Sound Designer Career Profile, Salary & Job Outlook
What does a Sound Designer do?
Sound Designers create and edit all the sound in a film. They are responsible for capturing dialogue, sound mixing and editing, audio effects, and foley sounds to make the film ambiance. Sound designers work alongside sound supervisors, composers, and editors.
How much does this career make?
According to Ziprecruiter, Sound Designers make a national average of $58,425 or $28.09 an hour (as of March 2022). Entry-level sound designers make around $40,500 annually, with senior-level sound designers making $76,000 a year. But, of course, this wide range also depends on skill, seniority, company, and location.
What impact does this career have towards the film industry?
In film, sound can often be overlooked because so much emphasis is placed on visual impact. However, sound dictates a film’s mood and overall feel. Most sound in a film is recreated because sound captured in raw footage is low quality.
What is the job outlook for a Sound Designer?
Analysts forecast that film revenue will grow to $392.34 billion by 2025. In addition, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), job opportunities in the field (including Designers) are expected to increase at a rate of 6% during the 2020-2030 decade.
How to kick off your career:
- Download and study editing software, like Pro Tools.
- Do an internship at a post-production company.
- Explore the NYU x Rolling Stone x IndieWire Film + TV Industry Essentials online course.
- Download Yellowbrick’s Ultimate Film Career Guide.
Learn from:
Judd Apatow, Film & TV Industry Essentials contributor,
Film director/producer/screenwriter/comedian
Related Careers:
Film Editor | Post Supervisor | ADR Recordist | Foley Artist | Production Sound Mixer | Foley Engineer | Music Supervisor| ADR Mixer | Assistant Editor | Sound Mixer | Composer
