Also called: Arena Rigger, Up Rigger, Down Rigger
Climbs into arena ceilings to hang the motors, truss, lights, and speakers for concerts.
An up-rigger climbs steel beams 100 feet above an arena floor, attaches chain motors that lift tons of gear, while down-riggers on the floor guide the setup. Every point must be precisely calculated.
Approximate; head riggers on stadium tours earn well.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Certificate, about 1 year after high school. ETCP rigging certification; IATSE locals; extremely safety-focused.
Ways in: Certification, Apprenticeship, On-the-job training. Training cost: Get paid while you train.
Majors to look at: Theater Technology.
Growing faster than average. Live music touring has hit record revenues since 2022.
Low risk for 10 years. Planning software helps, but climbing into arena ceilings to hang motors and truss safely stays skilled, risky human work.
Classes: Physics, Geometry, Construction CTE, Theater tech crew.
Official data: O*NET occupation 49-9096.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.