Broadcast Technicians Salary
In Richmond, VA, broadcast technicians earn $52,160 at the median, or about $25.08 an hour. The range runs from $26K at the entry level to $78K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.86), that's roughly $53,301 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,655/month, about 48.3% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $52K get you in Richmond?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Richmond’s Regional Price Parity (97.86). 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 broadcast technicians
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What this looks like in Richmond
Pay for broadcast technicians in Richmond runs about 12% below the U.S. median of $60K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,655/month, which is 47.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 97.86) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for broadcast technicianss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for broadcast technicians in metros near Richmond, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $51K | $52K |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria | $75K | $69K |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $53K | $55K |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $45K | $47K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Richmond, VA
Entry-level broadcast technicians (10th percentile) start around $26K. Mid-career wages sit at $52K. Top earners bring in $78K or more, a $52K spread from bottom to top.
Broadcast Technicians pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Broadcast Technicians salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $108K | +82% | 290 |
| New Hampshire | $81K | +36% | 170 |
| Pennsylvania | $80K | +35% | 950 |
| New York | $79K | +32% | 1,690 |
| Illinois | $74K | +25% | 690 |
| Colorado | $74K | +24% | 820 |
| Nevada | $73K | +23% | 280 |
| Arizona | $73K | +23% | 530 |
| California | $73K | +22% | 2,340 |
| Florida | $65K | +9% | 1,130 |
| Maryland | $64K | +7% | 460 |
| Wisconsin | $62K | +5% | 410 |
| Washington | $62K | +4% | 270 |
| Connecticut | $59K | -1% | 700 |
| Virginia | $58K | -3% | 710 |
| Maine | $55K | -7% | 90 |
| New Mexico | $50K | -16% | 80 |
| Rhode Island | $50K | -17% | 110 |
| Texas | $49K | -17% | 1,380 |
| Hawaii | $49K | -17% | 70 |
| Ohio | $49K | -18% | 430 |
| North Dakota | $48K | -19% | 80 |
| North Carolina | $48K | -20% | 580 |
| Michigan | $48K | -20% | 580 |
| Tennessee | $47K | -21% | 400 |
| Georgia | $47K | -21% | 440 |
| Alabama | $47K | -21% | 220 |
| Massachusetts | $47K | -21% | 560 |
| South Carolina | $47K | -21% | 210 |
| Iowa | $47K | -21% | 180 |
| Minnesota | $47K | -21% | 330 |
| Montana | $47K | -22% | 60 |
| Idaho | $45K | -25% | 90 |
| Oklahoma | $45K | -25% | 240 |
| Louisiana | $44K | -25% | 120 |
| Oregon | $44K | -25% | 220 |
| Indiana | $44K | -25% | 760 |
| Nebraska | $44K | -27% | 160 |
| Arkansas | $42K | -30% | 220 |
| Kansas | $42K | -30% | 90 |
| Missouri | $42K | -30% | 300 |
| Kentucky | $40K | -32% | 230 |
| Wyoming | $39K | -34% | 50 |
| South Dakota | $32K | -46% | 40 |
| Utah | $31K | -47% | 300 |
| Mississippi | $28K | -53% | 60 |
| West Virginia | $27K | -54% | 120 |
Showing 1–10 of 47 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track broadcast technicians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Richmond numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a broadcast technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Richmond?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $52K, rent takes 47.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,655/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for broadcast technicians in Richmond?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new broadcast technicians typically earn — is $26K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,549/month. At HUD’s $1,655/month FMR, rent would take 107% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is broadcast technician a high-paying job in Richmond?
Local pay runs 12% below the national median — $52K here vs. $60K nationally.
How does Richmond compare to the national average for broadcast technicians?
Richmond pays $52K median vs. the U.S. average of $60K — that’s -12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $53K — below the national median.
How much do broadcast technicians make in Richmond, VA?
The median is $52,160 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $25,810, and experienced broadcast technicians can clear $77,610. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $52K enough to live in Richmond?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,456/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,655/month, which eats 47.9% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a broadcast technicians salary go in Richmond?
Richmond has a Regional Price Parity of 97.86 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median broadcast technicians salary is worth about $53,301 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do broadcast 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.