AV Engineer vs AV Technician: What's the Difference?

Scroll through AV jobs for long enough and you’ll find two adverts that look almost identical. One says AV technician, the other says AV engineer. Both mention installing equipment, both mention troubleshooting, and both ask for someone who knows their way around a rack. So what’s actually the difference?

The short answer is this. An AV technician is usually focused on getting systems set up and keeping them running day to day. An AV engineer is usually focused on how those systems are designed and configured in the first place. Both are hands-on, but they look at the job from different ends.

What’s the difference between an AV engineer and an AV technician?

The easiest way to see it is to think about one meeting room, from an empty space to a room that works every morning.

• The AV engineer works out what the room needs, chooses the equipment and decides how it all connects. They configure the system, test it properly and sort out the trickier problems.
• The AV technician installs the kit, sets it up and makes sure it runs smoothly. Once the room is in use, they’re often the person who keeps it working and helps people use it.

In other words, the engineer is thinking about how the system should work, and the technician is making sure it does, every single day.

What does an AV technician do?

According to the National Careers Service, day-to-day tasks for an AV technician include:

• setting up and testing sound, lighting and video equipment
• carrying out safety checks before events and fixing faults
• operating equipment during events
• packing equipment away safely afterwards
• training other people in how to use AV equipment safely

You could be working in a conference centre one week and a theatre or a college the next. It’s a role that suits people who like variety and enjoy being where the action is.

What does an AV engineer do?

AV engineers tend to work on the bigger picture. Our AV engineer role guide breaks the job down into a few key areas:

• designing AV solutions around what each client needs
• installing and configuring equipment, like projectors, microphones and control systems
• troubleshooting technical issues
• working closely with project managers and clients
• keeping up with new technology as it comes out

Engineers might work in systems integration, field service, live events or residential projects, so the day-to-day can look very different depending on where you end up.

Where the lines start to blur

Here’s the honest part. Job titles in AV aren’t always used the same way. One company’s “AV engineer” might do exactly what another company calls an “AV technician”, and plenty of field service roles use “engineer” for people who spend most of their day fixing and maintaining kit on site.

That’s why it’s always worth reading the job description rather than going by the title alone. Look at what you’d actually be doing. If it’s mostly installing, operating and supporting, it’s closer to a technician role, whatever it’s called. If there’s a lot of design and system configuration involved, it’s an engineering role.

How do the qualifications compare?

AVIXA’s certifications reflect the difference nicely. The CTS is the general certification that both technicians and engineers often start with. From there, AVIXA offers two specialist routes:

• CTS-I focuses on installation, which suits technicians and installation engineers. You’ll need a valid CTS first, and AVIXA recommends three to four years of experience.
• CTS-D focuses on design, which is where many engineers head as their career develops.

For a full rundown of the certifications and site cards that come up in job adverts, our guide to what qualifications you need to apply for AV jobs goes into more detail.

Can an AV technician become an AV engineer?

Absolutely, and it’s one of the most common ways people progress in AV. Our AV engineer guide maps out a typical path, starting as a junior AV engineer, moving up to AV engineer and senior AV engineer, and then on to AV project manager or technical director.

Time spent as a technician is a real advantage on that path. You’ll have seen how systems work in the real world, which makes you a better engineer when it’s your turn to design them.

Which one is right for you?

If you’re not sure which direction suits you, think about the parts of the job you enjoy most.

• You might enjoy life as an AV technician if you like being hands-on, you enjoy the buzz of an event going live, and you’d rather be on site than behind a screen.
• You might suit an AV engineering role if you love working out how things fit together, you enjoy solving the trickier problems, and you like seeing a project through from the first plan to the finished room.

There’s no wrong answer, and lots of people move between the two over the course of their career.

Find your next AV role

Whether you’re a technician looking for your first step into engineering, or an engineer ready for a bigger challenge, our team can help you find the right fit.