Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians: is this undergraduate certificate or diploma worth it?
National picture across 16 reporting college programs.
Personal baseline needed
$33,711 in median year-4 earnings
A credible return for this credential must start with what the student would otherwise earn. The federal data does not provide that personal baseline.
$33,711Median year-4 earnings
$20,141Average institution net-price context
$12,547Median federal debt
Four useful answers about Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians
How much do Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians undergraduate certificate or diploma graduates earn?
The national median is $33,711 four years after completion across reportable undergraduate certificate or diploma programs in this federal field.
How much federal debt do graduates have?
The median reported federal debt is $12,547. The figure excludes private loans and does not describe every graduate.
Does the college matter for Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians?
Yes. The middle half of reporting programs ranges from $31,742 to $36,188 in observed year-4 earnings.
What careers are related to Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians?
DegreeVerdict links this field to 8 displayed occupations using the official federal CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupational wages are career context, not graduate salary promises.
Observed national outcomes
$33,711Median reported earnings · year 4
$29,507Average reported earnings · year 5
$12,547Median federal debt
16thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
2,175IPEDS 2023–24 first-major awards across matched colleges
13With year-4 earnings
The award total covers 15 matched college records and is not extrapolated to colleges without a match.
The same field can produce a different equation.
Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts, not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.
CURRENT VIEW
Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
- Year-4 earnings
- $33,711
- Federal debt
- $12,547
- Reporting programs
- 16
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $33,442
- Federal debt
- $17,623
- Reporting programs
- 35
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $45,120
- Federal debt
- $27,000
- Reporting programs
- 27
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $74,573
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 3
Where the middle half of programs lands
Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.
Median
25th percentile$31,742National median$33,71175th percentile$36,188
13 programs report year‑4 earnings.DECISION CHECK
What to compare before choosing a program
The national result is only the starting point. Price, debt and the college-level earnings spread can materially change the payoff.
PRICE × EARNINGS MAP
Where colleges sit for this exact degree
Move left for a lower annual college-wide net price and up for higher observed year-4 earnings.
$37,556Observed year-4 earnings$13,156
Northeast Community College$8,544 price · $42,499 earningsConservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences$22,990 price · $37,556 earningsWestern Iowa Tech Community College$8,770 price · $37,065 earningsFull Sail University$38,875 price · $36,188 earningsSpokane Falls Community College$7,409 price · $34,849 earningsMusicians Institute$46,518 price · $34,313 earningsYork Technical College$5,931 price · $31,942 earningsThe Omega Studios' School of Applied Arts & Sciences$56,871 price · $31,929 earningsSAE Institute of Technology-Nashville$24,700 price · $31,742 earningsAmarillo College$4,600 price · $29,351 earningsLiceo de Arte y Tecnologia$16,296 price · $22,331 earningsColegio de Cinematografia Artes y Television$1,460 price · $13,156 earnings
$1,460Annual college-wide average net price$46,518
Put the same degree side by side.
Start with the leading reportable programs, then change the selection to match your shortlist.
Compare 3 programs →Choose colleges offering this exact degree
Narrow one field and credential by location, sector and debt, then compare two to four programs side by side.
14 matchesSelect up to four · showing 25 currently operating colleges
Open the full program search →
See the spread, not just the national number.
1Northeast Community College$42,4992Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences$37,5563Western Iowa Tech Community College$37,0654Full Sail University$36,1885Spokane Falls Community College$34,8496Musicians Institute$34,3137Florida Institute of Recording Sound and Technology$33,7118York Technical College$31,9429The Omega Studios' School of Applied Arts & Sciences$31,92910SAE Institute of Technology-Nashville$31,742Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Related occupations, wages and demand
Official CIP–SOC links show where this field can lead. They do not imply that every graduate enters the same occupation.
Pay and projected demand
Related careers do not share one outlook
Bubble size = annual openings2025–35 national projection
Higher median wage ↑
-7%Projected employment growth →12%
Occupation wages describe workers in these jobs, not graduates of this degree. BLS projections are national estimates and do not guarantee hiring.
Film and Video Editors$75,420 median wage25,610 U.S. jobs · SOC 27-4032+3.7% projected employment, 2025–35 · 3.1k annual openingsTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$40,280–$148,550 10th–90th percentileCamera Operators, Television, Video, and Film$74,990 median wage21,550 U.S. jobs · SOC 27-4031+1.3% projected employment, 2025–35 · 2.5k annual openingsTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$38,520–$135,180 10th–90th percentileLighting Technicians$68,060 median wage8,900 U.S. jobs · SOC 27-4015-4.8% projected employment, 2025–35 · 0.6k annual openingsTypical entry education: Postsecondary nondegree award$42,310–$130,760 10th–90th percentileBroadcast Technicians$59,570 median wage21,110 U.S. jobs · SOC 27-4012-3.1% projected employment, 2025–35 · 1.6k annual openingsTypical entry education: Associate's degree$31,390–$123,670 10th–90th percentileAudio and Video Technicians$58,100 median wage70,230 U.S. jobs · SOC 27-4011+3.9% projected employment, 2025–35 · 6.6k annual openingsTypical entry education: Postsecondary nondegree award$37,990–$100,650 10th–90th percentileSound Engineering Technicians$73,130 median wage13,080 U.S. jobs · SOC 27-4014-3.1% projected employment, 2025–35 · 1k annual openingsTypical entry education: Postsecondary nondegree award$37,570–$137,370 10th–90th percentileCourt Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners$72,420 median wage12,870 U.S. jobs · SOC 27-3092-0.1% projected employment, 2025–35 · 1.8k annual openingsTypical entry education: Postsecondary nondegree award$42,130–$130,560 10th–90th percentileDisc Jockeys, Except Radio7,920 U.S. jobs · SOC 27-2091+3.8% projected employment, 2025–35 · 1.7k annual openingsTypical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent
BLS May 2025 wages and 2025–35 employment projections. Career context is separate from graduate outcomes.
Same degree, different outcomes
Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. Automated ROI is withheld when an exact program price or personal earnings baseline is required.
| # | College | Location | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | ROI status | Cost context |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northeast Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Norfolk, NE | $42,499 | Not available | WithheldBaseline needed | $8,544 |
| 2 | Conservatory of Recording Arts and SciencesUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Tempe, AZ | $37,556 | $10,344 | WithheldBaseline needed | $22,990 |
| 3 | Western Iowa Tech Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Sioux City, IA | $37,065 | Not available | WithheldBaseline needed | $8,770 |
| 4 | Full Sail UniversityUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Winter Park, FL | $36,188 | $18,245 | WithheldBaseline needed | $38,875 |
| 5 | Spokane Falls Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Spokane, WA | $34,849 | Not available | WithheldBaseline needed | $7,409 |
| 6 | Musicians InstituteUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Hollywood, CA | $34,313 | Not available | WithheldBaseline needed | $46,518 |
| 7 | Florida Institute of Recording Sound and TechnologyUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Orlando, FL | $33,711 | $7,853 | WithheldBaseline needed | Not available |
| 8 | York Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Rock Hill, SC | $31,942 | Not available | WithheldBaseline needed | $5,931 |
| 9 | The Omega Studios' School of Applied Arts & SciencesUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Rockville, MD | $31,929 | $7,334 | WithheldBaseline needed | $56,871 |
| 10 | SAE Institute of Technology-NashvilleUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Nashville, TN | $31,742 | $9,500 | WithheldBaseline needed | $24,700 |
| 11 | Amarillo CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Amarillo, TX | $29,351 | Not available | WithheldBaseline needed | $4,600 |
| 12 | Liceo de Arte y TecnologiaUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | San Juan, PR | $22,331 | Not available | WithheldBaseline needed | $16,296 |
| 13 | Colegio de Cinematografia Artes y TelevisionUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Bayamon, PR | $13,156 | Not available | WithheldBaseline needed | $1,460 |
| 14 | MediaTech Institute-DallasUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Dallas, TX | Not available | $14,750 | WithheldBaseline needed | $18,873 |
| 15 | SAE Expression CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | , | Not available | $17,901 | WithheldBaseline needed | Not available |
| 16 | MediaTech Institute-HoustonUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | , | Not available | $14,750 | WithheldBaseline needed | Not available |
This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.