Also called: Audio Technician, Front-of-House Engineer
Sets up and runs the sound systems for concerts, churches, conferences and theater shows.
You hang speakers, run cables and do a sound check with the band in the afternoon. During the show you stand at the mixing board in the middle of the crowd, riding faders so the singer's voice always cuts through.
Top touring engineers earn much more; many work freelance.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Certificate, about 1 year after high school. High school plus audio production certificate or on-the-job experience; many are self-taught.
Ways in: Trade school, On-the-job training, Self-taught, Certification. Training cost: Under $15k.
Majors to look at: Audio Production (certificate), Recording Arts.
Growing about average. Tracks audio and video technicians.
Low risk for 10 years. AI auto-mixing helps small events; running sound at live concerts and fixing problems in the moment stays human.
Classes: Music or band, Theater tech crew, Electronics CTE, Physics.
Official data: O*NET occupation 27-4011.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.