What it pays
Government survey numbers — not estimates, not ads.
Half of all Sound Engineering Technicians in the U.S. earn more than $73,130 a year — the middle 80% land between $37,570 and $137,370. About 13,080 people in the U.S. do this work. Figures are for the U.S. occupation group “Sound Engineering Technicians”. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics survey, published 2025.) In India, Professionals earn about ₹38,298 a month on average — around ₹4.6 lakh a year (government PLFS survey via ILOSTAT, occupation-family figure).
$73,130typical pay / year
13,080people in this work
$137,370+top 10% earn
₹4.6 lakha year in India (family avg)
Think you get this job?Six quick questions on how it really works — with a hint and the reason behind every answer.
Test yourself →The work, task by task
These are the real jobs-to-be-done, not a wish list. Each task shows where we found it, and the prompt underneath is written for that exact task.
Record speech, music, and other sounds
+Record the spoken liners, lead vocal takes, room ambience and foley for the single at Studio B, log each take…
Record speech, music, and other sounds
+Record the spoken liners, lead vocal takes, room ambience and foley for the single at Studio B, log each take with timecode and mic used, wear hearing protection for the session and hand the raw files to Lucas by 6pm for rough edit.
The tools that do the workApple macOSjob descriptionsO*NET
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Assemble and operate sound equipment
+Assemble the PA for Friday's rooftop mini-set: install two mains, two monitors, snake the stage pockets,…
Assemble and operate sound equipment
+Assemble the PA for Friday's rooftop mini-set: install two mains, two monitors, snake the stage pockets, patch the console and run a level check at audience positions while clipped into the harness for the rigging lift.
The tools that do the workApple macOSESCOjob descriptions
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Make routine repairs on equipment
+Fix the singer's wireless pack today: replace the battery door, reseat the antenna, clean the connector with…
Make routine repairs on equipment
+Fix the singer's wireless pack today: replace the battery door, reseat the antenna, clean the connector with isopropyl and test range to twenty meters before returning it to Maya for the rehearsal.
The tools that do the workApple macOSjob descriptionsO*NET
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Keep logs of recordings.
+Maintain the recording logbook for the EP: note date, session start and end, track names, takes used, mic and…
Keep logs of recordings.
+Maintain the recording logbook for the EP: note date, session start and end, track names, takes used, mic and preamp settings, and any cadence or tempo notes then send the consolidated log to Aisha after each session.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Exceljob descriptionsO*NET
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Regulate volume level and sound quality during recording sessions, using control consoles.
+Set and monitor consistent volume targets on the control console for today’s tracking session with The Hollow…
Regulate volume level and sound quality during recording sessions, using control consoles.
+Set and monitor consistent volume targets on the control console for today’s tracking session with The Hollow Hearts, calibrate headphone mixes for vocalist Anna, log any clipping incidents, and confirm safety checks on stage risers before recording starts.
The tools that do the workApple macOSO*NET
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Tear down equipment after event completion.
+Strip stage and fold cases after the midnight set at The Foundry, inventory speaker and mic stands, tag any…
Tear down equipment after event completion.
+Strip stage and fold cases after the midnight set at The Foundry, inventory speaker and mic stands, tag any damaged cables, store monitors in the flight cases and text production lead Marcus when the truck is sealed.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft OfficeO*NET
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Create musical instrument digital interface programs for music projects, commercials, or film postproduction.
+Program the MIDI patches and control mappings for the commercial cue reel, assign articulations for the…
Create musical instrument digital interface programs for music projects, commercials, or film postproduction.
+Program the MIDI patches and control mappings for the commercial cue reel, assign articulations for the string library, test velocity curves on the keyboard, and export program banks to the session folder for the composer.
The tools that do the workApple macOSO*NET
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Convert video and audio records to digital formats
+Capture the archive tapes, clean and digitise each reel to high-resolution files, normalize levels to…
Convert video and audio records to digital formats
+Capture the archive tapes, clean and digitise each reel to high-resolution files, normalize levels to broadcast loudness, label files with dates and show IDs, and back up two copies to the external drives before upload.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Officejob descriptions
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Synchronize sounds and dialogue with action
+Align dialogue takes and sound effects to picture for the promo cut, nudge SFX by frames to match motion,…
Synchronize sounds and dialogue with action
+Align dialogue takes and sound effects to picture for the promo cut, nudge SFX by frames to match motion, ride level automation on critical hits, and hand a sync-locked stem set to the editor by 3pm.
The tools that do the workApple macOSjob descriptions
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Musical instruments
+Tune and maintain my vintage Fender and Yamaha keyboards for the weekend sessions, replace worn strings,…
Musical instruments
+Tune and maintain my vintage Fender and Yamaha keyboards for the weekend sessions, replace worn strings, check action and intonation, and prep gig-ready instrument cases with spare cables and picks.
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Use personal protection equipment
+Put on the hard hat, ear protection, and gloves before loading promo crates into the van, check the PPE for…
Use personal protection equipment
+Put on the hard hat, ear protection, and gloves before loading promo crates into the van, check the PPE for damage, sign the equipment log and tell Jenna I left the spare earplugs in the glovebox.
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Follow safety procedures when working at heights
+Before the rooftop banner install, inspect harnesses and lanyards, attach myself to the certified anchor, run…
Follow safety procedures when working at heights
+Before the rooftop banner install, inspect harnesses and lanyards, attach myself to the certified anchor, run through the rescue plan with the stage manager and complete the safety checklist before 10:00.
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Operate an audio mixing console
+Soundcheck the three-act set on the mixing desk: set gain and monitor mixes, mute unused channels, record a…
Operate an audio mixing console
+Soundcheck the three-act set on the mixing desk: set gain and monitor mixes, mute unused channels, record a 30‑second reference and note any feedback fixes for the engineer.
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Keep up with trends
+Scan Instagram, TikTok and playlist editorials for the last 72 hours, capture five emergent ideas and draft…
Keep up with trends
+Scan Instagram, TikTok and playlist editorials for the last 72 hours, capture five emergent ideas and draft three short social hooks tied to the new single to share with the artist by midday.
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Fit up sound on stage
+Run the line check and mic positioning, verify speaker polarity and cable routes, set stage foldback levels…
Fit up sound on stage
+Run the line check and mic positioning, verify speaker polarity and cable routes, set stage foldback levels and leave a simple cue sheet for the touring FOH tech before doors.
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Work with respect for own safety
+Carry out the pre-shift safety briefing, state my personal limits for lifting and heights, record any…
Work with respect for own safety
+Carry out the pre-shift safety briefing, state my personal limits for lifting and heights, record any concerns in the incident notebook and refuse any task that breaches those limits.
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Maintain sound equipment
+Inspect wedge monitors, mic stands, cables and the FOH snakes, replace any frayed XLRs, tighten loose rack…
Maintain sound equipment
+Inspect wedge monitors, mic stands, cables and the FOH snakes, replace any frayed XLRs, tighten loose rack screws, swap burnt speakers, log serial numbers and next service date, and flag anything needing certified rigging before Friday's show.
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Technically design a sound system
+Design a PA layout for the 800-capacity room showing speaker positions, subwoofer cardioid alignment, cable…
Technically design a sound system
+Design a PA layout for the 800-capacity room showing speaker positions, subwoofer cardioid alignment, cable runs and a front-of-house mix position with SPL targets and sightline checks, then mark required rigging points and power drops for production.
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Manage personal professional development
+Update my skills log with completed workshops, list three target courses on live sound and music marketing,…
Manage personal professional development
+Update my skills log with completed workshops, list three target courses on live sound and music marketing, create a six-month plan with milestones for learning in-ear mixing and analytics, and schedule one peer mentorship session this month.
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Work ergonomically
+Reconfigure my monitor and console area: set desk and chair heights to neutral wrist position, relocate…
Work ergonomically
+Reconfigure my monitor and console area: set desk and chair heights to neutral wrist position, relocate keyboard and mouse for straight forearms, angle the mixing surface 10 degrees, add anti-fatigue mat for standing, and note ergonomic changes in the shift log.
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Says who?
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Built on public evidence: O*NET®, ESCO, Wikipedia, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ILOSTAT. All sources & licenses
Built on public evidence: O*NET®, ESCO, Wikipedia, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ILOSTAT. All sources & licenses