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The differences between sound engineers and recording engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a sound engineer and a recording engineer. Additionally, a recording engineer has an average salary of $78,099, which is higher than the $52,197 average annual salary of a sound engineer.
The top three skills for a sound engineer include audio equipment, venues and A/V. The most important skills for a recording engineer are digital audio, R, and music videos.
| Sound Engineer | Recording Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $52,197 | $78,099 |
| Hourly rate | $25.09 | $37.55 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 6,923 | 7,117 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Sound engineers and recording engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Sound Engineer | Recording Engineer | |
| Average salary | $52,197 | $78,099 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $95,000 | Between $44,000 And $135,000 |
| Highest paying City | Philadelphia, PA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Oregon | Oregon |
| Best paying company | Techtronic Industries TTI | Western Digital |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between a sound engineer and a recording engineer in terms of educational background:
| Sound Engineer | Recording Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Most common major | Music | Music |
| Most common college | Johns Hopkins University | Johns Hopkins University |
Here are the differences between sound engineers' and recording engineers' demographics:
| Sound Engineer | Recording Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.3% Female, 9.7% | Male, 91.4% Female, 8.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 6.3% Hispanic or Latino, 16.5% Asian, 5.1% White, 62.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 6.3% Hispanic or Latino, 16.5% Asian, 5.1% White, 62.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |