How To Become A Sound Engineering Technician

Sound engineering technicians are responsible for monitoring, operating, and adjusting audio equipment. They control the volume and ensure quality. They work in concerts, television or radio broadcasts, and other performances. Sound engineering technicians will set up or deconstruct sound equipment. This is for live performances, live events, movies, or television.

Sound engineering technicians record music or speeches on recording equipment or computers. They utilize intricate sound engineering software. Sound engineering technicians synchronize dialogue and sounds together. If the details of a sound engineering technician’s work sound interesting to you, you may want to explore a career in sound engineering.

Why Become A Sound Engineering Technician

Sound engineering technicians are vital within the radio, television, and film industries.

Recording, mixing, reproducing, synchronizing voices, sound effects and music are all part of a sound engineering technician’s responsibilities. The work of a sound engineering technician is often innovative, intricate, and multifaceted. It is an exciting, entertaining, and rewarding career path. Your knowledge and skill set will produce sounds for all areas of entertainment.

Typical job responsibilities of a sound engineering technician include:

mixing
controlling the volume or tone of performances
capturing sounds
recording sounds
equalizing sounds
synchronizing sounds

Sound engineering technicians work within audio and visual departments, television studios, movie productions, production houses, or arenas. Job responsibilities of a sound engineering technician may include maintaining sound equipment, meeting with producers and performers, keeping a log of all recording sessions, replicating sound recordings, and setting up audio or recording equipment.

Sound Engineering Technician Work Environment

Radio, television, or movie studios typically employ sound engineering technicians. A sound engineering technician may carry heavy equipment, lift heavy equipment, or climb high distances on poles or antennas. Many sound technicians work full-time, or over-time to meet deadlines.

Sound Engineering Technician Salary

In 2012, the Occupational Employment and Wages Report of the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the US Department of Labor recorded the mean annual wage of a sound engineering technician was $46,310. The median annual wage of a sound engineering technician is dependent upon area of industry, location, experience and education.

Average Sound Engineering Technician Annual Salary

$68,180

The average annual salary for sound engineering technicians is $68,180 a year. Salaries start at $25,880 a year and go up to $125,230 a year.

Average Sound Engineering Technician Hourly Wage

$32.78

The average hourly wage for a sound engineering technician is $32.78. Hourly wages are between $12.44 and $60.21 an hour.

Stats were based out of 13,370 employed sound engineering technicians in the United States.

Highest Paying States For Sound Engineering Technicians

1. Louisiana $43.58 / hr $90,640 / yr
2. Connecticut $38.89 / hr $80,890 / yr
3. California $38.69 / hr $80,480 / yr
4. New York $38.65 / hr $80,390 / yr
5. Washington $37.81 / hr $78,650 / yr

Top Paying Cities For Sound Engineering Technicians

1. Seattle, WA $40.31 / hr$83,840 / yr
2. Los Angeles, CA $40.20 / hr$83,610 / yr
3. Bridgeport, CT $38.78 / hr$80,650 / yr
4. New York, NY $38.16 / hr$79,370 / yr
5. San Rafael, CA $37.72 / hr$78,450 / yr

Data provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Sound Engineering Technician Career Outlook

The career outlook for a sound engineering technician appears to be somewhat promising. From 2012 to 2022, the employment of sound engineering technicians is expected to grow 9%. The demand for sound engineering technicians will be due to businesses and television or radio stations. They will need new and sometimes updated equipment to improve their audio capabilities.

Sound Engineering Technician Degree

If you wish to pursue a career in sound engineering, you can obtain a certificate or Bachelor’s degree. This degree should be within the field of sound engineering or audio production. Coursework in a certificate or Bachelor’s degree program may include:

acoustics
digital signal processing
music production
recording technology
editing
mixing

Throughout your academic journey, you should seek out an internship at a radio station or sound-recording studio. Working as an intern at any sound studio or station will give you strong sound engineering experience. You can use this experience to get a full-time job.

Once you have at least five years of experience within the field of sound engineering, you may want to consider becoming certified. The Society of Broadcast Engineers (SBE) offers a certification entitled the Certified Audio Engineer (CEA). It is optional for a sound engineering technician to become certified. This certification may open up other doors for career advancement. To qualify for certification, you must have at least five years of experience. That includes your training or education within the field. The certification exam may explore topics such as:

theory
safety
problems
operating practices

The certification will be valid for five years. It is crutial that you continue your education as a sound engineering technician. Th technology that sound engineers use is constantly advancing and changing.