Lighting Technicians Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for lighting technicianss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- Washington$128,570
- California$93,240
- New Jersey$90,900
- New York$86,010
- Georgia$80,730
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- South Carolina$46,770
- Texas$52,400
- Utah$53,860
- Nebraska$54,630
- Kansas$54,660
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $128,570 | $126,100 | $62 | +64% | 80 |
| 2 | California | $93,240 | $94,070 | $45 | +19% | 2,950 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $90,900 | $87,550 | $44 | +16% | 340 |
| 4 | New York | $86,010 | $78,000 | $41 | +9.7% | 780 |
| 5 | Georgia | $80,730 | $70,150 | $39 | +3% | 260 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $77,880 | $72,450 | $37 | -0.6% | 80 |
| 7 | Louisiana | $76,720 | $66,840 | $37 | -2.1% | 40 |
| 8 | Tennessee | $75,390 | $60,870 | $36 | -3.8% | 280 |
| 9 | Oklahoma | $74,340 | $67,110 | $36 | -5.2% | 60 |
| 10 | Oregon | $68,750 | $57,900 | $33 | -12.3% | 180 |
| 11 | Massachusetts | $65,850 | $60,110 | $32 | -16% | — |
| 12 | Florida | $64,900 | $62,190 | $31 | -17.2% | 600 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | $64,280 | $57,660 | $31 | -18% | 100 |
| 14 | Indiana | $63,970 | $50,080 | $31 | -18.4% | 190 |
| 15 | Nevada | $61,920 | $61,250 | $30 | -21% | 390 |
| 16 | Missouri | $60,360 | $41,900 | $29 | -23% | 90 |
| 17 | Maryland | $59,940 | $49,080 | $29 | -23.5% | 130 |
| 18 | Michigan | $58,090 | $60,210 | $28 | -25.9% | 230 |
| 19 | North Carolina | $56,820 | $49,410 | $27 | -27.5% | — |
| 20 | Montana | $56,100 | $54,870 | $27 | -28.4% | 50 |
| 21 | Virginia | $55,910 | $60,340 | $27 | -28.7% | 190 |
| 22 | Ohio | $54,700 | $54,940 | $26 | -30.2% | 260 |
| 23 | Kansas | $54,660 | $48,790 | $26 | -30.3% | — |
| 24 | Nebraska | $54,630 | $49,860 | $26 | -30.3% | — |
| 25 | Utah | $53,860 | $49,080 | $26 | -31.3% | 120 |
| 26 | Texas | $52,400 | $53,150 | $25 | -33.1% | 210 |
| 27 | South Carolina | $46,770 | $46,720 | $22 | -40.3% | 60 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 30 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $126,110 | $131,060 | 70 |
| 2 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $105,010 | $101,180 | 2,040 |
| 3 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $87,510 | $92,420 | 720 |
| 4 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $79,380 | $68,490 | 240 |
| 5 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $74,000 | $89,610 | 320 |
| 6 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $72,790 | $79,610 | 130 |
| 7 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $70,970 | $80,480 | 70 |
| 8 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $70,150 | $79,140 | 200 |
| 9 | Oklahoma City, OK | $67,110 | $79,510 | 40 |
| 10 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $67,080 | $65,820 | 50 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing lighting technicianss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries | $109,560 | $113,120 | 2,070 |
| 2 | Motion Picture and Video Industries | $109,560 | $114,120 | 2,040 |
| 3 | Sector 51 - Information | $109,560 | $113,260 | 2,200 |
| 4 | Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services | $94,470 | $94,690 | — |
| 5 | Accommodation | $87,550 | $81,120 | 260 |
| 6 | Traveler Accommodation | $87,550 | $81,120 | 260 |
| 7 | Casino Hotels | $87,550 | $81,280 | 260 |
| 8 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $79,880 | $79,650 | 980 |
| 9 | Sector 54 - Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $79,880 | $79,650 | 980 |
| 10 | Other Support Services | $79,640 | $87,930 | 140 |
| 11 | Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries | $79,380 | $73,210 | 220 |
| 12 | Amusement Parks and Arcades | $79,380 | $72,280 | 180 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do lighting technicians make in the U.S.?
The median lighting technicians salary in the United States is $68,060 per year (mean $78,380), and about 80% earn between $42,310 and $130,760.
How much do lighting technicians make per hour?
Roughly $38 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $78,380 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays lighting technicians the most?
Washington has the highest average pay for lighting technicians at $128,570 per year (median $126,100).
What is the job outlook for lighting technicians?
Employment is projected to change -4.6% from 2024 to 2034 (Decline), with about 800 openings per year.
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