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Job outlook for sound designers in the United States
Are sound designer jobs in demand?
Yes, sound designer jobs are in demand. Sound designer demand is projected to grow 10% from 2018 to 2028.
Sound designer job and salary trends over time
Compare the number of sound designer jobs and the average sound designer salary over time.
Sound designer jobs over time
Sound designer job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 854 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 860 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 1,020 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 1,069 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 1,058 | 0.00% |
Average sound designer salary over time
Sound designer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $71,949 | $34.59 | --2.2% |
| 2025 | $73,589 | $35.38 | +4.5% |
| 2024 | $70,430 | $33.86 | --6.1% |
| 2023 | $75,028 | $36.07 | +4.0% |
| 2022 | $72,164 | $34.69 | +0.7% |
Sound designer jobs by state
The map below shows you the number of sound designer job openings in each state. The darker areas on the map show where sound designers earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.
Average salary: Job openings:
Most common states for sound designers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 185 | 27% |
| 2 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 700 | 9% |
| 3 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 595 | 9% |
| 4 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 375 | 9% |
| 5 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 635 | 7% |
| 6 | California | 39,536,653 | 2,482 | 6% |
| 7 | New York | 19,849,399 | 1,110 | 6% |
| 8 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 672 | 6% |
| 9 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 352 | 6% |
| 10 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 315 | 6% |
| 11 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 194 | 6% |
| 12 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 83 | 6% |
| 13 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 61 | 6% |
| 14 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 639 | 5% |
| 15 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 471 | 5% |
| 16 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 315 | 5% |
| 17 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 297 | 5% |
| 18 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 148 | 5% |
| 19 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 560 | 4% |
| 20 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 249 | 4% |
Most common cities for sound designers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Burbank | 3 | 3% | $89,476 |
| 2 | Bristol | 1 | 2% | $49,891 |
| 3 | Seattle | 2 | 0% | $76,604 |