Data unavailable | $13,360 |
| Milwaukee Area Technical College WI · Public · 21 graduates measured | $32,050 | Data unavailable | $16,998 |
| MediaTech Institute-Dallas TX · Private, for-profit · 134 graduates measured | $31,945 | $36,762 | $20,000 |
| MediaTech Institute-Houston · Private, for-profit · 134 graduates measured | $31,945 | $36,762 | $20,000 |
| Hennepin Technical College MN · Public · 19 graduates measured | $31,876 | Data unavailable | $20,000 |
| Guilford Technical Community College NC · Public · 22 graduates measured | $31,786 | $31,784 | Data unavailable |
| Trident Technical College SC · Public · 30 graduates measured | $31,684 | Data unavailable | $6,708 |
| CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College NY · Public · 41 graduates measured | $30,685 | $37,383 | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Bachelor's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowie State University MD · Public · 33 graduates measured | $44,461 | $56,818 | $20,809 |
| Minnesota State University Moorhead MN · Public · 24 graduates measured | $44,000 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Full Sail University FL · Private, for-profit · 553 graduates measured | $38,941 | $44,012 | $40,958 |
| Ball State University IN · Public · 19 graduates measured | $38,739 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Ferris State University MI · Public · 30 graduates measured | $38,520 | $43,507 | $23,250 |
| Belmont University TN · Private, nonprofit · 117 graduates measured | $36,952 | $44,222 | $23,750 |
| Husson University ME · Private, nonprofit · 54 graduates measured | $35,885 | $48,777 | $27,000 |
| Webster University MO · Private, nonprofit · 39 graduates measured | $35,468 | $50,359 | Data unavailable |
| Portland State University OR · Public · 26 graduates measured | $34,345 | Data unavailable | $17,718 |
| SUNY Buffalo State University NY · Public · 44 graduates measured | $32,529 | $45,120 | $25,411 |
| New England Institute of Technology RI · Private, nonprofit · 35 graduates measured | $32,288 | $46,996 | Data unavailable |
| SAE Expression College · Private, for-profit · 34 graduates measured | $32,163 | $50,580 | Data unavailable |
| Columbia College Chicago IL · Private, nonprofit · 79 graduates measured | $31,949 | $43,731 | $27,000 |
| St. John's University-New York NY · Private, nonprofit · 44 graduates measured | $31,036 | $46,022 | $20,938 |
| SAE Institute of Technology-Nashville TN · Private, for-profit · 18 graduates measured | $30,026 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Master's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York Institute of Technology NY · Private, nonprofit · 21 graduates measured | $47,391 | $79,258 | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Careers linked to Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians
| Occupation | Median wage, all workers | Change 2025 to 2035 | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Disc jockeys, except radio | Data unavailable | +3.8% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Court reporters and simultaneous captioners | $72,420 | -0.1% | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Audio and video technicians | $58,100 | +3.9% | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Broadcast technicians | $59,570 | -3.1% | Associate's degree |
| Sound engineering technicians | $73,130 | -3.1% | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Lighting technicians | $68,060 | -4.8% | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Camera operators, television, video, and film | $74,990 | +1.3% | Bachelor's degree |
| Film and video editors | $75,420 | +3.7% | Bachelor's degree |
Occupations mapped to this field in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. Occupation wages describe all workers, not recent graduates.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk. CIP 2020 and SOC 2018 taxonomies. Published April 30, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, National. May 2025 reference period. Published April 30, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, Table 1.2: Occupational projections, 2025-35, and worker characteristics, 2025. Base year 2025, projected year 2035. Published August 27, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Detailed CIP codes in this field (5)
- 10.0201 Photographic and Film/Video Technology/Technician
- 10.0202 Radio and Television Broadcasting Technology/Technician
- 10.0203 Recording Arts Technology/Technician
- 10.0204 Voice Writing Technology/Technician
- 10.0299 Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians, Other