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Live sound, studio & post
Audio Engineer
Live sound pays the rent; studio work pays in credits.
Typical pay
$35k-$85k
How you get in
Apprenticeship or program plus a reel of work
Outlook
Steady in live and corporate AV; weak in commercial studios
Audio engineers record, mix and reinforce sound for music, film, broadcast and live events. Live sound and corporate AV are where the steady money is; commercial studio work has largely fragmented into home setups.
A day in the life
- 11:00aLoad in, set up the PA and run cable
- 1:00pRing out the room and set gain structure
- 3:00pSoundcheck each act
- 6:00pDoors, then mix the opener
- 9:00pMix the headliner — the part that is actually the job
- 12:30aLoad out, coil cable, drive home
How to get in
Live sound from the ground up
Duration
1-3 years
Cost
$0-$3,000
Credential
None; Dante and manufacturer certifications help
- Start as a stagehand or A2 pulling cable for a production company
- Learn signal flow, gain structure and system tuning
- Get Dante certified — networked audio is now standard
- Move to A1 mixing house or monitors, then to freelance day rates
Audio program or school
Duration
1-2 years
Cost
$10,000-$60,000
Credential
Certificate or associate in audio engineering
- Complete an audio program with real console and studio time
- Be honest about the return — many programs oversell studio careers
- Intern with a production company or post house
- Still expect to start pulling cable regardless of the credential
Corporate AV and post-production
Duration
1-3 years
Cost
$0-$5,000
Credential
Manufacturer and Dante certifications
- Move into corporate events, houses of worship or broadcast
- Far more predictable schedules and pay than touring or clubs
- Or specialize in post-production audio for film and podcasts
- This is where the stable, benefits-carrying jobs actually are
What people love
- · Live and corporate AV work is genuinely plentiful
- · No degree required — the ears and the reliability are
- · Freelance day rates are solid
- · Skills transfer across music, film, broadcast and events
What wears people down
- · Nights, weekends and heavy load-in work
- · Studio work has been decimated by home recording
- · Hearing damage is a genuine career risk
- · Freelance income is irregular