What education do sound engineering technicians need?

The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists postsecondary nondegree award as the typical education to start. The federal crosswalk from fields of study to jobs links one program here to sound engineering technicians: Music (Bachelor's).

Sound Engineering Technicians: Pay by State and the Programs That Lead There

Q: Which state pays sound engineering technicians the most?

New Jersey, at a median of $115,190. After adjusting for prices, New Jersey is highest, at $105,868 in US-average prices.

13,080 jobs in the US
Typical education to start: postsecondary nondegree award
Occupation code 27-4014

BLS wages May 2025 · BLS projections 2025 to 2035 · BEA price parities 2024

The short answer

Sound engineering technicians earn a median of $73,130 a year in the US, across all experience levels. Pay is highest in New Jersey ($115,190) and lowest in Puerto Rico ($35,180). After adjusting for prices, New Jersey is highest ($105,868) and Utah lowest ($36,818). Jobs are projected to shrink 3% from 2025 to 2035, with about 1,000 openings a year across the US.

Median pay$73,130US, all experience levels

Bottom 10% earn under$37,570US

Top 10% earn over$137,370US

Projected job decline3%2025 to 2035, about 1,000 openings a year

Pay for sound engineering technicians by state

Median pay across all experience levels. "After prices" divides it by the state's price level (US average = 100), so states can be compared by what the pay buys.

#	State	Median pay	After prices	Jobs	Bottom 10%	Top 10%
1	New Jersey	$115,190	$105,868	290	$43,350	$163,030
2	District of Columbia	$106,630	$97,024	90	$61,300	$156,000
3	New York	$87,510	$81,087	2,050	$52,620	$157,600
4	Nevada	$84,570	$84,588	170	$29,910	$113,520
5	Maryland	$79,990	$76,211	160	$50,440	$108,260
6	California	$78,150	$70,583	4,060	$45,720	$143,130
7	Georgia	$77,010	$79,975	200	$35,080	$104,540
8	Kentucky	$74,100	$82,188	60	$47,950	$81,020
9	Illinois	$73,130	$73,161	570	$31,200	$113,460
9	Indiana	$73,130	$78,357	50	$44,520	$85,040
11	Connecticut	$72,800	$70,263	60	$40,580	$85,470
12	Florida	$70,360	$68,037	590	$41,060	$140,340
13	Arizona	$66,350	$65,904	130	$36,310	$110,570
14	New Hampshire	$65,630	$63,006	30	$57,770	$77,400
15	Ohio	$64,030	$69,017	Not reported	$31,200	$131,090
16	Nebraska	$63,810	$70,819	50	$42,070	$84,480
17	Massachusetts	$63,250	$59,807	200	$35,540	$134,480
18	Kansas	$62,710	$69,625	30	$42,600	$107,270
19	Missouri	$61,750	$67,994	190	$39,800	$104,350
20	Colorado	$60,630	$58,834	170	$40,970	$84,970
21	Tennessee	$60,500	$65,854	510	$42,230	$158,160
22	Montana	$57,600	$60,859	50	$28,080	$67,390
23	Iowa	$57,400	$65,404	60	$32,280	$62,400
24	Louisiana	$55,530	$62,954	Not reported	$33,760	$83,920
25	Idaho	$54,970	$57,564	40	$32,280	$78,870
26	Texas	$54,370	$56,019	830	$34,920	$83,120
27	Michigan	$51,840	$53,878	200	$32,250	$88,220
28	Virginia	$49,920	$49,375	120	$26,910	$105,240
29	Pennsylvania	$49,490	$50,722	160	$28,530	$72,470
30	North Carolina	$49,150	$52,107	170	$29,540	$85,140
31	Maine	$48,380	$49,851	40	$42,580	$93,230
32	Wisconsin	$46,780	$49,716	90	$23,200	$76,260
33	New Mexico	$45,690	$49,549	50	$35,170	$68,380
34	South Carolina	$45,240	$48,257	Not reported	$39,510	$74,480
35	Utah	$36,400	$36,818	210	$21,520	$97,390
36	Puerto Rico	$35,180	Not available	70	$21,840	$70,750

State names link to the state's college page. Puerto Rico has no BEA price level, so its pay is not adjusted. BLS publishes no median pay for sound engineering technicians in 16 other states and territories.

Programs that lead to this job

The federal crosswalk from fields of study to jobs links these programs to sound engineering technicians. Figures are medians across each program type's US programs. Program names link to the national ranking.

Program	Programs	Year 1 pay	Debt
Music (Bachelor's)	229	$25,532	$26,000

Program figures are first-year pay for new graduates. The job's median pay covers every experience level.

Common questions

Sound engineering technicians earn a median of $73,130 a year in the US, across all experience levels (May 2025). The bottom 10% earn less than $37,570, and the top 10% more than $137,370.

About this data

Pay is from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics for May 2025. It covers all experience levels and all industries, and leaves out self-employed workers.
Projections are the Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections for 2025 to 2035, for the whole US.
Price levels are the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities for 2024.
Program figures are College Scorecard medians across programs, and only include students who received federal financial aid.

Sources

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025 to 2035
Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, 2024
NCES, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk
U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, field of study files, June 2026 release