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What is a film sound engineer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a film sound engineer. For example, did you know that they make an average of $32.46 an hour? That's $67,517 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 10% and produce 12,100 job opportunities across the U.S.
ScoreFilm Sound EngineerUS Average
Salary
5.3

Avg. Salary $67,517

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
7.9

Growth rate 10%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
6.3
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.37%

Asian 6.40%

Black or African American 7.28%

Hispanic or Latino 13.17%

Unknown 6.31%

White 66.46%

Gender

female 15.69%

male 84.31%

Age - 41
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 41
Stress level
7.9

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
7.5

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
0.5

Work life balance is very poor

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a film sound engineer

  1. Explore film sound engineer education requirements

    Most common film sound engineer degrees

    Bachelor's

    64.4 %

    Associate

    13.3 %

    Doctorate

    11.1 %
  2. Start to develop specific film sound engineer skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Sputtering28.70%
    Thin Films24.52%
    PVD20.37%
    Process Control11.54%
    CVD8.79%
  3. Complete relevant film sound engineer training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New film sound engineers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a film sound engineer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real film sound engineer resumes.
  4. Research film sound engineer duties and responsibilities

    • Manage PowerPoint and mixing music at the same time.
    • Administrate sound management system utilizing analog & digital consoles in a smaller environment.
    • Interact with actors, actresses, and members of other departments on production end of filmmaking process.
  5. Prepare your film sound engineer resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your film sound engineer resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a film sound engineer resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable film sound engineer resume templates

    Build a professional film sound engineer resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your film sound engineer resume.
    Film Sound Engineer Resume
    Film Sound Engineer Resume
    Film Sound Engineer Resume
    Film Sound Engineer Resume
    Film Sound Engineer Resume
    Film Sound Engineer Resume
    Film Sound Engineer Resume
    Film Sound Engineer Resume
    Film Sound Engineer Resume
  6. Apply for film sound engineer jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a film sound engineer job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first film sound engineer job

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Average film sound engineer salary

The average film sound engineer salary in the United States is $67,517 per year or $32 per hour. Film sound engineer salaries range between $48,000 and $94,000 per year.

Average film sound engineer salary
$67,517 Yearly
$32.46 hourly

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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