Sound Engineering Technicians pay range in San Diego
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $45,850 a year or less, while the top 10% make $87,400 or more. The middle half of sound engineering technicians in San Diego earn between $50,690 and $76,570.
- $46K10th
- $51K25th
- $63KMedian
- $77K75th
- $87K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $67,810 | $5,651 | $32.60 |
| Median | $63,020 | $5,252 | $30.30 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $50,690 | $4,224 | $24.37 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $76,570 | $6,381 | $36.81 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Sound Engineering Technicians pay in San Diego vs. California and the U.S.
Sound engineering technicians in San Diego earn 23% less than the California average ($87,550) and 17% less than the U.S. average ($81,390). At the median the gap is -14% against the U.S. median of $73,130.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego | $67,810 | $63,020 | $45,850 | $87,400 | 140 |
| California | $87,550 | $78,150 | $45,720 | $143,130 | 4,060 |
| United States | $81,390 | $73,130 | $37,570 | $137,370 | 13,080 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Sound Engineering Technicians salary after taxes in San Diego
On the average salary of $67,810, a single filer in San Diego takes home about $54,182 a year, or $4,515 a month and $2,084 every two weeks. Taxes take 20% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is San Diego a good place for sound engineering technicians? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the San Diego area are 12% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 111.9), so the average $67,810 buys what about $60,606 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.1 times the median wage of all jobs in San Diego ($58,690). A typical home costs $946,365, or 14.0 years of this average salary before tax.
Sound Engineering Technicians salary in other California cities
San Diego ranks 5th of 5 California metro areas for this job; San Francisco pays the most ($108,850).
- San Francisco$108,850
- Los Angeles$84,140
- Sacramento$78,620
- Riverside$70,020
- San Diego$67,810
Highest-paying cities for sound engineering technicians
San Francisco, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($108,850).
- San Francisco, CA$108,850
- New York, NY$101,120
- Nashville, TN$94,530
- Washington, DC$90,620
- Boston, MA$89,430
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Sound Engineering Technicians salary in San Diego: questions
How much do sound engineering technicians make an hour in San Diego?
$32.60 an hour on average, and $30.30 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level sound engineering technicians salary in San Diego?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $45,850 a year and the 25th percentile is $50,690, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the sound engineering technicians take-home pay in San Diego?
About $54,182 a year ($4,515 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $67,810. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do sound engineering technicians earn more in San Diego than elsewhere?
The average here is 17% less than the U.S. average for this job ($81,390).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 27-4014; area San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA (41740). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 5.7%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.10, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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