Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
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Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021
27-4015 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. May focus or operate light fixtures, or attach color filters or other lighting accessories. Excludes “Audio and Video Technicians” (27-4011).
National estimates for Lighting Technicians
Industry profile for Lighting Technicians
Geographic profile for Lighting Technicians
National estimates for Lighting Technicians:
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Lighting Technicians:
| Employment (1) |
Employment
RSE (3) |
Mean hourly
wage |
Mean annual
wage (2) |
Wage RSE (3) |
| 4,280 |
13.1 % |
$ 27.89 |
$ 58,020 |
4.0 % |
Percentile wage estimates for Lighting Technicians:
| Percentile |
10% |
25% |
50%
(Median) |
75% |
90% |
| Hourly Wage |
$ 14.54 |
$ 18.50 |
$ 24.75 |
$ 30.17 |
$ 47.15 |
| Annual Wage (2) |
$ 30,230 |
$ 38,470 |
$ 51,470 |
$ 62,750 |
$ 98,070 |
Industry profile for Lighting Technicians:
Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Lighting Technicians are provided.
For a list of all industries with employment in Lighting Technicians, see the Create Customized Tables function.
Industries with the highest levels of employment in Lighting Technicians:
Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Lighting Technicians:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events |
210 |
0.27 |
$ 27.05 |
$ 56,270 |
| Performing Arts Companies |
170 |
0.25 |
$ 24.02 |
$ 49,950 |
| Rental and leasing services (5322, 5323, and 5324 only) |
540 |
0.19 |
$ 24.70 |
$ 51,380 |
| Motion Picture and Video Industries |
360 |
0.12 |
$ 43.24 |
$ 89,950 |
| Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions |
90 |
0.07 |
$ 18.86 |
$ 39,220 |
Top paying industries for Lighting Technicians:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services |
110 |
0.01 |
$ 47.33 |
$ 98,440 |
| Radio and Television Broadcasting |
100 |
0.05 |
$ 43.59 |
$ 90,660 |
| Motion Picture and Video Industries |
360 |
0.12 |
$ 43.24 |
$ 89,950 |
| Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers |
(8) |
(8) |
$ 32.13 |
$ 66,830 |
| Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services |
(8) |
(8) |
$ 29.86 |
$ 62,120 |
Geographic profile for Lighting Technicians:
States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Lighting Technicians are provided.
For a list of all areas with employment in Lighting Technicians, see the Create Customized Tables function.
States with the highest employment level in Lighting Technicians:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| California |
1,100 |
0.07 |
2.19 |
$ 24.65 |
$ 51,270 |
| New Jersey |
550 |
0.14 |
4.67 |
$ 33.71 |
$ 70,110 |
| Florida |
370 |
0.04 |
1.41 |
$ 24.79 |
$ 51,560 |
| New York |
310 |
0.04 |
1.16 |
$ 36.98 |
$ 76,920 |
| Tennessee |
200 |
0.07 |
2.16 |
$ 25.42 |
$ 52,870 |
States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Lighting Technicians:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Nevada |
180 |
0.14 |
4.68 |
$ 18.90 |
$ 39,310 |
| New Jersey |
550 |
0.14 |
4.67 |
$ 33.71 |
$ 70,110 |
| South Dakota |
40 |
0.10 |
3.16 |
$ 20.01 |
$ 41,610 |
| Hawaii |
40 |
0.07 |
2.30 |
(8) |
(8) |
| California |
1,100 |
0.07 |
2.19 |
$ 24.65 |
$ 51,270 |
Top paying states for Lighting Technicians:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Georgia |
120 |
0.03 |
0.93 |
$ 41.54 |
$ 86,410 |
| Texas |
90 |
0.01 |
0.25 |
$ 39.53 |
$ 82,220 |
| New York |
310 |
0.04 |
1.16 |
$ 36.98 |
$ 76,920 |
| South Carolina |
40 |
0.02 |
0.59 |
$ 35.82 |
$ 74,500 |
| New Jersey |
550 |
0.14 |
4.67 |
$ 33.71 |
$ 70,110 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Lighting Technicians:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA |
340 |
0.04 |
1.28 |
$ 38.95 |
$ 81,010 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV |
170 |
0.19 |
6.10 |
$ 18.99 |
$ 39,510 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA |
150 |
0.06 |
2.13 |
$ 24.71 |
$ 51,400 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV |
100 |
0.04 |
1.15 |
$ 29.85 |
$ 62,080 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN |
90 |
0.09 |
3.08 |
$ 26.00 |
$ 54,070 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA |
90 |
0.08 |
2.57 |
$ 41.56 |
$ 86,450 |
| San Diego-Carlsbad, CA |
70 |
0.05 |
1.59 |
$ 21.83 |
$ 45,400 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR |
50 |
0.08 |
2.72 |
$ 26.26 |
$ 54,620 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ |
40 |
0.02 |
0.69 |
$ 23.99 |
$ 49,900 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI |
30 |
0.02 |
0.57 |
$ 15.48 |
$ 32,200 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Lighting Technicians:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV |
170 |
0.19 |
6.10 |
$ 18.99 |
$ 39,510 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN |
90 |
0.09 |
3.08 |
$ 26.00 |
$ 54,070 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR |
50 |
0.08 |
2.72 |
$ 26.26 |
$ 54,620 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA |
90 |
0.08 |
2.57 |
$ 41.56 |
$ 86,450 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA |
150 |
0.06 |
2.13 |
$ 24.71 |
$ 51,400 |
| San Diego-Carlsbad, CA |
70 |
0.05 |
1.59 |
$ 21.83 |
$ 45,400 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA |
340 |
0.04 |
1.28 |
$ 38.95 |
$ 81,010 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV |
100 |
0.04 |
1.15 |
$ 29.85 |
$ 62,080 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ |
40 |
0.02 |
0.69 |
$ 23.99 |
$ 49,900 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI |
30 |
0.02 |
0.57 |
$ 15.48 |
$ 32,200 |
Top paying metropolitan areas for Lighting Technicians:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA |
(8) |
(8) |
(8) |
$ 43.37 |
$ 90,210 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA |
90 |
0.08 |
2.57 |
$ 41.56 |
$ 86,450 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA |
340 |
0.04 |
1.28 |
$ 38.95 |
$ 81,010 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL |
(8) |
(8) |
(8) |
$ 32.40 |
$ 67,380 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV |
100 |
0.04 |
1.15 |
$ 29.85 |
$ 62,080 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA |
(8) |
(8) |
(8) |
$ 26.96 |
$ 56,080 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR |
50 |
0.08 |
2.72 |
$ 26.26 |
$ 54,620 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN |
90 |
0.09 |
3.08 |
$ 26.00 |
$ 54,070 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA |
150 |
0.06 |
2.13 |
$ 24.71 |
$ 51,400 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ |
40 |
0.02 |
0.69 |
$ 23.99 |
$ 49,900 |
About May 2021 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia.
The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.
The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall.
The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median.
More about percentile wages.
(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.
(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours;
for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.
(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.
(8) Estimate not released.
(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration.
A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.
Other OEWS estimates and related information:
May 2021 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2021 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2021 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2021 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2021 Occupation Profiles
Technical Notes
Last Modified Date: March 31, 2022
United States Department of Labor
