Lighting Technicians
Set up, maintain, and dismantle light fixtures, lighting control devices, and the associated lighting electrical and rigging equipment used for photography, television, film, video, and live productions.
About the profession
Set up, maintain, and dismantle light fixtures, lighting control devices, and the associated lighting electrical and rigging equipment used for photography, television, film, video, and live productions. May focus or operate light fixtures, or attach color filters or other lighting accessories.
How to Get Started
Take a personality test to see if Lighting Technicians fits your profile
Career Match Test →Explore the Career Path section to see progression from junior to senior
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Jump to Learning Path →Video
Occupation on screen: Lighting Technicians (O*NET 27-4015.00). Closed captions in English and Spanish. CareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration)
Personality Fit
Based on the Lighting Technicians role, here are the RIASEC personality types that tend to thrive in this career. While these alignments are common, individual success depends on motivation, skill development, and finding the right work environment.
Realistic
Hands-on, practical, technical work
Investigative
Research, analysis, problem-solving
Conventional
Organizing, detail-oriented, structured
Not sure if these types match you? Take the full RIASEC assessment (4 min) to discover your personality profile and see how it aligns with hundreds of careers.
Career Path
Your career progression roadmap with salary growth at each level
Career Ladder
Junior Lighting Technician → Practitioner Lighting Technician → Senior Practitioner Lighting Technician → Lead Lighting Technician
Where are you on this career path?
Click a level below to set your current position
Salary Growth
4
Levels
$127K
Top Salary
8+
Years
Learning Path
Skills you need to develop and courses to get there
🚀
Set your current level first
Go to the Career Path tab and select your current level to see your personalized learning plan.
Go to Career PathCareer levels
Timeline: 0-2 | Entry Level Base: $37,680 - $59,908/year With equity/bonuses: $41,448 - $71,890 Top markets (SF/NYC): $43,332 - $71,890 Execute core tasks using Lighting Control…
Skills used in this career
Click any skill to see how to learn it and what salary boost it gives
Day in Life
Junior vs Senior, daily schedule breakdown
9am, Consult with lighting director or production staff to determine lighting requirements. 10am, Load, unload, or position lighting equipment.
Income Dynamics
Conservative and aggressive scenarios for 10–15 years
Year 1: Entry level $26,376 - $53,917 Year 2-3: Junior level $59,908 - $78,028 Year 4-6: Mid level $78,028 - $84,599 Year 7-10: Senior level $84,599 - $109,581 Year 10+:…
Is this for me?
15 questions, answer honestly
You find the craft of a Lighting Technician genuinely interesting, not just a paycheck You enjoy working with Lighting Control Systems and Electrical Wiring and Circuits You…
💰 Salary Range
BLS OEWS, May 2023Half of U.S. workers in this occupation earn more than this, half earn less.
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Related Reading
Related Holland / RIASEC Types