Sound Engineer Salary in the United States

How much does a Sound Engineer make in the United States?

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Sound Engineer in the United States is $53,234 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $26.

However, a Sound Engineer's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $70,083
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $48,020 to $62,054
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $43,273
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View as table View as graph 25% $48,020 10% $43,273 90% $70,083 75% $62,054 $53,234 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Sound Engineer Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $62,054 $5,171 $1,193 $30
Average $53,234 $4,436 $1,024 $26
25th Percentile $48,020 $4,002 $923 $23
Check out Sound Engineer Job Openings in the United States
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MD Staff, LLC - Columbus, OH

Local CDL

C.R. England - Columbus, OH

Search More Sound Engineer Jobs in the United States

Key Factors That Influence Sound Engineer Salaries

A Sound Engineer's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Sound Engineer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Sound Engineer's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here’s how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $53,452
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $54,636
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $59,055
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $59,529
  • Expert (over 8 years): $59,844
Levels Salary
Entry Level Sound Engineer$53,452
Intermediate Level Sound Engineer$54,636
Senior Level Sound Engineer$59,055
Specialist Level Sound Engineer$59,529
Expert Level Sound Engineer$59,844
$53,452 0 yr
$54,636 < 2 yrs
$59,055 2-4 yrs
$59,529 5-8 yrs
$59,844 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Sound Engineers

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $67,145
  • San Francisco: $66,409
  • Oakland: $65,010

What Skills Can Increase a Sound Engineer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Customer Service (Mentioned in 4.66% Job Postings): Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
  • Blood Pressure (Mentioned in 2.76% Job Postings): Blood pressure is how powerfully your blood travels through your blood vessels. Basically, a doctor or nurse measures blood pressure with an inflatable cuff (sphygmomanometer) that is attached to a small gauge, the cuff wraps around upper arm.
  • Acute Care (Mentioned in 1.98% Job Postings): Acute care is a branch of secondary health care where a patient receives active but short-term treatment for a severe injury or episode of illness, an urgent medical condition, or during recovery from surgery. In medical terms, care for acute health conditions is the opposite from chronic care, or longer term care. Acute care services are generally delivered by teams of health care professionals from a range of medical and surgical specialties. Acute care may require a stay in a hospital emergency department, ambulatory surgery center, urgent care centre or other short-term stay facility, along with the assistance of diagnostic services, surgery, or follow-up outpatient care in the community. Hospital-based acute inpatient care typically has the goal of discharging patients as soon as they are deemed healthy and stable. Acute care settings include emergency department, intensive care, coronary care, cardiology, neonatal intensive care, and many general areas where the patient could become acutely unwell and require stabilization and transfer to another higher dependency unit for further treatment.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Customer Service 4.66%
Blood Pressure 2.76%
Acute Care 1.98%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Sound Engineer's salary.
  • Judgment and Decision Making: Can increase your salary by up to 60%.
  • Decision Making: Can increase your salary by up to 28%.
  • Commitment: Can increase your salary by up to 27%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Judgment and Decision Making
$85,175
60%
Decision Making
$68,140
28%
Commitment
$67,608
27%
Pediatric
$64,946
22%
Collaboration
$64,946
22%
Flexibility
$63,881
20%
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Sound Engineer Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Sound Engineer roles, the industry you choose can impact your earning potential by as much as 20% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the highest-paying industry, Healthcare, offers compensation 5% above the average. Conversely, Sound Engineer positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as this sector often view Sound Engineer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for a Sound Engineer

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Healthcare$55,896$27.05%

How Education impacts a Sound Engineer's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Sound Engineers enter the field with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Sound Engineer with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $40,922 and $43,843).

Sound Engineer Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Sound Engineer
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 1.3%
High School 72.9%
Associates 8.5%
Bachelors 16.1%
Masters 1.3%
Doctorate 0.0%
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Sound Engineer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Sound Engineer's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on August 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Sound Engineer

Salaries for a Sound Engineer can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $66,777 in 2023 to around $65,627 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Sound Engineer salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Sound Engineer Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$66,777
2024
$66,426
2025
$65,627
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $66,777
2024 $66,426
2025 $65,627
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Sound Engineer

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Sound Engineer

Here are companies hiring for Sound Engineer and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Sound Engineer Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Sound Engineer job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

United States
  • Maxim Healthcare

    Columbus, OH

    Maxim Healthcare | Columbus, OH

    Private duty nursing (PDN) allows medically fragile patients to receive quality, skilled nursing care in the comfort of their home: a setting preferred by ... more

    13 Days Ago

  • XPO

    Columbus, OH

    CDL

    XPO | Columbus, OH

    XPO is Hiring Driver Teams. XPO Teams. As an XPO Team, you’ll run dedicated routes between XPO facilities in. new sleeper. trucks equipped with microwaves ... more

    13 Days Ago

  • Schneider

    Columbus, OH

    Schneider | Columbus, OH

    CDL-A - Dedicated Reefer truck driver - Kroger. Dedicated Reefer truck driver - Kroger. Average pay. $1,200-$1,450 weekly. Home time. Daily. Experience. Al... more

    14 Days Ago

  • Summit Recruiting Group

    Columbus, OH

    Summit Recruiting Group | Columbus, OH

    NP/PA Dermatology job opening in Columbus, OHPosition Details. Full-time, permanent opening. Experience required. Well-Established Practice. Seeking a NP/P... more

    15 Days Ago

  • Family Dollar

    Columbus, OH

    Family Dollar | Columbus, OH

    Customer Service Associate. We're seeking a Customer Service Associate to join our team and deliver a great shopping experience for every customer. Duties ... more

    16 Days Ago

  • GO Staffing

    Columbus, OH

    GO Staffing | Columbus, OH

    Locums - A well respected group has a Trauma Surgery APP opportunity available in Columbus, Ohio. Certified Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant. 1/1/... more

    16 Days Ago

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FAQ about Sound Engineer

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Sound Engineer?

The Healthcare industry offers the highest average compensation for Sound Engineer roles, with salaries approximately 5% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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