Audio and Video Technicians Salary
The median pay for a audio and video technicians in Charleston, WV is $46,590/year ($22.4/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $88K for experienced workers.
So what does $47K get you in Charleston?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Charleston’s Regional Price Parity (88.7). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About audio and video technicians
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Charleston
Pay for audio and video technicians in Charleston runs about 20% below the U.S. median of $58K. Rent runs $874/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.7 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for audio and video technicians in metros near Charleston, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Huntington-Ashland | $46K | , |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $62K | , |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $65K | , |
| Pittsburgh | $51K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Charleston, WV
Entry-level audio and video technicians (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $47K. Top earners bring in $88K or more, a $53K spread from bottom to top.
Audio and Video Technicians pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Audio and Video Technicians salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $79K | +36% | 830 |
| New Jersey | $71K | +22% | 2,280 |
| Maryland | $70K | +21% | 1,770 |
| Washington | $69K | +19% | 1,360 |
| New York | $68K | +16% | 7,990 |
| California | $65K | +11% | 9,280 |
| Rhode Island | $64K | +10% | 150 |
| Nevada | $63K | +8% | 1,580 |
| Connecticut | $62K | +7% | 820 |
| Alaska | $62K | +7% | 70 |
| Illinois | $61K | +5% | 3,020 |
| Hawaii | $60K | +4% | 430 |
| Delaware | $60K | +3% | 130 |
| Michigan | $58K | +0% | 1,700 |
| Pennsylvania | $57K | -2% | 3,080 |
| Colorado | $57K | -2% | 830 |
| New Hampshire | $56K | -3% | 170 |
| Florida | $54K | -7% | 6,000 |
| Virginia | $54K | -7% | 1,900 |
| Minnesota | $54K | -7% | 960 |
| Oregon | $52K | -10% | 630 |
| South Carolina | $52K | -10% | 440 |
| Vermont | $52K | -11% | 170 |
| Wisconsin | $51K | -12% | 760 |
| Georgia | $51K | -12% | 1,630 |
| Iowa | $51K | -12% | 290 |
| Missouri | $51K | -13% | 1,370 |
| Nebraska | $51K | -13% | 290 |
| Alabama | $50K | -14% | 320 |
| North Dakota | $50K | -14% | 100 |
| Kansas | $50K | -14% | 220 |
| Tennessee | $50K | -14% | 1,640 |
| Idaho | $50K | -14% | 210 |
| Ohio | $50K | -14% | 1,430 |
| Indiana | $50K | -14% | 1,390 |
| Wyoming | $50K | -14% | 50 |
| Texas | $49K | -15% | 4,280 |
| Oklahoma | $49K | -16% | 540 |
| Utah | $49K | -16% | 1,880 |
| Kentucky | $48K | -17% | 600 |
| Arizona | $47K | -19% | 1,340 |
| New Mexico | $47K | -19% | 420 |
| Montana | $47K | -20% | 140 |
| North Carolina | $47K | -20% | 1,870 |
| West Virginia | $47K | -20% | 200 |
| Maine | $46K | -21% | 150 |
| Louisiana | $44K | -23% | 860 |
| Arkansas | $44K | -24% | 150 |
| Mississippi | $44K | -25% | 200 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track audio and video technicians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Charleston numbers change.
Related careers in Arts & Media
Frequently asked questions
Can a audio and video technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Charleston?
Yes — at the median salary of $47K, rent takes 27.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $874/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for audio and video technicians in Charleston?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new audio and video technicians typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,138/month. At HUD’s $874/month FMR, rent would take 41% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is audio and video technician a high-paying job in Charleston?
Local pay runs 20% below the national median — $47K here vs. $58K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Charleston compare to the national average for audio and video technicians?
Charleston pays $47K median vs. the U.S. average of $58K — that’s -20%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.7), the purchasing-power equivalent is $53K — below the national median.
How much do audio and video technicians make in Charleston, WV?
The median is $46,590 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,630, and experienced audio and video technicians can clear $88,380. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $47K enough to live in Charleston?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,160/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $874/month, which eats 27.7% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a audio and video technicians salary go in Charleston?
Charleston has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median audio and video technicians salary is worth about $52,525 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do audio and video technicians get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.