SalaryExplorer

SOC 27-4014 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS

Sound Engineering Technicians — South Carolina

South Carolina

$45,240 /year
$21.75per hour
−38.1%vs US median

At $45,240, this is one of the lower medians recorded for Sound Engineering Technicians, 38.1% beneath the national figure of $73,130.

Wage distribution · annual

Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners

US MEDIAN $73,13010TH$39,510MEDIAN$45,24075TH$50,47090TH$74,480

How pay has moved

$47,185$35,51520212022202320242025$45,240
$37,460 in 2021 to $45,240 in 2025, +20.8% before inflation. BLS states that OEWS estimates are not designed for comparison across years: the occupational classification, the sampling frame and the survey method have all changed inside this window. Read the direction, not the exact difference.

The next ten years

Projected to decline

Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
-1.7%
Openings per year
1,200
Typical entry-level education
Postsecondary nondegree award
On-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training

Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.

12.0% of people in this occupation work for themselves.

Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for South Carolina.

Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.

Salary overview

At $45,240, this is one of the lower medians recorded for Sound Engineering Technicians, 38.1% beneath the national figure of $73,130. The middle half of workers in this occupation earn between $44,790 and $50,470. The lowest tenth earn under $39,510, while the highest tenth earn more than $74,480.

Among the 35 states with published data for this occupation, South Carolina ranks 34th by median wage. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 494th of 713 by median pay.

Percentile breakdown

Annual wages by percentile · South Carolina · May 2025
PercentileAnnualvs US median
10th$39,510−46.0%
25th$44,790−38.8%
Median (50th)$45,240−38.1%
75th$50,470−31.0%
90th$74,480+1.8%
Mean$51,290−29.9%

Why the average earner is usually not a typical earner

What the pay is worth locally

Prices in South Carolina run 6.3% below the national average, so the median of $45,240 goes as far as $48,282 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 34.0% below the national median in real terms.

Published median

$45,240as reported by BLS

Local price level

93.7US average = 100 · BEA 2024

Adjusted for local prices

$48,282US average = 100 · BEA 2024

Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest

Key takeaways

  • Median pay is $45,240 a year, 38.1% below the national median.
  • Published pay spans $39,510 to $74,480 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
  • It ranks 34th of 35 states for this occupation.

Frequently asked questions

What is the median wage for Sound Engineering Technicians in South Carolina?

The median annual wage is $45,240, or $21.75 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.

Is that higher than the national average?

The national median for this occupation is $73,130, so pay in South Carolina is 38.1% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.

What do the top earners make?

The top tenth of this occupation in South Carolina earns more than $74,480 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.

What is the starting range?

The tenth percentile wage is $39,510 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.

Source and methodology

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.