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.
Keeping the record3
Record speech, music, and other sounds
+Record the ADR session with the lead actor, capture room tone, safety-check the mic chain, log takes with…
Record speech, music, and other sounds
+Record the ADR session with the lead actor, capture room tone, safety-check the mic chain, log takes with slate notes, and deliver labelled WAVs and a rough mix to the re-recording mixer before tomorrow's mix session.
The tools that do the workApple macOSjob descriptionsO*NET
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Assemble and operate sound equipment
+Assemble the location sound kit for tonight's shoot, patch and line-check the mixer and booms, run a…
Assemble and operate sound equipment
+Assemble the location sound kit for tonight's shoot, patch and line-check the mixer and booms, run a rehearsal mic check with the band, and leave a quick setup diagram for the crew chief before call time.
The tools that do the workApple macOSESCOjob descriptions
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Keep logs of recordings.
+Record each studio take with timecode, performer, mic channel and notes, flag usable takes, compile a daily…
Keep logs of recordings.
+Record each studio take with timecode, performer, mic channel and notes, flag usable takes, compile a daily transcript and deliver a dated printable log to post‑production by 19:00 each shooting day.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Exceljob descriptionsO*NET
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Fixing1
Make routine repairs on equipment
+Perform quick maintenance on the wireless lavs: replace batteries, clean connectors, swap any faulty cables,…
Make routine repairs on equipment
+Perform quick maintenance on the wireless lavs: replace batteries, clean connectors, swap any faulty cables, run a signal test and document serial numbers of repaired units in the equipment log by end of day.
The tools that do the workLinuxjob descriptionsO*NET
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The daily work16
Use personal protection equipment
+Put on the earmuffs, gloves and safety boots, confirm the fit of the harness and visor, run the quick…
Use personal protection equipment
+Put on the earmuffs, gloves and safety boots, confirm the fit of the harness and visor, run the quick pre-shift checklist, then sign the PPE log at the stage door before I touch any cables or kit.
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Follow safety procedures when working at heights
+Before climbing the rig, inspect the anchor points and ladder, attach my harness and lanyard to the certified…
Follow safety procedures when working at heights
+Before climbing the rig, inspect the anchor points and ladder, attach my harness and lanyard to the certified point, radio stage manager that I'm starting the climb, and note time and witness in the safety register.
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Operate an audio mixing console
+Set the mixing console gain structure for the band: patch inputs to channels, set trims so peaks sit around…
Operate an audio mixing console
+Set the mixing console gain structure for the band: patch inputs to channels, set trims so peaks sit around −12 dB, engage high-pass on mics, set rough monitor mixes, then save the session as Main FOH scene.
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Keep up with trends
+Scan the past month of festival lineups, follow three key touring engineers on their feeds, subscribe to the…
Keep up with trends
+Scan the past month of festival lineups, follow three key touring engineers on their feeds, subscribe to the new firmware notes from major manufacturers, and save a summary of useful tweaks for quick recall before shows.
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Fit up sound on stage
+Before I start, clear the work area of trip hazards, lock out live power where possible, wear PPE, run the…
Fit up sound on stage
+Before I start, clear the work area of trip hazards, lock out live power where possible, wear PPE, run the soundcheck with a safe distance from loud monitors, and brief the crew on emergency exits.
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Work with respect for own safety
+Commit to a safety-first routine: refuse unsafe lifts, take two scheduled microbreaks per four hours, log any…
Work with respect for own safety
+Commit to a safety-first routine: refuse unsafe lifts, take two scheduled microbreaks per four hours, log any near-miss immediately, and escalate unresolved hazards to production before proceeding.
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Regulate volume level and sound quality during recording sessions, using control consoles.
+Set console faders and input trims to keep talent peaks under minus six dB, dial talkback at a discreet…
Regulate volume level and sound quality during recording sessions, using control consoles.
+Set console faders and input trims to keep talent peaks under minus six dB, dial talkback at a discreet level, monitor headphone mixes for bleed, note any noisy channels, and report unresolved issues to production before the next take.
The tools that do the workApple macOSO*NET
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Tear down equipment after event completion.
+Break down the stage by powering down snake and outboard racks in the correct order, bag and label cables,…
Tear down equipment after event completion.
+Break down the stage by powering down snake and outboard racks in the correct order, bag and label cables, crate microphones with shock mounts, check inventory against the event manifest, and send a photographed condition report to the stage manager.
The tools that do the workApple macOSO*NET
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Create musical instrument digital interface programs for music projects, commercials, or film postproduction.
+Program the MIDI instrument patches needed for the spot: map velocities and CCs for the guitar, set synth…
Create musical instrument digital interface programs for music projects, commercials, or film postproduction.
+Program the MIDI instrument patches needed for the spot: map velocities and CCs for the guitar, set synth voicings for the commercial cue, save named presets for the film session, and export the patch bank 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 each tape and line source at native sample rate, apply low-latency dither only when required,…
Convert video and audio records to digital formats
+Capture each tape and line source at native sample rate, apply low-latency dither only when required, normalize levels without clipping, embed timecode and metadata, and copy verified files to the archive drive and cloud upload folder.
The tools that do the workApple macOSjob descriptions
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Synchronize sounds and dialogue with action
+Align ADR and location tracks to picture using timecode and reference slate, nudge dialogue to match actor…
Synchronize sounds and dialogue with action
+Align ADR and location tracks to picture using timecode and reference slate, nudge dialogue to match actor mouths within a frame, smooth edits with crossfades, then deliver a synced session to the mixer for review.
The tools that do the workApple macOSjob descriptions
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Musical instruments
+Tune and set up acoustic instruments, check string action and intonation where needed, mic each source for…
Musical instruments
+Tune and set up acoustic instruments, check string action and intonation where needed, mic each source for isolation, record reference takes, and note any performance or setup issues for the producer.
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Maintain sound equipment
+Inspect and service the location sound kit today: check mic capsules and windshields, replace two worn XLR…
Maintain sound equipment
+Inspect and service the location sound kit today: check mic capsules and windshields, replace two worn XLR cables, clean contacts with contact cleaner, verify phantom power on the mixer, label repaired parts, and log hours in the equipment logbook before leaving.
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Technically design a sound system
+Design the PA for Friday's outdoor shoot for director Maya: calculate speaker positions for even SPL across…
Technically design a sound system
+Design the PA for Friday's outdoor shoot for director Maya: calculate speaker positions for even SPL across the stage, specify mains, fills and sub locations, list required cable runs and snake lengths, and produce a diagram for the rigging crew.
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Manage personal professional development
+Plan my professional development for the next six months: list three online mixing courses, schedule two…
Manage personal professional development
+Plan my professional development for the next six months: list three online mixing courses, schedule two hands-on sessions with the re-recording mixer, budget for a new condenser mic, and set monthly review checkpoints in my calendar.
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Work ergonomically
+Rearrange my edit suite ergonomics this afternoon: raise the monitor to eye level, adjust chair height and…
Work ergonomically
+Rearrange my edit suite ergonomics this afternoon: raise the monitor to eye level, adjust chair height and lumbar support, reposition keyboard and control surface to keep elbows at 90 degrees, and run a 30-minute posture and stretch reminder every two hours.
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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