What is a Sound Engineering Technician?

Career Description Operate machines and equipment to record, synchronize, mix, or reproduce music, voices, or sound effects in sporting arenas, theater productions, recording studios, or movie and video productions.

Life as a Sound Engineering Technician: What Do They Do?

• Create musical instrument digital interface programs for music projects, commercials, or film postproduction.
• Report equipment problems and ensure that required repairs are made.
• Separate instruments, vocals, and other sounds, and combine sounds during the mixing or postproduction stage.
• Synchronize and equalize prerecorded dialogue, music, and sound effects with visual action of motion pictures or television productions, using control consoles.
• Record speech, music, and other sounds on recording media, using recording equipment.
• Confer with producers, performers, and others to determine and achieve the desired sound for a production, such as a musical recording or a film.

Things a Sound Engineering Technician Should Know How to Do

When polled, Sound Engineering Technicians say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Related Job Titles

• Mixing Engineer
• Audio Operator
• Waste Elimination
• Mixer
• Public Address System Installer

Job Outlook for Sound Engineering Technicians

In 2016, there was an estimated number of 17,000 jobs in the United States for Sound Engineering Technicians.

New jobs are being produced at a rate of 6.3% which is lower than average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 1,100 new jobs for Sound Engineering Technicians by 2026. There will be an estimated 1,700 positions for Sound Engineering Technician per year.

The states with the most job growth for Sound Engineering Technicians are California, Georgia, and Washington.

Watch out if you plan on working in New Mexico, Nebraska, or Minnesota. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Average Sound Engineering Technician Salary

Sound Engineering Technicians Make between $25,680 and $117,600 a year. A Sound Engineering Technician median salary is $52,390.

Below is a list of the median annual salaries for jobs of this type in different U.S. states.

Annual Mean Salary by State

State	Annual Mean Salary
Louisiana	$88,610
Connecticut	$87,420
New York	$82,030
District of Columbia	$79,410
Washington	$77,020
Michigan	$65,540
Georgia	$62,640
Illinois	$60,500
Texas	$59,810
Wisconsin	$58,930
Massachusetts	$57,110
Nevada	$57,010
Tennessee	$56,940
Florida	$56,010
New Jersey	$55,570
Iowa	$54,020
Virginia	$53,780
Kentucky	$53,490
Colorado	$52,990
Maryland	$51,670
North Carolina	$51,060
South Carolina	$49,210
Missouri	$48,080
Ohio	$48,060
Pennsylvania	$45,540
Oregon	$43,180
Minnesota	$42,840
Hawaii	$42,230
Alabama	$39,140
Utah	$30,240

What Tools do Sound Engineering Technicians Use?

Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Sound Engineering Technicians:

• Autodesk AutoCAD
• Data entry software
• Microsoft Excel
• Linux
• Computer aided design CAD software
• Microsoft Visio
• Microsoft Office

Where Sound Engineering Technicians Are Employed

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics

College Factual

O*NET Online

Image Credit: Via Wikimedia Commons