Post job

How to hire a sound engineer

Sound engineer hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring sound engineers in the United States:

  • In the United States, the median cost per hire a sound engineer is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
  • On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new sound engineer to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire a sound engineer, step by step

To hire a sound engineer, you need to identify the specific skills and experience you want in a candidate, allocate a budget for the position, and advertise the job opening to attract potential candidates. To hire a sound engineer, you should follow these steps:

Here's a step-by-step sound engineer hiring guide:

  • Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
  • Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
  • Step 3: Make a budget
  • Step 4: Write a sound engineer job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new sound engineer
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a sound engineer do?

Sound engineers are audio engineering professionals who are responsible for performing audio mixes and reproduction while manipulating the equalization and electronic effects of sound. These engineers must design and control the sound at different locations such as theaters, conferences, and any other venue that requires sound projection. By using their well-trained ears, sound engineers must control the combination of microphones, sound levels, and sound outputs. Sound engineers must also maintain and sound up sound equipment such as amplifiers, complex PA systems, and speakers for bands and other sound engineers.

Learn more about the specifics of what a sound engineer does
jobs
Post a sound engineer job for free, promote it for a fee
  1. Identify your hiring needs

    Before you post your sound engineer job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a sound engineer for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a sound engineer to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a sound engineer that fits the bill.

    The following list breaks down different types of sound engineers and their corresponding salaries.

    Type of Sound EngineerDescriptionHourly rate
    Sound EngineerBroadcast and sound engineering technicians set up, operate, and maintain the electrical equipment for radio programs, television broadcasts, concerts, sound recordings, and movies.$13-45
    Audio TechnicianAn audio technician is a person who works in a variety of media fields and broadcasting and is responsible for capturing audio signals. They are involved in maintaining audio equipment, setup, speakers and sound mixer, and everything from the cables and microphones to the monitor... Show more$14-42
    Audio EngineerAn audio engineer is a trained professional who specializes in working with the mechanics of recording, mixing, and reproducing sound. Audio engineers work with clients such as record producers, musicians, and artists to record the sound they are making and manipulate the equalizer, the compression, and the gates when mixing... Show more$14-49
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Audio Equipment
    • Venues
    • A/V
    • Technical Aspects
    • Live Sound
    • Stage Equipment
    • STARS
    • Video Equipment
    • Sound Equipment
    • Live Events
    • Audio Production
    • Analog
    • Live Music
    • PA
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Manage PowerPoint and mixing music at the same time.
    • Work for local contractor designing spreader bars for crane rigging using AutoCAD.
    • Provide equipment and engineering services for performers, musicians, bands, and DJ's.
    • Mix all live services FOH and maintain all audio, broadcasting and media system as well.
    • Experience tuning, calculating EQ settings, as well as appropriate delay times within an automobile.
    • Master multiple projects albums by working on song levels plus EQ and correct minor mix deficiencies with equalization.
    More sound engineer duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your sound engineer job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A sound engineer can vary based on:

    • Location. For example, sound engineers' average salary in vermont is 64% less than in oregon.
    • Seniority. Entry-level sound engineers 71% less than senior-level sound engineers.
    • Certifications. A sound engineer with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
    • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a sound engineer's salary.

    Average sound engineer salary

    $52,197yearly

    $25.09 hourly rate

    Entry-level sound engineer salary
    $28,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 14, 2025

    Average sound engineer salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1Pennsylvania$73,201$35
    2California$69,501$33
    3New Jersey$65,179$31
    4North Carolina$60,462$29
    5New York$60,039$29
    6Michigan$58,531$28
    7Florida$54,432$26
    8Ohio$51,942$25
    9Louisiana$51,730$25
    10Illinois$49,728$24
    11Georgia$48,264$23
    12Texas$46,922$23
    13Maryland$37,545$18
    14Massachusetts$35,661$17

    Average sound engineer salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1Techtronic Industries TTI$100,697$48.41
    2Live Nation Entertainment$81,017$38.9523
    3Arcus$69,047$33.20
    4National Football League$56,183$27.01
    5TVB$51,960$24.98
    6City of Greenville, NC$50,948$24.49
    7First United Church of Christ$49,682$23.89
    8Southern California Sound Image$49,682$23.89
    9Das Electronics$44,774$21.53
    10ASI$42,919$20.63
    11Silverline$42,420$20.39
    12Johns Hopkins University$41,054$19.744
    13The Atlantic$34,718$16.69
    14Big Night$30,084$14.461
    15House of Blues$25,668$12.34
    16William Paterson University Athletics$25,586$12.30
  4. Writing a sound engineer job description

    A job description for a sound engineer role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a sound engineer job description:

    Sound engineer job description example

    WHO ARE WE?

    Live Nation Entertainment is the world's leading live entertainment company, comprised of global market leaders: Ticketmaster, Live Nation Concerts, and Live Nation Media & Sponsorship. Ticketmaster is the global leader in event ticketing with over 500 million tickets sold annually and more than 12,000 clients worldwide. Live Nation Concerts is the largest provider of live entertainment in the world promoting more than 40,000 shows and 100+ festivals annually for nearly 4,000 artists in over 40 countries. These businesses allow Live Nation Media & Sponsorship to create strategic music marketing programs that connect over 1,000 brands with the 98 million fans that attend Live Nation Entertainment events each year. For additional information, visit www.livenationentertainment.com.

    Live Nation's Concerts Division is where tours are born, artists come to life, and fans get to experience the rush of live music. From our dozens of owned/operated Amphitheaters to our Global Touring team, from Ticketing and Venue Operations to Marketing and Sales... we foster a fun and upbeat work culture with no shortage of opportunities. With perks ranging from free concert tickets to dog-friendly offices, to progressive benefits like student loan reimbursement and adoption/fertility support... it's no wonder we are certified as a Great Place to Work organization and one of People Magazine's "50 Companies that Care". We want everyone to feel like they belong and can thrive in our community, so we strive to help you achieve your career and personal goals. Live music is our passion and where we find our common ground. There has never been a better time to join Live Nation.

    WHO ARE YOU?

    Passionate and motivated. Driven, with an entrepreneurial spirit. Resourceful, innovative, forward thinking and committed. At Live Nation Entertainment, our people embrace these qualities, so if this sounds like you then please read on!

    THE JOB

    Responsible for ensuring the success of show and event productions by performing the technical aspects related to the show(s) production. Assist in all aspects of stage operations, assist in all on-site A/V operations. While providing excellent professional service.

    WHAT THIS ROLE WILL DO

    + Performs the Load-in & Out of band equipment and rental equipment

    + Set Up and Break down of Band and Event Equipment

    + Cabling and patching / working together with the entire crew as a team

    + Audio adjustments, maintaining safe audio levels. While providing a professional mix

    + Audio Control Boards operation

    + Oversee visiting audio techs, especially during shows

    + Responsible for Protecting /Maintenance and repair of Audio equipment

    + Assist with Production throughout the House as needed

    + Assist the Production Manager with the technical advance with Artists representatives

    + Ensure proper care and handling of all House of Blues and rental audio equipment

    + Interact with visiting production crews to ensure a successful show

    + Distribute or create audio plans

    + Oversee and operate systems pertaining to audio throughout the entire venue

    + Ensure Special Events audio needs are scheduled and met and executed with the utmost profession attitude

    + Maintain a relationship with local & National Audio Vendors Maintenance and repair of sound, light and stage equipment

    + May assist the Stage Manager with show passes

    + Assist lighting crew with stands, microphones, cables, etc.

    + Assist with any Special Events operations

    WHAT THIS PERSON WILL BRING

    Required:

    + 3 years minimum Tour and Stage Production experience

    + Experience in stage lighting, pro audio systems and basic video systems

    + Ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously

    + Proficiency with all Microsoft applications

    + Must possess superior interpersonal communication and organizational skills

    + High School Diploma

    + COVID-19 vaccination will be required for this position subject to legally valid exemptions

    Preferred:

    + College Degree

    Physical Demands/Working Environment:

    + Must be able to lift up to 75 lbs

    + Work in an environment with moderate to loud noise level

    EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

    We are passionate and committed to our people and go beyond the rhetoric of diversity and inclusion. You will be working in an inclusive environment and be encouraged to bring your whole self to work. We will do all that we can to help you successfully balance your work and homelife. As a growing business we will encourage you to develop your professional and personal aspirations, enjoy new experiences, and learn from the talented people you will be working with. It's talent that matters to us and we encourage applications from people irrespective of their gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability status or caring responsibilities.

    Live Nation strongly supports equal employment opportunity for all applicants regardless of age (40 and over), ancestry, color, religious creed (including religious dress and grooming practices), family and medical care leave or the denial of family and medical care leave, mental or physical disability (including HIV and AIDS), marital status, domestic partner status, medical condition (including cancer and genetic characteristics), genetic information, military and veteran status, political affiliation, national origin (including language use restrictions), citizenship, race, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and medical conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding), gender, gender identity, and gender expression, sexual orientation, or any other basis protected by applicable federal, state or local law, rule, ordinance or regulation.

    We will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of the Los Angeles Fair Chance Ordinance, San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance and the California Fair Chance Act and consistent with other similar and / or applicable laws in other areas.

    We also afford equal employment opportunities to qualified individuals with a disability. For this reason, Live Nation will make reasonable accommodations for the known physical or mental limitations of an otherwise qualified individual with a disability who is an applicant consistent with its legal obligations to do so, including reasonable accommodations related to pregnancy in accordance with applicable local, state and / or federal law. As part of its commitment to make reasonable accommodations, Live Nation also wishes to participate in a timely, good faith, interactive process with a disabled applicant to determine effective reasonable accommodations, if any, which can be made in response to a request for accommodations. Applicants are invited to identify reasonable accommodations that can be made to assist them to perform the essential functions of the position they seek. Any applicant who requires an accommodation in order to perform the essential functions of the job should contact a Human Resources Representative to request the opportunity to participate in a timely interactive process. Live Nation will also provide reasonable religious accommodations on a case by case basis.

    HIRING PRACTICESThe preceding job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.

    Live Nation recruitment policies are designed to place the most highly qualified persons available in a timely and efficient manner. Live Nation may pursue all avenues available, including promotion from within, employee referrals, outside advertising, employment agencies, internet recruiting, job fairs, college recruiting and search firms.

    **Please note that the compensation information provided is a good faith estimate for this position only and is provided pursuant to the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act and Equal Pay Transparency Rules. It is estimated based on what a successful Colorado applicant might be paid. It assumes that the successful candidate will be in Colorado or perform the position from Colorado. Similar positions located outside of

    Colorado will not necessarily receive the same compensation. Live Nation takes into consideration a candidate's education, training, and experience, as well as the position's work location, expected quality and quantity of work, required travel (if any), external market and internal value, including seniority and merit systems, and internal pay alignment when determining the salary level for potential new employees. In compliance with the CO EPEWA, a potential new employee's salary history will not be used in compensation decisions.
  5. Post your job

    There are a few common ways to find sound engineers for your business:

    • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
    • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
    • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your sound engineer job on Zippia to find and recruit sound engineer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    Recruiting sound engineers requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

    It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

    The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

  7. Send a job offer and onboard your new sound engineer

    Once you've selected the best sound engineer candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

    It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

    To prepare for the new sound engineer first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

  8. Go through the hiring process checklist

    • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
    • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
    • Define job responsibilities and requirements
    • Establish budget and timeline
    • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
    • Write job description
    • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
    • Promote the job internally
    • Process applications through applicant tracking system
    • Review resumes and cover letters
    • Shortlist candidates for screening
    • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
    • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
    • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
    • Conduct background checks on top candidates
    • Check references of top candidates
    • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
    • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
    • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
    • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
    • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
    • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)
    Sign up to download full list

How much does it cost to hire a sound engineer?

Before you start to hire sound engineers, it pays to consider both the one-off costs like recruitment, job promotion, and onboarding, as well as the ongoing costs of an employee's salary and benefits. While most companies that hire sound engineers pay close attention to the initial cost of hiring, ongoing costs are much more significant in the long run.

You can expect to pay around $52,197 per year for a sound engineer, as this is the median yearly salary nationally. This can vary depending on what state or city you're hiring in. If you're hiring for contract work or on a per-project basis, hourly rates for sound engineers in the US typically range between $13 and $45 an hour.

Find better sound engineers in less time
Post a job on Zippia and hire the best from over 7 million monthly job seekers.

Hiring sound engineers FAQs

Search for sound engineer jobs

Ready to start hiring?

Browse arts, entertainment, sports, and media jobs