Set up and operate equipment to record, mix, and balance sound for music, shows, and broadcasts.
You may also see this posted as: Audio Engineer, Mixing Engineer, Recording Engineer, Audio Operator, Mastering Engineer, Mixing Technician (Mixing Tech).
Studios, venues, and event sites
Evenings and weekends common
Realistic
working with tools, equipment, materials, or the physical world
Artistic
creating, designing, performing, or working without a rigid script
Conventional
organizing information, following systems, and getting details right
O*NET job zone 3 of 5
Medium preparation—often vocational training, an associate degree, or substantial experience—is usually needed.
Examples employers report—not a checklist you must already know.
May 2025 BLS wage & employment data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.
Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.
“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.
BLS estimates 12% of workers in this occupation are self-employed.
Statewide medians are a better starting point than the national number. Your city and experience still matter.
Certificate program
Training path: Certificate plus hands-on training.
Related work experience: None.
On-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training.
No license required to start in most places.
You can earn while you train. This field has a genuinely paid pathway in — an apprenticeship, a paid academy, or employer-funded training — so you draw a paycheck instead of taking on debt to learn it.
Licensing rules and available programs change by state. These federal tools take you to the current official listings.
Runs the equipment that records, mixes, and balances sound for music, film, and live events.
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Standard Occupational Classification 27-4014. Pay and employment from the BLS May 2025 OEWS survey; outlook and openings from the 2024–34 employment projections; job context from the Occupational Outlook Handbook; tasks, interests, work styles, software examples, and job zone from O*NET 30.3. See something off? Tell us.