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Boston Career Explorer

Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media

Sound Engineering Technicians

Assemble 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.

Also called: Audio Engineer, Audio Operator, Mastering Engineer, Mixing Engineer, Mixing Technician (Mixing Tech), Music Producer

Median pay in Greater Boston
$77,420
$37.22/hr
Jobs in Greater Boston
140
Massachusetts 2024–2034
−3.1%
10 openings a year
Typical U.S. entry requirement
Postsecondary nondegree award
plus Short-term on-the-job training

Greater Boston: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, May 2025. Growth and openings: Massachusetts statewide projection.

Pay range in Greater Boston

Yearly pay in Greater Boston by percentile
10th25thMedian75th90th
$51,190$61,560$77,420$116,540$125,770

10% of workers earn less than the first figure and 10% earn more than the last.

What you’d do

  • Confer with producers, performers, and others to determine and achieve the desired sound for a production, such as a musical recording or a film.
  • Regulate volume level and sound quality during recording sessions, using control consoles.
  • Record speech, music, and other sounds on recording media, using recording equipment.
  • Separate instruments, vocals, and other sounds, and combine sounds during the mixing or postproduction stage.
  • Set up, test, and adjust recording equipment for recording sessions and live performances.
  • Report equipment problems and ensure that required repairs are made.

AI and this job

AI exposure: how much of this job’s work AI tools can do or help with, based on national research. It is not a forecast of job loss.

Moderate exposure53 of 100

The index averages three national research measures, each shown as a percentile of all jobs:

  • AIOE 58
  • Language-model AIOE 56
  • GPTs-are-GPTs 46

Observed AI use today: Little or none (Anthropic Economic Index)

AI exposure for this job is moderate, and observed AI use is little or none so far. AI tools and wireless technology may help with tasks like mixing sound and adjusting levels, which could mean fewer technicians are needed. Massachusetts is projected to decline 3.1% from 2024 to 2034. Working with producers and performers to get the right sound, and setting up equipment, still rely on people.

Likely to change

  • Mixing and separating sounds in postproduction
  • Adjusting volume and sound quality

Still relies on people

  • Talking with producers and performers about sound
  • Setting up and testing equipment on site

What federal projections say

“Productivity change - share decreases as the use of wireless technology and artificial intelligence (AI) systems allow technicians to perform tasks more efficiently.”
BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, factors affecting this job (U.S.)

Written with AI from the data on this page. Check with a career coach before making a decision.

Next steps from here

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Training near Boston

College and school programs in the Boston metro area that lead to this job, with 2023-24 completions (IPEDS).

1 program near Boston

Related occupations

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