Is AV work in Florida paid W-2 or 1099?

Both. Labor houses and venues usually run crew as W-2 hourly with overtime after 40 hours. Specialists who bring their own gear, set their own rates and control how the work is done are more often engaged as 1099 independent contractors, who must cover the 15.3% self-employment tax themselves.

Does Florida have a state income tax on AV crew pay?

No. Florida has no state personal income tax, so crew pay is subject only to federal income tax and payroll taxes. That makes an equivalent hourly rate go further in Florida than in most other event markets.

What 1099 rate matches a W-2 hourly rate?

As a rule of thumb, add roughly 25–30% to a W-2 rate to cover the employer half of payroll taxes, unpaid downtime, insurance and gear. A $28 W-2 rate is roughly equivalent to $35–$37 on a 1099.

Florida pay guide — updated 2026

AV technician salary in Florida

Q: How much do AV technicians make per hour in Florida?

Most Florida AV technicians bill between $20 and $38 an hour, depending on department and experience. Entry-level stagehands start near $16–$20, experienced audio and video leads commonly reach $45–$75, and specialists such as lighting programmers and screens producers bill higher on corporate work.

Written from the payroll side of the desk. Below are the hourly rates Florida labor houses, venues and production companies actually run through payroll for audio-visual technicians and stagehands — plus the minimum calls, overtime rules and 1099 math that decide what you keep.

$20–$38: Typical hourly range
4 / 8 hr: Standard minimum call
0%: Florida state income tax

Hourly rates by role

Ranges reflect what Florida shops pay crew per hour on corporate, concert, trade-show and theater calls. Entry means your first two seasons, mid means you can run the position unsupervised, and lead means crew chief, department head or client-facing specialist.

Florida AV technician and stagehand hourly pay ranges by role and experience level
Position	Entry	Mid-level	Lead / specialist
Stagehand / general labor	$16–$20	$20–$26	$26–$32
A2 audio	$22–$27	$27–$34	$34–$42
A1 audio (mixer)	$32–$40	$40–$55	$55–$75
Lighting tech	$20–$26	$26–$35	$35–$45
Lighting programmer	$35–$45	$45–$60	$60–$85
Video / LED tech	$22–$28	$28–$38	$38–$50
V1 / screens producer	$38–$48	$48–$65	$65–$90
Rigger (up / ground)	$28–$34	$34–$45	$45–$60
Scenic carpenter	$20–$25	$25–$33	$33–$42
Camera operator	$25–$32	$32–$45	$45–$65

Rates are hourly crew pay before overtime, premiums and per diem. Union houses and IATSE agreements set their own scales, which usually sit at or above the lead column and add benefits contributions.

What each Florida market pays

Florida is really five hiring markets. Same skill, different rate — mostly driven by how many resident techs compete for the call.

Orlando

Baseline

The deepest convention market in the state. Steady general-session and trade-show work at OCCC keeps mid-level rates firm, but heavy labor supply keeps stagehand rates near the state median.

Miami / Fort Lauderdale

+10–20%

Corporate, cruise-line and Latin-market touring work. Highest day rates in Florida for audio and video leads; parking, tolls and travel time eat into a call, so negotiate them.

Tampa / St. Pete

+0–10%

Arena, convention and sports-broadcast mix. Rates track Orlando closely with slightly thinner rigging supply, which pushes certified riggers up.

Jacksonville

−5–10%

Smaller crew pool and fewer resident vendors. Rates are modest but reliable, and out-of-town crews are often brought in with travel and per diem.

Naples / Sarasota / Palm Beach

+5–15%

High-end private and gala work with short crew lists. Premium pay for techs who can be client-facing, plus frequent travel bumps from Miami or Tampa.

How the hours are actually calculated

Your rate is only half the paycheck. These four mechanics move a call by hundreds of dollars, and they're where most crew lose money by not asking.

Minimum calls
Most Florida shops book a 4-hour minimum, 8 for a load-in or show day. If you're released early, the minimum still bills — confirm it in writing before you accept.
Overtime and doubles
As a W-2 crew member, hours over 40 in a workweek pay 1.5x under the FLSA. Many shops also apply 1.5x after 10 or 12 hours in a day and 2x on the seventh consecutive day — that's contract, not law, so ask.
Night, holiday and turnaround
Overnight load-outs commonly carry a 1.25–1.5x premium, and short turnarounds (under 8 hours between calls) often trigger a bump. Neither is required by Florida law; both are common practice.
Per diem and travel
Out-of-market calls typically add $50–$75/day meals plus lodging and drive time. Per diem inside the federal rate isn't taxable income; mileage or drive-hours usually are.

1099 vs W-2: what you keep

Florida has no state income tax, so the only difference between the two is payroll tax and who absorbs the cost of doing business. On a W-2 call the shop pays half of Social Security and Medicare (7.65%) and covers workers' comp and general liability. On a 1099 you pay the full 15.3% self-employment tax and carry your own coverage.

$28/hr on a W-2

10-hour show day = $280. Payroll withholds your 7.65% FICA plus federal income tax; workers' comp and liability are the shop's problem. Over 40 hours in the week, hours pay $42.

The 1099 equivalent

Add 25–30% to cover the employer half of FICA, unpaid downtime, insurance and gear wear. That makes $35–$37/hr the honest match for a $28 W-2 rate — and remember 1099 work carries no automatic overtime.

General information for Florida crew, not tax advice. Talk to a CPA about your own return, and set aside quarterly estimates if you're billing on a 1099.

How to move up a rate tier

Get certified where it pays. ETCP rigging and OSHA-30 are the two credentials that move a Florida rate fastest; a lift/aerial-work-platform card gets you onto more call sheets immediately.
Own one console or system. Being the tech a coordinator trusts on a specific desk or LED processor is what separates the mid column from the lead column.
Quote a rate, not a wish. State your rate, minimum call and overtime terms in the same message you confirm availability. Coordinators book the tech who is easy to put on paper.
Work the season. Florida's convention calendar peaks January–May and September–November. Hold availability for the weeks when labor is short and rates float up.

Florida AV pay questions

How much do AV technicians make per hour in Florida?

Most bill $20–$38 an hour. Entry-level stagehands start near $16–$20, and experienced audio, video and lighting leads commonly reach $45–$75 on corporate general sessions.

Is AV work in Florida W-2 or 1099?

Both. Labor houses and venues typically run crew as W-2 hourly with overtime after 40 hours. Specialists who bring gear and set their own terms are more often engaged as 1099 independent contractors.

Does Florida tax crew pay at the state level?

No. Florida has no state personal income tax, so the same hourly rate nets more here than in most other event markets.

What should I charge for an overnight load-out?

Ask for a 1.25–1.5x night premium on top of your base rate with an 8-hour minimum. It isn't required by law, but it's standard practice with most Florida shops.

Get paid these rates in Florida

Join the crew list and we'll contact you when a call in your market matches your departments — with the rate, minimum call and out time stated up front.

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