On this page
- Sound Designer Pay in 60 Seconds
- How Much Sound Designers Make
- Which Workers the Sound Designer Pay Figure Covers
- Sound Designer Starting Salary
- Top-Paying States for Sound Designers
- Top-Paying Metro Areas for Sound Engineers and Sound Designers
- Where Sound Design and Audio Jobs Are
- Sound Designer Pay Compared With Related Game Careers
- How Sound Designers Earn More
- Job Outlook for Sound Designers
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Related Pages
- Sources
Sound Designer Pay in 60 Seconds
- The closest federal median is $73,130. Game sound designers are counted with sound engineering technicians, BLS May 2025. The middle half earned $49,910 to $100,280, and the hourly median was $35.16. The Range ›
- BLS lists sound designer as an example title. Its projections name sound designer and sound effects technician under sound engineering technicians. Most of those workers are in music, film, broadcast and live events, and composers are counted separately. What's Counted ›
- The 25th percentile was $49,910. BLS doesn't publish pay by experience. The 10th percentile was $37,570, or $18.06 an hour. A salaried junior role can beat a higher contract rate once equipment and gaps between contracts are counted. Starting Pay ›
- California has about 31% of the jobs. It employs 4,060 sound engineering technicians at a $78,150 median. New Jersey has the highest state median, $115,190, but no table separates game studios from music and broadcast work. Where the Jobs Are ›
- BLS projects the occupation to shrink 3.1%. That is 2025 to 2035, against 3.5% growth for all occupations. It still expects about 1,000 openings a year, almost all from people retiring or leaving the occupation. Outlook ›
Heads up The video game designer median is $104,000, so an audio role heavy on engine implementation is worth asking about.
How Much Sound Designers Make
Game sound designers are counted with sound engineering technicians, BLS May 2025. That occupation earned a national median of $73,130 a year, 1.4 times the $50,980 median for all jobs. The middle half earned between $49,910 and $100,280, and the hourly median was $35.16.
- Lowest 10%
- $37,570
- $18.06/hr
- 25th percentile
- $49,910
- $23.99/hr
- Median
- $73,130
- $35.16/hr
- 75th percentile
- $100,280
- $48.21/hr
- Top 10%
- $137,370
- $66.04/hr
The range is wide. The lowest-paid 10% earned under $37,570 and the top 10% over $137,370, so the top of the occupation earns 3.7 times what the bottom earns. The mean was $81,390, $8,260 above the median, which means a group of high earners pulls the average up. Compare a first audio job with the median and the 25th percentile, not with the mean.
It is also a small occupation. BLS counts about 13,080 salaried sound engineering technicians in the whole country. Freelancers and the self-employed aren't in the wage survey, and a lot of audio work, in games and elsewhere, is done on contract.
Reading the Percentiles for an Audio Career
Treat the 10th and 25th percentiles, $37,570 and $49,910, as the pay of people early in an audio career or in smaller markets. Treat the median as a settled salaried audio role, and the 75th percentile, $100,280, and above as senior, lead and supervising roles. BLS doesn't publish how pay changes with experience, so this is a reading of the spread, not a federal finding. It fits how game audio teams are built: an audio director or lead, a few sound designers who own areas of the game, and contractors brought in for voice, music or a busy stretch before release.
What's countedWhich Workers the Sound Designer Pay Figure Covers
BLS doesn't track game audio separately. Its projections list "Sound Designer" and "Sound Effects Technician" among the example titles for sound engineering technicians, which is why this page uses that occupation. O*NET's sample titles for the same occupation are audio engineer, audio operator, mastering engineer, mixing engineer, mixing technician and music producer, and its first listed task is to "confer with producers, performers, and others to determine and achieve the desired sound for a production, such as a musical recording or a film." Another is to "mix and edit voices, music, and taped sound effects for live performances and for prerecorded events, using sound mixing boards."
Most of those workers are in music studios, film and television post-production, broadcasting and live events. Game studios are in there too. O*NET's software list for the occupation includes the Unity game engine next to the usual recording and editing tools, but games don't set the median. Composers are a separate occupation, music directors and composers, so a role that mainly writes the score is not covered by these figures.
Matching an Offer to the Right Figure
Studios use sound designer, audio designer and technical sound designer loosely, so read the responsibilities. A role that records, edits and mixes sound effects, ambience and dialogue is the work this occupation counts. A role that also builds the audio systems in the engine and writes scripts for them sits closer to game development, and its pay can run nearer the designer and developer figures. The video game designer occupation's median of $104,000 is $30,870 above this one, so when a role is heavy on implementation, ask how the studio levels it.
Starting outSound Designer Starting Salary
BLS doesn't publish pay by experience, so this is an estimate read from the percentiles, not a federal entry-level figure. The 10th percentile for sound engineering technicians was $37,570 and the 25th was $49,910, or $18.06 and $23.99 an hour.
Contract work is hard to price against these figures, because the survey counts employees on a payroll. If you're quoted a day or hourly rate, put it next to the $35.16 hourly median, then remember that a contractor pays for their own sound libraries, plug-ins, microphones, health coverage and the weeks between contracts out of that rate. A salaried junior role near the 25th percentile can be worth more than a higher contract rate once those are counted.
Comparing Your First Offer
Ask three things before you compare numbers. Is the role salaried, hourly or paid per project? Is it tied to one game, and what happens when the game ships? Does the studio supply the hardware and software licenses, or do you? A permanent junior sound designer role is a different thing from a three-month contract at a higher rate. In audio, as in the rest of games, the first shipped credit matters a lot, because every later application is judged on finished work.
Top-Paying States for Sound Designers
New Jersey has the highest published median for sound engineering technicians, $115,190, then District of Columbia at $106,630 and New York at $87,510. The lowest is Utah, at $36,400, a gap of $78,790. BLS publishes a median for 35 of the 50 states and DC; in the rest the occupation is too small to report.
| State | Median | Middle half | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | $115,190 | $74,410 to $138,380 | 290 |
| District of Columbia | $106,630 | $71,030 to $127,160 | 90 |
| New York | $87,510 | $59,200 to $129,460 | 2,050 |
| Nevada | $84,570 | $52,400 to $103,440 | 170 |
| Maryland | $79,990 | $72,960 to $86,740 | 160 |
| California | $78,150 | $53,150 to $100,910 | 4,060 |
| Georgia | $77,010 | $49,160 to $98,590 | 200 |
| Kentucky | $74,100 | $56,730 to $77,490 | 60 |
| Illinois | $73,130 | $40,460 to $99,460 | 570 |
| Indiana | $73,130 | $46,040 to $74,740 | 50 |
These are medians for all sound engineering work, and none of the tables separates game studios. They also aren't adjusted for living costs, so a high median in an expensive state can buy less than a lower one elsewhere. Use the table to judge an offer in a given state, not to pick where to move.
By metroTop-Paying Metro Areas for Sound Engineers and Sound Designers
BLS publishes a median for this occupation in 42 metro areas. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ heads the list at $97,510, across 1,960 jobs. Small metros can top a pay list on a handful of jobs.
| Metro area | Median | Middle half | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $97,510 | $59,200 to $129,950 | 1,960 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $94,990 | $77,080 to $142,940 | 460 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $86,610 | $55,280 to $99,590 | 150 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $83,810 | $83,810 to $83,810 | 380 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $81,840 | $52,400 to $103,430 | 140 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $79,990 | $71,030 to $106,630 | 240 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $77,850 | $50,590 to $99,720 | 2,820 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $77,420 | $61,560 to $116,540 | 140 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $76,260 | $58,700 to $112,340 | 40 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $76,050 | $56,060 to $119,580 | 100 |
Where Sound Design and Audio Jobs Are
The states that pay the most aren't always the states with the most jobs. California employs 4,060 sound engineering technicians, about 31% of the national total, at a median of $78,150. New York and Texas come next. Minnesota also has about 400 of these jobs, but BLS publishes no median there, so it doesn't appear in the pay tables.
| State | Employed | Median | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 4,060 | $78,150 | $53,150 to $100,910 |
| New York | 2,050 | $87,510 | $59,200 to $129,460 |
| Texas | 830 | $54,370 | $39,690 to $71,790 |
| Florida | 590 | $70,360 | $47,970 to $102,590 |
| Illinois | 570 | $73,130 | $40,460 to $99,460 |
| Tennessee | 510 | $60,500 | $46,200 to $106,310 |
| New Jersey | 290 | $115,190 | $74,410 to $138,380 |
| Utah | 210 | $36,400 | $30,570 to $67,230 |
| Georgia | 200 | $77,010 | $49,160 to $98,590 |
| Massachusetts | 200 | $63,250 | $51,190 to $113,710 |
By metro, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA has the most counted jobs, 2,820, followed by New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ and San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA. The concentration column shows where sound work is a bigger share of local jobs than it is nationally, which usually means a music, film or broadcast industry.
| Metro area | Employed | Per 1,000 jobs | Concentration | Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 2,820 | 0.45 | 5.34 | $77,850 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 1,960 | 0.21 | 2.45 | $97,510 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 460 | 0.20 | 2.32 | $94,990 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 450 | 0.10 | 1.18 | $73,140 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 380 | 0.19 | 2.29 | $83,810 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | 320 | 0.29 | 3.50 | $71,180 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 240 | 0.08 | 0.90 | $79,990 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | 160 | 0.19 | 2.28 | $36,400 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 150 | 0.05 | 0.60 | $86,610 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | 150 | 0.11 | 1.29 | $68,900 |
For a game audio job search, read the two lists together. A large market means more employers in the occupation, but most of them record music, mix television or run live sound. A high median helps only if a game studio there is hiring audio staff, so check which studios in a metro have audio teams before you count it as a game audio market.
Sound Designer Pay Compared With Related Game Careers
At $73,130, the sound engineering median sits below the occupations most game jobs are counted in. The occupations that count game developers and game testers had medians of $135,980 and $104,300. Of the game jobs compared here, only concept artists had a lower median, at $55,490. Each card shows the median for the occupation that counts that job.
- Salary Video game designer salary $104,000 median (web and digital interface designers)
- Salary Level designer salary $104,000 median (web and digital interface designers)
- Salary Narrative designer salary $76,910 median (writers and authors)
- Salary Game developer salary $135,980 median (software developers)
- Salary Game tester salary $104,300 median (software quality assurance analysts and testers)
- Salary Animator salary $102,030 median (special effects artists and animators)
- Salary 3D artist salary $102,030 median (special effects artists and animators)
- Salary Technical artist salary $102,030 median (special effects artists and animators)
- Salary Game producer salary $90,360 median (producers and directors)
- Salary Concept artist salary $55,490 median (fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators)
How Sound Designers Earn More
The data points to three levers. The first is the spread inside the occupation: the top 10% earned over $137,370, $64,240 above the median. In games those are mostly lead and audio director roles, which own the sound of a whole project and review other people's work.
The second is the technical side of the job. Sound designers who build the audio systems in the engine, script how sounds react to the game and keep the audio running within memory and performance budgets are doing work close to programming. Software developers, where game programmers are counted, had a median of $135,980, which shows what technical skill is worth in the same studios.
The third is location. New Jersey tops the state list and New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ the metro list, but neither figure is adjusted for living costs or separates game audio from other sound work. A move helps only if a studio there is hiring audio staff, or if you'd take film, broadcast or live sound work between game projects.
OutlookJob Outlook for Sound Designers
BLS projects employment of sound engineering technicians to shrink 3.1% between 2025 and 2035, from 15,000 to 14,600 jobs, while all occupations grow 3.5%. It still expects about 1,000 openings a year, 6.7% of current jobs, almost all from people retiring or leaving the occupation. The projection counts self-employed workers and the wage survey counts only employees, which is why the two job counts differ.
Neither figure is about games. Game audio hiring follows release schedules: studios staff up for a project and often bring in contractors for voice and music. In O*NET's survey of this occupation, 32% said a high school diploma was enough for a new hire, 20% a postsecondary certificate and 20% a bachelor's degree, so the field is open to people without a four-year degree, and a demo reel of finished work counts for more than the credential. The sound designer career guide covers how people get hired.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Much Do Sound Designers Make?
The closest federal figure is a median of $73,130 a year for sound engineering technicians, from BLS May 2025. The middle half earned $49,910 to $100,280, and the top 10% over $137,370. BLS doesn't track game audio separately, so this covers recording, mixing and sound editing work in music, film, broadcast and live events too. Game sound designers are a small part of it. See the full pay range.
Which BLS Occupation Counts Game Sound Designers?
Sound engineering technicians. BLS lists "Sound Designer" among the example titles for that occupation, along with sound editor and sound effects technician, and O*NET's task list is recording, editing and mixing sound for productions. Composers are counted in a different occupation, music directors and composers, so a role that mainly writes the score isn't covered by this page. See who the figure covers.
What Is the Starting Salary for a Sound Designer?
BLS doesn't publish pay by experience, so the low end of the range is the best guide. For sound engineering technicians, the lowest-paid 10% earned under $37,570 and the lowest quarter under $49,910 in BLS May 2025, or about $18.06 to $23.99 an hour. That's an estimate read from percentiles, not a federal entry-level figure, and freelance sound work isn't in the survey at all. See starting pay.
Where Do Sound Designers Make the Most Money?
New Jersey has the highest published median for sound engineering technicians, $115,190, followed by District of Columbia at $106,630 and New York at $87,510. California has the most jobs, about 31% of the national total. These figures aren't adjusted for living costs and cover studio, broadcast and live sound as well as games, so match them to where studios are hiring. See the state table.
Is Sound Design a Growing Career?
Not by BLS's projection for sound engineering technicians, which expects jobs to shrink 3.1% from 2025 to 2035, against 3.5% growth for all jobs. It still expects about 1,000 openings a year, mostly from people leaving the occupation. BLS doesn't project game audio separately, and studios often hire audio staff per project or on contract, so the game share of those openings moves with release schedules. See the job outlook.
Sources
- 1 BLS, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025: 27-4014 Sound Engineering Technicians National and state wages and employment, and the 15-1255 and 15-1252 medians used for comparison. Accessed .
- 2 BLS, OEWS May 2025 all-data file Metro-area wages and employment, and national hourly percentiles. Accessed .
- 3 BLS, Employment Projections 2025-35 Projected employment change and openings, the example job titles for the occupation, and the median wage for all occupations. Accessed .
- 4 O*NET OnLine, 27-4014.00 Sound Engineering Technicians Sample job titles, tasks, software and the education survey. Accessed .