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Sound engineer salary
Average sound engineer salary
$52,197
Average Sound Engineer Salary
The average salary for a sound engineer is approximately $52,197 per year, translating to about $25 per hour. Salaries can vary significantly based on experience, location, and the specific industry. For instance, sound engineers in the film industry often earn higher salaries compared to those in live sound settings.
Factors Influencing Salary
Several factors influence a sound engineer's salary:
- Geographic Location: Salaries differ from state to state, with higher wages often found in metropolitan areas.
- Years of Experience: Entry-level positions typically earn less, while seasoned professionals command higher salaries.
- Industry Sector: Engineers working in film and television often earn more than those in live music due to the budget scales involved.
Salary Estimates by State
States like California and New York tend to offer the highest salaries for sound engineers, with averages exceeding $60,000. Understanding these dynamics can help you negotiate better salaries and choose job opportunities wisely.
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Where can a Sound Engineer earn more?
Sound engineer salary estimates from across the web
Average sound engineer salary by state
The highest-paying states for sound engineers are Oregon, Alaska, and Pennsylvania. The lowest average sound engineer salary states are Maryland, Rhode Island, and Hawaii.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for sound engineers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon | $82,508 | $39.67 |
| 2 | Virginia | $67,408 | $32.41 |
| 3 | Washington | $67,223 | $32.32 |
| 4 | Alaska | $77,402 | $37.21 |
| 5 | Arizona | $57,764 | $27.77 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | $72,202 | $34.71 |
| 7 | New York | $59,490 | $28.60 |
| 8 | Michigan | $57,969 | $27.87 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $65,271 | $31.38 |
| 10 | Florida | $53,815 | $25.87 |
| 11 | Utah | $52,009 | $25.00 |
| 12 | North Carolina | $55,232 | $26.55 |
| 13 | Ohio | $57,843 | $27.81 |
| 14 | California | $56,735 | $27.28 |
| 15 | West Virginia | $58,217 | $27.99 |
| 16 | Alabama | $49,961 | $24.02 |
| 17 | Idaho | $55,808 | $26.83 |
| 18 | Minnesota | $52,197 | $25.09 |
| 19 | Wisconsin | $49,893 | $23.99 |
| 20 | Louisiana | $51,553 | $24.79 |
| 21 | Indiana | $48,301 | $23.22 |
| 22 | Georgia | $48,599 | $23.36 |
| 23 | Wyoming | $46,416 | $22.32 |
| 24 | Illinois | $49,053 | $23.58 |
| 25 | Texas | $46,184 | $22.20 |
| 26 | Maine | $49,794 | $23.94 |
| 27 | South Carolina | $47,324 | $22.75 |
| 28 | Kentucky | $48,389 | $23.26 |
| 29 | Oklahoma | $46,873 | $22.54 |
| 30 | Montana | $47,768 | $22.97 |
| 31 | Colorado | $43,636 | $20.98 |
| 32 | Delaware | $38,319 | $18.42 |
| 33 | Mississippi | $45,938 | $22.09 |
| 34 | New Mexico | $44,114 | $21.21 |
| 35 | Nebraska | $40,688 | $19.56 |
| 36 | District of Columbia | $37,080 | $17.83 |
| 37 | Maryland | $37,297 | $17.93 |
| 38 | South Dakota | $44,367 | $21.33 |
| 39 | Tennessee | $42,835 | $20.59 |
| 40 | Iowa | $43,723 | $21.02 |
| 41 | North Dakota | $43,590 | $20.96 |
| 42 | Massachusetts | $35,780 | $17.20 |
| 43 | Hawaii | $35,958 | $17.29 |
| 44 | Nevada | $37,430 | $18.00 |
| 45 | Arkansas | $37,574 | $18.06 |
| 46 | Connecticut | $38,048 | $18.29 |
| 47 | Missouri | $41,705 | $20.05 |
| 48 | Kansas | $40,753 | $19.59 |
| 49 | New Hampshire | $33,795 | $16.25 |
| 50 | Vermont | $30,016 | $14.43 |
| 51 | Rhode Island | $37,288 | $17.93 |
Highest paying cities for sound engineers
The highest-paying cities for sound engineers are Philadelphia, PA, San Francisco, CA, and Mount Laurel, NJ.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Philadelphia, PA | $73,201 | $35.19 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $69,501 | $33.41 |
| 3 | Mount Laurel, NJ | $65,179 | $31.34 |
| 4 | Greenville, NC | $60,462 | $29.07 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $60,039 | $28.86 |
| 6 | Detroit, MI | $58,531 | $28.14 |
| 7 | Doral, FL | $54,432 | $26.17 |
| 8 | Cincinnati, OH | $51,942 | $24.97 |
| 9 | New Orleans, LA | $51,730 | $24.87 |
| 10 | Chicago, IL | $49,728 | $23.91 |
| 11 | Atlanta, GA | $48,264 | $23.20 |
| 12 | Austin, TX | $46,922 | $22.56 |
| 13 | Towson, MD | $37,545 | $18.05 |
| 14 | Boston, MA | $35,661 | $17.14 |
Sound engineer salary details
A sound engineer's salary ranges from $28,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $95,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a sound engineer's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $95,000 | $7,917 | $46 |
| 75th Percentile | $71,000 | $5,917 | $34 |
| Average | $52,197 | $4,350 | $25 |
| 25th Percentile | $37,000 | $3,083 | $18 |
| 10th Percentile | $28,000 | $2,333 | $13 |
Highest paying sound engineer jobs
The highest paying types of sound engineers are studio engineer, engineer, and mixing engineer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audio Technician | $51,473 | $4,289 | $24.75 | 30,951 |
| Audio Engineer | $55,853 | $4,654 | $26.85 | 1,750 |
| Sound Designer | $71,949 | $5,996 | $34.59 | 50,235 |
| Engineer | $92,076 | $7,673 | $44.27 | 618,207 |
Top companies hiring sound engineers now:
Which companies pay sound engineers the most?
Sound engineer salaries at Techtronic Industries TTI and Live Nation Entertainment are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average sound engineer salary at companies like Arcus and National Football League are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Techtronic Industries TTI | $100,697 | $48.41 |
| 2 | Live Nation Entertainment | $81,017 | $38.95 |
| 3 | Arcus | $69,047 | $33.20 |
| 4 | National Football League | $56,183 | $27.01 |
| 5 | TVB | $51,960 | $24.98 |
| 6 | City of Greenville, NC | $50,948 | $24.49 |
| 7 | First United Church of Christ | $49,682 | $23.89 |
| 8 | Southern California Sound Image | $49,682 | $23.89 |
| 9 | Das Electronics | $44,774 | $21.53 |
| 10 | ASI | $42,919 | $20.63 |
| 11 | Silverline | $42,420 | $20.39 |
| 12 | Johns Hopkins University | $41,054 | $19.74 |
| 13 | The Atlantic | $34,718 | $16.69 |
| 14 | Big Night | $30,084 | $14.46 |
| 15 | House of Blues | $25,668 | $12.34 |
| 16 | William Paterson University Athletics | $25,586 | $12.30 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Sound engineer salary trends
The average sound engineer salary has risen by $6,603 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average sound engineer earned $45,594 annually, but today, they earn $52,197 a year. That works out to a 0% change in pay for sound engineers over the last decade.
Compare sound engineer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average sound engineer salary over time
Compare sound engineer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Sound engineer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $52,200 | $25.09 | -2.3% |
| 2024 | $53,400 | $25.67 | +4.3% |
| 2023 | $51,100 | $24.56 | -6.5% |
| 2022 | $54,400 | $26.17 | +3.8% |
| 2021 | $52,400 | $25.17 | +0.7% |
Recently added sound engineer salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nexstar Media Group Inc. | Audio Sound Engineer | Los Angeles, CA | 05/24/2025 | $102,513 |
| NYFA | Sound Engineer TA | Burbank, CA | 04/22/2025 | $52,175 |
| Coastal Orange Beach | Sound Engineer-Coastal Orange Beach | Orange Beach, AL | 03/14/2025 | $33,392 |
| Flora-Bama | Sound Engineer | Pensacola, FL | 03/06/2025 | $33,392 |
| Loyal Source Government Services | Sound Engineer | Louisville, KY | 02/22/2025 | $73,045 |
| Hangout Hospitality Group | Sound Engineer | Myrtle Beach, SC | 02/16/2025 | $37,566 |
| Grace Church of Arvada | Forge Sound Engineer Contractor | Arvada, CO | 02/13/2025 | $58,436 |
| Alley Theatre | Lead Sound Engineer | Houston, TX | 12/09/2024 | $45,914 |
| Magnetic Sounds LLC | Sound Engineer | New York, NY | 11/17/2024 | $71,709 |
| Playbill, Inc. | Technical Paid Sound Engineer Rippowam Cisqua School Bedford, NY US/2024 | Bedford, NY | 10/24/2024 | $12,000 |
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