Career Explorer Arts, media and sport
Human edge, steady
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.
Among the careers AI is changing fastest: more resilient than 13% of the 831 careers we score. AI exposure is moderate (the Bureau of Labor Statistics rates it moderate), and US jobs are projected to change by -4.8% by 2035, expected to shrink. The work leans on creative vision.
AI struggles with much of this work. Hiring is expected to grow slower than average, or to shrink.
- Median pay (2025)
- $68,060
- Job growth to 2035
- -4.8%
- Openings a year
- 600
- People doing it (2025)
- 9,900
- Usual route in
- College certificate, then short on-the-job training
Where people already use AI for this work
- Set up equipment
- Program computer systems or production equipment
- Adjust equipment to ensure adequate performance
From Microsoft Research, Working with AI (2025).
Work AI rarely helps with
- Inspect commercial, industrial, or production systems or equipment
- Load products, materials, or equipment for transportation or further processing
- Disassemble equipment
What the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects
- Fewer of these jobs, as technology, including artificial intelligence (AI) systems, allows workers to design and operate lighting displays.
Careers using similar strengths, with a stronger outlook
- Life, physical, and social science technicians, all otherGrows with AI, Index 37, +4.4%
- Civil engineering technologists and techniciansChanging shape, Index 17, +3.2%
- Broadcast techniciansChanging shape, Index 20, -3.1%
- Geological technicians, except hydrologic techniciansGrows with AI, Index 32, +3.6%
Is this career on your child's list?
Build a free Career Playbook matched to your child, or get a 90-day Action Plan with dated next steps, written for your child by name.
Sources: US Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2025 to 2035; O*NET 31.0; Microsoft Research (2025); Anthropic Economic Index (2026); Eloundou and colleagues (Science, 2024); Felten, Raj and Seamans (2023). How we score. Updated 12 October 2026.