Sound Engineering Technicians
Also called: Acoustical Consultant, Acoustical Engineer, Audio DSP Engineer (Audio Digital Signal Processor Engineer), Audio Engineer, Audio Operator, Audio Recording Engineer, Audio Technician (Audio Tech), Audio Video Engineer
Assemble and operate equipment to record, synchronize, mix, edit, or reproduce sound, including music, voices, or sound effects, for theater, video, film, television, podcasts, sporting events, and other productions.
What sound engineering technicians do
Typical tasks
- Confer with producers, performers, and others to determine and achieve the desired sound for a production, such as a musical recording or a film.
- Regulate volume level and sound quality during recording sessions, using control consoles.
- Record speech, music, and other sounds on recording media, using recording equipment.
- Separate instruments, vocals, and other sounds, and combine sounds during the mixing or postproduction stage.
- Set up, test, and adjust recording equipment for recording sessions and live performances.
- Report equipment problems and ensure that required repairs are made.
- Prepare for recording sessions by performing such activities as selecting and setting up microphones.
- Mix and edit voices, music, and taped sound effects for live performances and for prerecorded events, using sound mixing boards.
- Keep logs of recordings.
- Tear down equipment after event completion.
- Synchronize and equalize prerecorded dialogue, music, and sound effects with visual action of motion pictures or television productions, using control consoles.
- Reproduce and duplicate sound recordings from original recording media, using sound editing and duplication equipment.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Sound Engineering Technicians salary
The median annual wage for sound engineering technicians is $73,130 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $37,570 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $137,370. The mean annual wage is $81,390.
The mean hourly wage of $39.00 is 5.4× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for Sound Engineering Technicians (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $73,130 → in 3 years $78,900 → in 5 years $83,000 → in 10 years $94,100 (10-year range $80,900–$109,300). The model assumes pay growth of +2.5% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Sound Engineering Technicians
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Sound Engineering Technicians? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Sound Engineering Technicians
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
The same job in Japan
| Sound Engineering Technicians United States | 録音エンジニア Japan | |
|---|---|---|
| Median / average pay | $73,130 | ¥4.71M ≈ $29,943 |
| Pay in 10 years (est.) | $94,100 | ¥5.53M |
| Outlook score | 39 | 40 |
| AI replacement risk | 53% Moderate | 65% High |
| Workers | 13K | — |
Matched by occupation (SOC code). Yen converted at 157.25 JPY/USD for reference; Japanese figures are averages, U.S. figures are medians, and the surveys define occupations differently.
Skills, education and requirements for Sound Engineering Technicians
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Education of workers
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 3 — medium preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★★☆☆☆ Fairly easy (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become sound engineering technicians
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as sound engineering technicians
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.