# Sound Engineering Technicians

> Assemble and operate equipment to record, synchronize, mix, edit, or reproduce sound, including music, voices, or sound effects, for theater, video, film, television, podcasts, sporting events, and other productions.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/sound-engineering-technicians
- SOC code: 27-4014.00
- Career family: Arts, design and media
- Median annual pay: $73,130 (10th percentile $37,570, 90th percentile $137,370)
- Projected growth: Decline, -3.1%
- Openings a year: 1,000
- Typical entry education: Postsecondary certificate
- Bright outlook: no
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code RAC)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 69 |
| Investigative (I) | 28 |
| Artistic (A) | 58 |
| Social (S) | 12 |
| Enterprising (E) | 19 |
| Conventional (C) | 54 |

## What you'd do

- Working with Computers (importance 98/100)
- Thinking Creatively (importance 94/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 87/100)
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships (importance 85/100)
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge (importance 82/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 80/100)
- Documenting/Recording Information (importance 76/100)
- Getting Information (importance 75/100)
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work (importance 72/100)
- Scheduling Work and Activities (importance 68/100)

## Skills

Active Listening, Speaking, Critical Thinking, Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Operation and Control, Operations Monitoring, Reading Comprehension, Active Learning, Coordination

## Knowledge

Computers and Electronics, Customer and Personal Service, Fine Arts, English Language, Engineering and Technology, Communications and Media, Production and Processing, Administration and Management, Psychology, Sales and Marketing

## Also called

Acoustical Consultant, Acoustical Engineer, Audio DSP Engineer (Audio Digital Signal Processor Engineer), Audio Engineer, Audio Operator, Audio Recording Engineer, Audio Technician (Audio Tech), Audio Video Engineer, Disc Recordist, Dub Room Engineer

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Music](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5009) (CIP 5009, 1,381 colleges)
- [Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/1503) (CIP 1503, 553 colleges)
- [Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/1002) (CIP 1002, 328 colleges)
- [Communications Technologies/Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/1001) (CIP 1001, 53 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [Metropolitan State University of Denver](https://www.collegesref.com/college/metropolitan-state-university-of-denver-1667) | Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians | $84,200 | $100,358 | not reported |
| [Texas A & M University-College Station](https://www.collegesref.com/college/texas-a-m-university-college-station-2694) | Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians | $78,810 | $99,943 | $20,000 |
| [Wayne State University-Michigan](https://www.collegesref.com/college/wayne-state-university-michigan-3181) | Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians | $68,259 | $96,821 | not reported |
| [Rochester Institute of Technology](https://www.collegesref.com/college/rochester-institute-of-technology-2250) | Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians | $80,391 | $96,361 | $30,750 |
| [New England Institute of Technology](https://www.collegesref.com/college/new-england-institute-of-technology-1845) | Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians | $70,076 | $93,997 | $27,000 |
| [California State Polytechnic University-Pomona](https://www.collegesref.com/college/california-state-polytechnic-university-pomona-362) | Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians | $73,679 | $91,709 | $14,589 |
| [CUNY New York City College of Technology](https://www.collegesref.com/college/cuny-new-york-city-college-of-technology-745) | Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians | $61,142 | $91,486 | not reported |
| [Kennesaw State University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/kennesaw-state-university-1376) | Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians | $74,494 | $91,329 | $22,500 |

## Related careers

- [Audio and Video Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/audio-and-video-technicians): $58,100 median pay
- [Broadcast Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/broadcast-technicians): $59,570 median pay
- [Lighting Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/lighting-technicians): $68,060 median pay
- [Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/electrical-and-electronic-engineering-technologists-and-technicians): $78,190 median pay
- [Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/audiovisual-equipment-installers-and-repairers): $52,600 median pay
- [Calibration Technologists and Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/calibration-technologists-and-technicians): $67,820 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.