The average salary for an audio engineer in California is around $78,150 per year.
Avg Salary
Audio engineers earn an average yearly salary of $78,150.
Wages typically start from $45,720 and go up to $143,130.
8% above national average Updated in 2025
Audio engineer earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level audio engineer earnings begin at:
$68.81 per hour
$143,130 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level audio engineer earnings begin at:
$48.51 per hour
$100,910 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level audio engineer earnings begin at:
$37.57 per hour
$78,150 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level audio engineer earnings begin at:
$25.55 per hour
$53,150 per year
10th percentile
Starting level audio engineer earnings begin at:
$21.98 per hour
$45,720 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Audio engineer salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| New York | $87,510 |
| Nevada | $84,570 |
| Maryland | $79,990 |
| California | $78,150 |
| Georgia | $77,010 |
| Kentucky | $74,100 |
| Illinois | $73,130 |
| Indiana | $73,130 |
| Washington | $72,970 |
| Connecticut | $72,800 |
| Florida | $70,360 |
| Arizona | $66,350 |
| New Hampshire | $65,630 |
| Ohio | $64,030 |
| Nebraska | $63,810 |
| Massachusetts | $63,250 |
| Kansas | $62,710 |
| Missouri | $61,750 |
| Colorado | $60,630 |
| Tennessee | $60,500 |
| Montana | $57,600 |
| Iowa | $57,400 |
| Louisiana | $55,530 |
| Idaho | $54,970 |
| Texas | $54,370 |
| Michigan | $51,840 |
| Virginia | $49,920 |
| Pennsylvania | $49,490 |
| North Carolina | $49,150 |
| Maine | $48,380 |
| Wisconsin | $46,780 |
| New Mexico | $45,690 |
| South Carolina | $45,240 |
| Arkansas | $45,130 |
| Minnesota | $43,030 |
| Hawaii | $42,230 |
| Oregon | $39,170 |
| Utah | $36,400 |
| Oklahoma | $35,050 |
| Alabama | $29,110 |
| Puerto Rico | $27,100 |
| New Jersey | $115,190 |
| District of Columbia | $106,630 |
How do audio engineer salaries compare to similar careers?
Audio engineers earn 8% less than similar careers in California. On average, they make less than conductors but more than drafters.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Conductor salary | $93K |
| Composer salary | $93K |
| Industrial designer salary | $101K |
| Online merchant salary | $88K |
| Music therapist salary | $98K |
| Audio engineer salary | $78K |
| Graphic designer salary | $75K |
| Technical support specialist salary | $80K |
| Computer repair technician salary | $80K |
| Drafter salary | $77K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)