The engineering of sound and vibration: quiet buildings, great-sounding concert halls, noise-cancelling earbuds, speakers, sonar and ultrasound.
Top pay: highest pay, longest training
Principal Acoustical Consultant: Senior expert who leads the acoustics design of concert halls, stadiums, hospitals and big buildings. Typical pay $140k.
Audio DSP Engineer: Writes the math and code that make earbuds cancel noise, smart speakers hear you and video calls sound clear. Typical pay $145k.
Sonar Systems Engineer: Designs sound-based systems that let submarines, ships and underwater drones 'see' in the dark ocean. Typical pay $130k.
Ultrasound Transducer Engineer: Designs the probes that send and receive sound waves to create ultrasound images of babies, hearts and organs. Typical pay $125k.
Spatial Audio Engineer: Builds the technology that makes sound in VR, games and headphones seem to come from all around you. Typical pay $110k.
Mid pay: solid pay, degree or apprenticeship
Acoustical Engineer: Uses the science of sound to make things quieter, clearer or sound better. Typical pay $100k.
Architectural Acoustician: Designs how buildings sound, from quiet classrooms and private hospital rooms to recording studios and theaters. Typical pay $92k.
Loudspeaker Design Engineer: Designs speakers for headphones, cars, phones, home theaters and concert sound systems. Typical pay $95k.
Hearing Aid Engineer: Designs tiny hearing aids and hearing-health earbuds that help people hear conversations clearly. Typical pay $105k.
Environmental Noise Engineer: Predicts and reduces noise from highways, airports, wind farms and factories so neighbors aren't disturbed. Typical pay $88k.
Acoustic Test Technician: Runs sound and vibration tests on products in special labs like anechoic and reverberation chambers. Typical pay $58k.
Noise Monitoring Technician: Sets up and maintains sound monitors around airports, construction sites and factories. Typical pay $55k.
Live Sound Engineer: Sets up and runs the sound systems for concerts, churches, conferences and theater shows. Typical pay $55k.
Acoustical Ceiling & Panel Installer: Installs ceilings, wall panels and soundproofing that control noise and echoes in buildings. Typical pay $55k.
Acoustic Emission Testing Technician: Listens to the tiny "pings" metal and fiberglass make as they crack under load, to find hidden damage in tanks, booms and bridges. Typical pay $68k.
Starter: fastest way in
Sound Masking Systems Installer: Installs hidden speakers that play a soft, steady hiss so conversations in offices, banks and clinics stay private. Typical pay $52k.
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