🎨 Creative & Media
↑ 7% growth · Faster than average
Audio Engineer / Sound Technician
Audio engineers record, mix, and master sound for music, film, television, podcasts, and live events — the technical craftspeople behind every great-sounding production. From recording studios to live concert venues, this passion-driven career rewards those who combine technical precision with a trained ear.
$53,200
Median Salary
18K
US Jobs
2 years
Training
$10,000–$40,000
Typical Cost
💰 Salary & Earning Potential
Salary data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Figures represent national averages — local wages vary by state, city, and employer.
Want your state's salary? Select a state below to see local wage data, demand, and training programs.
📈 Job Outlook
7%
Projected Growth (10yr)
Faster than average
18K
Total US Jobs
Active positions nationwide
AES Membership; Pro Tools Certified Operator
Required Credential
AES Membership; Pro Tools Certified Operator
🎓 Training & Education
Typical Program
AAS in Audio Production or Recording Arts
Program Length
2 years
Typical Tuition
$10,000–$40,000
Work Setting
Recording studios, live venues, broadcast stations, film/TV sets
🏆 Credential Required: AES Membership; Pro Tools Certified Operator
☀️ Day in the Life
A typical day as a Audio Engineer / Sound Technician involves working closely with clients and colleagues in a Recording studios environment. You'll apply your training daily while building expertise and advancing your career.
⚖️ Pros & Cons
Advantages
- ✅ Strong job security
- ✅ Rewarding work
- ✅ Clear career progression
- ✅ Growing demand
Challenges
- ⚠️ Can be physically demanding
- ⚠️ May require ongoing certification
- ⚠️ Entry-level wages vary by region
🗺️ Audio Engineer / Sound Technician by State
See local salary data, licensing requirements, and schools in your state:
FL FloridaGA GeorgiaTX TexasCA CaliforniaNY New YorkNC North CarolinaIL IllinoisOH OhioPA PennsylvaniaAZ ArizonaAL AlabamaAR ArkansasLA LouisianaMS MississippiSC South CarolinaTN TennesseeVA VirginiaWV West VirginiaKY KentuckyMD MarylandDE DelawareNJ New JerseyCT ConnecticutMA MassachusettsRI Rhode IslandNH New HampshireVT VermontME MaineMI MichiganIN IndianaWI WisconsinMN MinnesotaIA IowaMO MissouriND North DakotaSD South DakotaNE NebraskaKS KansasOK OklahomaCO ColoradoMT MontanaWY WyomingID IdahoUT UtahNV NevadaNM New MexicoWA WashingtonOR OregonAK AlaskaHI HawaiiDC Washington DC
🏫 Schools and programs related to Audio Engineer / Sound Technician
USA Career Finder combines federal education datasets, state-approved training lists, workforce training provider lists, and licensing-board sources where available. Always confirm program availability, cost, admissions requirements, and licensing eligibility directly with the school.
Federal dataset match
Trade School
Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences
📍 Tempe, AZ
Certificate 1-<2yr
Federal dataset match
Trade School
Florida Institute of Recording Sound and Technology
📍 Orlando, FL
Certificate 1-<2yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College
📍 New York, NY
Certificate 2-4yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Salt Lake Community College
📍 Salt Lake City, UT
Certificate 2-4yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Milwaukee Area Technical College
📍 Milwaukee, WI
Certificate 2-4yr
Federal dataset match
Career College
Atlanta Institute of Music and Media
📍 Duluth, GA
Certificate 2-4yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Tri-County Technical College
📍 Pendleton, SC
Certificate 2-4yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
CUNY LaGuardia Community College
📍 Long Island City, NY
Certificate 2-4yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Suffolk County Community College
📍 Selden, NY
Certificate 2-4yr
Federal dataset match
Career College
The Recording Conservatory of Austin
📍 Austin, TX
Certificate 1-<2yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Mt San Jacinto Community College District
📍 San Jacinto, CA
Certificate 2-4yr
Federal dataset match
Trade School
Omega Studios' School of Applied Recording Arts & Sciences
📍 Rockville, MD
Certificate 1-<2yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Montgomery County Community College
📍 Blue Bell, PA
Certificate 2-4yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Northampton County Area Community College
📍 Bethlehem, PA
Certificate 2-4yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Hennepin Technical College
📍 Brooklyn Park, MN
Certificate 2-4yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Chattahoochee Technical College
📍 Marietta, GA
Certificate 1-<2yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Guilford Technical Community College
📍 Jamestown, NC
Certificate 2-4yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Cuyahoga Community College District
📍 Cleveland, OH
Certificate 2-4yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Iowa Western Community College
📍 Council Bluffs, IA
Certificate 2-4yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
CUNY Queensborough Community College
📍 Bayside, NY
Certificate 2-4yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Tarrant County College District
📍 Fort Worth, TX
Certificate 1-<2yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Community College of Philadelphia
📍 Philadelphia, PA
Certificate 2-4yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Mount Wachusett Community College
📍 Gardner, MA
Certificate 2-4yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
CUNY Kingsborough Community College
📍 Brooklyn, NY
Certificate 2-4yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Finger Lakes Community College
📍 Canandaigua, NY
Certificate 2-4yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Nassau Community College
📍 Garden City, NY
Certificate 1-<2yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
William T McFatter Technical College
📍 Davie, FL
Certificate 1-<2yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Mercer County Community College
📍 West Windsor, NJ
Certificate 2-4yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Northeast State Community College
📍 Blountville, TN
Certificate 1-<2yr
Federal dataset match
Technical College
Great Plains Technology Center
📍 Lawton, OK
Certificate 1-<2yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Minneapolis Community and Technical College
📍 Minneapolis, MN
Certificate 2-4yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Forsyth Technical Community College
📍 Winston-Salem, NC
Certificate 2-4yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Columbus State Community College
📍 Columbus, OH
Certificate 1-<2yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Los Angeles Valley College
📍 Valley Glen, CA
Certificate 2-4yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Columbia State Community College
📍 Columbia, TN
Certificate 1-<2yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Kansas City Kansas Community College
📍 Kansas City, KS
Certificate 2-4yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Lehigh Carbon Community College
📍 Schnecksville, PA
Certificate 2-4yr
Federal dataset match
Private College
Remington College-Nashville Campus
📍 Nashville, TN
Certificate 1-<2yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
City College of San Francisco
📍 San Francisco, CA
Certificate 2-4yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Cayuga County Community College
📍 Auburn, NY
Certificate 2-4yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Tompkins Cortland Community College
📍 Dryden, NY
Certificate 2-4yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Catawba Valley Community College
📍 Hickory, NC
Certificate 2-4yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
El Camino Community College District
📍 Torrance, CA
Certificate 2-4yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Northern Essex Community College
📍 Haverhill, MA
Certificate 2-4yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Niagara County Community College
📍 Sanborn, NY
Certificate 1-<2yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Central Piedmont Community College
📍 Charlotte, NC
Certificate 2-4yr
Federal dataset match
Technical College
Eastern Oklahoma County Technology Center
📍 Choctaw, OK
Certificate 1-<2yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Pinellas Technical College-St. Petersburg
📍 Saint Petersburg, FL
Certificate 1-<2yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Southwestern Illinois College
📍 Belleville, IL
Certificate 2-4yr
Federal dataset match
Career College
College of Court Reporting Inc
📍 Valparaiso, IN
Certificate 1-<2yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Western Iowa Tech Community College
📍 Sioux City, IA
Certificate 1-<2yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Passaic County Community College
📍 Paterson, NJ
Certificate 1-<2yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Carteret Community College
📍 Morehead City, NC
Certificate 1-<2yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Luzerne County Community College
📍 Nanticoke, PA
Certificate 2-4yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Grand Rapids Community College
📍 Grand Rapids, MI
Certificate 1-<2yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Cape Girardeau Career and Technology Center
📍 Cape Girardeau, MO
Certificate 1-<2yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
UCNJ Union College of Union County, NJ
📍 Cranford, NJ
Certificate 1-<2yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Jamestown Community College
📍 Jamestown, NY
Certificate 1-<2yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Scottsdale Community College
📍 Scottsdale, AZ
Certificate 2-4yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Santa Barbara City College
📍 Santa Barbara, CA
Certificate 2-4yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Connecticut State Community College
📍 Hartford, CT
Certificate 1-<2yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Hutchinson Community College
📍 Hutchinson, KS
Certificate 2-4yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Springfield Technical Community College
📍 Springfield, MA
Certificate 2-4yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Pearl River Community College
📍 Poplarville, MS
Certificate 1-<2yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
New Mexico State University-Dona Ana
📍 Las Cruces, NM
Certificate 1-<2yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Westmoreland County Community College
📍 Youngwood, PA
Certificate 2-4yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Lawson State Community College
📍 Birmingham, AL
Certificate 1-<2yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
East Los Angeles College
📍 Monterey Park, CA
Certificate 2-4yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Iowa Central Community College
📍 Fort Dodge, IA
Certificate 2-4yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Wayne County Community College District
📍 Detroit, MI
Certificate 1-<2yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
McDowell Technical Community College
📍 Marion, NC
Certificate 2-4yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Southeastern Community College
📍 Whiteville, NC
Certificate 1-<2yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Clackamas Community College
📍 Oregon City, OR
Certificate 1-<2yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Los Angeles Pierce College
📍 Woodland Hills, CA
Certificate 2-4yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Prairie State College
📍 Chicago Heights, IL
Certificate 1-<2yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Roxbury Community College
📍 Roxbury Crossing, MA
Certificate 2-4yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
New Mexico State University-Alamogordo
📍 Alamogordo, NM
Certificate 1-<2yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Central Carolina Community College
📍 Sanford, NC
Certificate 1-<2yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Isothermal Community College
📍 Spindale, NC
Certificate 1-<2yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Northern Virginia Community College
📍 Annandale, VA
Certificate 1-<2yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Shoreline Community College
📍 Shoreline, WA
Certificate 1-<2yr
Federal dataset match
Community College
Georgia Piedmont Technical College
📍 Clarkston, GA
Certificate 2-4yr
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