Media specialists need a bachelor's degree in education, library sciences or a related field that includes training with media equipment, such as computers, cameras and recording devices. Media specialists may work with this type of equipment in schools and may be responsible for teaching people or students to use this type of equipment. They may also be employed in museums or other venues where they are responsible for setting up this equipment for use.
Essential Information
Media specialists work with all types of audio-visual equipment in schools, libraries, and businesses. Depending on the setting, they teach others how to use various multimedia and recording equipment for presentations, classroom lectures, or meetings. They are also responsible for setting up equipment. Media specialists may also acquire and catalog material and maintain equipment and software. Most media specialists have bachelor's degrees.
| Required Education | Bachelor's degree in education or library sciences with a focus on media |
| Required Skills | Proficiency with audio-visual equipment, such as cameras, computers, and recorders |
| Job Growth (2019-2029)* | 5% for all librarians and media collections specialists |
| Median Salary (2019)* | $59,500 for all librarians and media collections specialists |
Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Duties of a Media Specialist
A media specialist coordinates audio-visual equipment and materials. They inventory and maintain supplies and equipment. They set up and operate requested software and machines, such as Power Point presentations, DVD players, and film projectors. They also update and maintain a library of available material including films, tapes, photos, slides, and software. Many media specialists work in elementary or secondary schools. Other industries that hire media specialists include high schools, colleges, public and private libraries, government agencies, medical facilities, and private companies.
Media specialists also advise users on what types of equipment to use depending on the lesson, presentation, or event, as well as how to use that equipment. For example, a media specialists who works in a school orders specific programs or materials requested by teachers to coordinate with lesson plans. They are also responsible for previewing and organizing the available materials into databases.
Salary Information for Media Specialists
According the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in May 2019, librarians and media collections specialists, including media specialists, made a median annual wage of $59,500. The middle half of specialists earned salaries in 2019 ranging from $46,030 to $75,700. Average salaries for media specialists working within education support services, state governments, elementary and secondary schools, and colleges, universities and professional schools earned more than workers in other fields (www.bls.gov).
Job Outlook for Media Specialists
The BLS projected a growth of 5% in media specialist jobs from 2019 to 2029.
Requirements to Become a Media Specialist
Media specialists need to have extensive knowledge of media equipment, such as cameras, computers, and recorders. They also need to have excellent communication skills, as they must coordinate with other staff to plan and execute presentations and lessons.
Most employers require a bachelor's degree for this position. Degrees in education include coursework focusing on incorporating media into lessons. Degrees in library sciences also include current media specialist technologies in the coursework. Some schools offer media specialist degree programs at the graduate level. Vocational schools offer courses that cover the job skills of a media specialist.
Media specialists supervise the setup, operation and maintenance of audio-visual equipment for various industries. A bachelor's degree in a related major is needed. A stable job growth is projected from 2019 to 2029, and these professionals earned a median annual salary exceeding $59,500 in 2019.
