Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
Postsecondary nondegree award
None
Short-term on-the-job training
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
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Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Sound engineering technicians work in a specialized field that combines technical ability with creativity. National employment is relatively small at 17,000, so this path suits people who are comfortable pursuing opportunities in a more niche occupation. The typical entry point is a postsecondary nondegree award, which can make the field accessible to those who do not plan to complete a full college degree. Core skills include creativity and innovation, strong computer and information technology abilities, mechanical aptitude, and fine motor abilities, supported by detail orientation and adaptability. Interpersonal, speaking and listening, leadership, and project management skills are also important, reflecting the collaborative nature of many sound projects. While national projected employment growth is slightly negative, at -1.7%, there are still 1,000 annual openings, suggesting ongoing turnover and replacement needs. For people drawn to audio work who are prepared to be flexible and build a solid skill set, sound engineering can offer focused, specialized opportunities.
Nationally, sound engineering technicians earn a median annual salary of $66,430. Earnings vary meaningfully by location. Among the top states by opportunity score, New York reports a median salary of $87,510 and California $78,150, both above the national median. Massachusetts and Colorado fall closer to the national level at $63,250 and $60,630, while Virginia’s median of $49,920 is lower than these other highlighted states. At the metro level, several areas stand out for higher pay. The New York–Newark–Jersey City metro shows a median salary of $97,510, and San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont reports $94,990. Washington–Arlington–Alexandria, Boston–Cambridge–Newton, and Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim all cluster in the upper $70,000s. These differences suggest that technicians who are mobile and willing to target select metro areas may be able to access higher median earnings.
Sound engineering technicians currently have national employment of 17,000, with projected employment growth of -1.7%. This indicates a slightly contracting job base over the projection period. However, the occupation still has 1,000 annual openings, reflecting ongoing needs as workers change jobs, retire, or leave the field. Because overall employment is relatively small, even modest changes can feel significant to job seekers, so planning and persistence are important. Growth projections are consistent across the highlighted states and metro areas, all showing -1.7%. This means that opportunity differences between locations are driven more by factors such as current employment levels, salaries, and the overall opportunity scores rather than by differing growth rates. For people considering this career, the combination of a specialized employment base and continuing annual openings suggests a path where targeted job search strategies and geographic flexibility may be especially useful.
Location decisions can significantly influence both job availability and pay for sound engineering technicians. Among states with top opportunity scores, California stands out with 4,060 employed technicians and a median salary of $78,150, the highest employment level listed. New York combines 2,050 employed with a higher median salary of $87,510. Massachusetts, Colorado, and Virginia have lower employment counts—200, 170, and 120 respectively—and lower median salaries than New York and California, though Massachusetts and Colorado remain close to the national median. All of these states share the same projected growth rate of -1.7%, so their differences lie mainly in size of job market, compensation, and opportunity score. At the metro level, New York–Newark–Jersey City has both the highest opportunity score (77.27) and the highest median salary ($97,510), with 1,960 employed. Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim has the largest listed metro employment at 2,820 and a median salary of $77,850. Other metros, such as San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont and Washington–Arlington–Alexandria, pair smaller employment bases with relatively high salaries.
The typical education for sound engineering technicians is a postsecondary nondegree award. This means most workers enter the field with education beyond high school but not necessarily a full college degree. Within that framework, developing the right skill mix is crucial. Technical strengths in computers and information technology, mechanical aptitude, and fine motor abilities help with the more hands-on and equipment-focused aspects of the work. Creativity and innovation, along with being detail oriented, support the artistic and precision components that are central to sound-focused roles. Because technicians often work with others, interpersonal skills, speaking and listening, and leadership are also important. Project management and adaptability round out the profile, enabling technicians to handle changing needs, timelines, and priorities. For students or career changers, targeting education or training programs that build both technical and collaborative skills can align well with the typical preparation path for this occupation.
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