Sound Engineering Technicians
Also called: Audio Engineer, Mixing Engineer, Recording Engineer, Sound EngineerAssemble 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.
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What the data says: AI could halve the time on 8 of its 14 tasks, and jobs are projected to shrink 3.1% by 2035. How to think about this →
About this projection
BLS builds AI into its projections where the research supports it: “BLS generally applies adjustments based on this research conservatively, where there is convincing evidence for a change.”
It also notes a limit: “BLS projection methods are not designed to capture extremely rapid technological change.”
On its AI exposure groups, BLS says exposure “does not imply job loss.”
Recent conditions
- In 2024, 5.2% of people in this work were unemployed, against 3.8% across all occupations Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Broadcast, sound, and lighting technicians”
- From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 7.8 hires for every 10 job openings in information, which employs about 65% of people in this work, against 7.3 across all industries BLS JOLTS
One box per opening, filled for each hire; hires beyond the openings are added in a lighter shade. Higher can mean openings get filled, or that people leave often; lower, that jobs go unfilled, or hiring is slow.7.8 this industry7.3 all industries
Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
Tap a state for its figures.
Median pay in every state
| State | Median | Middle half earn | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | $66,350 | $42,040 to $101,760 | 130 |
| California | $78,150 | $53,150 to $100,910 | 4,060 |
| Colorado | $60,630 | $49,910 to $70,890 | 170 |
| Connecticut | $72,800 | $51,250 to $75,200 | 60 |
| District of Columbia | $106,630 | $71,030 to $127,160 | 90 |
| Florida | $70,360 | $47,970 to $102,590 | 590 |
| Georgia | $77,010 | $49,160 to $98,590 | 200 |
| Hawaii | not published | not published | 30 |
| Idaho | $54,970 | $41,050 to $73,480 | 40 |
| Illinois | $73,130 | $40,460 to $99,460 | 570 |
| Indiana | $73,130 | $46,040 to $74,740 | 50 |
| Iowa | $57,400 | $37,590 to $57,400 | 60 |
| Kansas | $62,710 | $46,230 to $64,580 | 30 |
| Kentucky | $74,100 | $56,730 to $77,490 | 60 |
| Louisiana | $55,530 | $41,770 to $56,120 | not published |
| Maine | $48,380 | $42,970 to $71,180 | 40 |
| Maryland | $79,990 | $72,960 to $86,740 | 160 |
| Massachusetts | $63,250 | $51,190 to $113,710 | 200 |
| Michigan | $51,840 | $45,460 to $70,550 | 200 |
| Minnesota | not published | not published | 400 |
| Missouri | $61,750 | $55,800 to $62,750 | 190 |
| Montana | $57,600 | $35,570 to $64,070 | 50 |
| Nebraska | $63,810 | $53,790 to $77,690 | 50 |
| Nevada | $84,570 | $52,400 to $103,440 | 170 |
| New Hampshire | $65,630 | $58,400 to $76,570 | 30 |
| New Jersey | $115,190 | $74,410 to $138,380 | 290 |
| New Mexico | $45,690 | $45,690 to $59,800 | 50 |
| New York | $87,510 | $59,200 to $129,460 | 2,050 |
| North Carolina | $49,150 | $35,900 to $61,460 | 170 |
| Ohio | $64,030 | $35,000 to $103,270 | not published |
| Oregon | not published | not published | 150 |
| Pennsylvania | $49,490 | $38,000 to $60,270 | 160 |
| Puerto Rico | $35,180 | $25,820 to $67,240 | 70 |
| South Carolina | $45,240 | $44,790 to $50,470 | not published |
| Tennessee | $60,500 | $46,200 to $106,310 | 510 |
| Texas | $54,370 | $39,690 to $71,790 | 830 |
| Utah | $36,400 | $30,570 to $67,230 | 210 |
| Virginia | $49,920 | $41,930 to $80,360 | 120 |
| Washington | not published | not published | 160 |
| Wisconsin | $46,780 | $34,110 to $59,330 | 90 |
Nationally: $73,130. Shades run from the lowest state median to the highest; a territory below that range takes the lightest. How to read this
How AI touches the work
What AI could speed up, task by task, and where people already use it.
AI could halve the time on 8 of its 14 tasks
| AI rating | Its main tasks | Share of Claude conversations May 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| AI + software | Confer with producers, performers, and others to determine and achieve the desired sound for a production, such as a musical recording or a film. | Not published |
| Not much | Regulate volume level and sound quality during recording sessions, using control consoles. | Not published |
| Not much | Record speech, music, and other sounds on recording media, using recording equipment. | Not published |
| AI + software | Separate instruments, vocals, and other sounds, and combine sounds during the mixing or postproduction stage. | Not published |
| Not much | Set up, test, and adjust recording equipment for recording sessions and live performances. | Not published |
| Not much | Prepare for recording sessions by performing such activities as selecting and setting up microphones. | Not published |
See all 14 tasks
| AI + software | Report equipment problems and ensure that required repairs are made. | under 0.01% |
| AI + software | Mix and edit voices, music, and taped sound effects for live performances and for prerecorded events, using sound mixing boards. | Not published |
| Not much | Synchronize and equalize prerecorded dialogue, music, and sound effects with visual action of motion pictures or television productions, using control consoles. | Not published |
| AI + software | Keep logs of recordings. | Not published |
| AI + software | Reproduce and duplicate sound recordings from original recording media, using sound editing and duplication equipment. | Not published |
| Not much | Tear down equipment after event completion. | Not published |
| AI + software | Convert video and audio recordings into digital formats for editing or archiving. | 0.02% |
| AI + software | Create musical instrument digital interface programs for music projects, commercials, or film postproduction. | Not published |
Ordered by how important O*NET's respondents rate each task (1 to 5) times the share who say it is part of their job. The ordering is ours. 2 of the 14 have a published share of Claude conversations; “not published” means too few conversations for Anthropic to publish a figure.
Where people already use AI
The tasks above say what AI could speed up. This shows what people are using it for. Its 14 tasks fall under 8 work activities that many occupations share, and Microsoft counted how often each one came up in 200,000 conversations with its Copilot assistant in 2024.
- #25 Communicate with others about specifications or project details
- #35 Process digital or online data
- #38 Select materials or equipment for operations or projects
| Work activity | This occupation's tasks under it | People asked AI for help in 10,000 conversations |
AI did it for them in 10,000 conversations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operate audiovisual or related equipment | |||
| Alter audio or video recordings | |||
| Communicate with others about specifications or project details | |||
| Process digital or online data | |||
| Select materials or equipment for operations or projects | |||
| Maintain operational records | |||
| Notify others of emergencies or problems | |||
| Disassemble equipment |
How people in this work use Claude
What people in this work made with Claude % of conversations
- A document or report27%
- A script or snippet12%
- Audio or music8%
- A video or animation8%
- A presentation or slides5%
How they worked with Claude
52% of these conversations were about work. Anthropic Economic Index, May 2026.
How to read this
Work activities come from O*NET, which links every task to the broader activities it involves. Microsoft's figures are for the activity across everyone who used Copilot, not for sound engineering technicians specifically. Copilot is a general chat assistant; dedicated coding tools are not included, so programming help is under-counted here. Activities are listed by how many of this occupation's tasks fall under them.
The task ratings say whether AI could halve the time a task takes: on its own (“AI alone”), or with software built on it (“AI + software”). They were made by people in 2023 (Eloundou et al.). Claude's share is the task's share of all Claude.ai conversations in May 2026; Anthropic doesn't publish a task with too few conversations. None of these add up to the BLS exposure group, which combines five research measures.
More in the Guide: task ratings · task order · work activities · Copilot figures · Claude
High exposure doesn't mean fewer jobs
BLS projects most occupations in its two most exposed groups to grow: 141 of 206 rated Very high and 165 of 206 rated High. Each dot is one of the 831 occupations BLS rates.
Career moves into and out of this occupation
From moves between occupations found in online resumes, 2002–2016. Career changes only: a first job after school isn't a move.
Where people moved next
of 38,936 moves out
- 1 Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Moderate +3.8% 4%
- 2 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 4%
- 3 Audio and Video Technicians High +3.9% 3%
- 4 Engineers, All Other Very high +3.7% 3%
- 5 Computer Occupations, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 2%
Where people moved in from
of 31,928 moves in
- 1 Audio and Video Technicians High +3.9% 4%
- 2 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 3%
- 3 Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Moderate +3.8% 3%
- 4 Engineers, All Other Very high +3.7% 3%
- 5 Computer User Support Specialists Very high -3.5% 2%
Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).
Education and training for the occupation
O*NET survey of workers in this occupation
- 32% high school
- 20% postsecondary certificate
- 8% some college
- 12% associate's
- 20% bachelor's
- 4% post-master's certificate
- 4% professional doctorate
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers in this occupation · 25 people answered.
Census survey (American Community Survey)
- 3% less than high school
- 18% high school
- 27% some college
- 11% associate's
- 33% bachelor's
- 7% master's
- 1% professional degree
Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Broadcast, sound, and lighting technicians” · 1,307 people surveyed.
Why the two can differ
O*NET asks about 20 people in each occupation, which makes its shares uncertain, but it reports the exact occupation and counts certificates. The Census survey reaches thousands, but it groups some occupations together and counts degrees only. More in the Guide
Median pay by highest degree full-time, year-round · Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Broadcast, sound, and lighting technicians”
4 programs, such as Communications Technology/Technician, Recording Arts Technology/Technician and Audio Engineering Technology/Technician.
See all
- Communications Technology/Technician
- Recording Arts Technology/Technician
- Audio Engineering Technology/Technician
- Music Technology
Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023
3.6% this occupation
45.3% all occupations
| By kind | This occupation | All occupations |
|---|---|---|
| a license | <0.5% | 19.1% |
| an educational certificate | <0.5% | 2.8% |
| a certification | not published |
Share of jobs whose employer requires it. BLS doesn't say which credential. How to read this
Look up certifications, training and licenses U.S. Department of Labor
- Certification Finder ↗ certifications CareerOneStop lists for this occupation
- Training Finder ↗ schools and programs, nationwide; narrow the place there
- License Finder ↗ licenses by state
- Apprenticeship Finder ↗ DOL lists 2 registered apprenticeships in this occupation (RECORDING ENGINEER; SOUND MIXER). Apprenticeship.gov can't be linked to one occupation, so search for “Sound Engineering Technicians” there.
These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide
BLS AI exposure categories (Aug 2026) · BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 · O*NET 31.0 · Task ratings: Eloundou et al., Science (2024) · Microsoft "Working with AI" v1.1 · Anthropic Economic Index (2026-06-26) · Schubert, Stansbury and Taska · NCES CIP–SOC · Census ACS 2024 · BLS JOLTS
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