Sound Engineering Technicians Salary
The median pay for a sound engineering technicians in Idaho is $54,970/year ($26.43/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $79K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.88), which stretches that salary to about $58,553 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,136/month, about 31.5% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Idaho. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $55K get you in Idaho?
About sound engineering technicians
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What this looks like in Idaho
Pay for sound engineering technicians in Idaho runs about 25% below the U.S. median of $73K. Rent runs $1,136/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.88 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Idaho
Entry-level sound engineering technicians (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $55K. Top earners bring in $79K or more, a $47K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track sound engineering technicians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Idaho numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a sound engineering technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Idaho?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $55K, rent takes 30.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,136/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for sound engineering technicians in Idaho?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new sound engineering technicians typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,937/month. At HUD’s $1,136/month FMR, rent would take 59% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is sound engineering technician a high-paying job in Idaho?
Local pay runs 25% below the national median — $55K here vs. $73K nationally. Cost of living is 6% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Idaho compare to the national average for sound engineering technicians?
Idaho pays $55K median vs. the U.S. average of $73K — that’s -25%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.88), the purchasing-power equivalent is $59K — below the national median.
How much do sound engineering technicians make in Idaho?
The median is $54,970 a year, that works out to about $26 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $32,280, and experienced sound engineering technicians can clear $78,870. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $55K enough to live in Idaho?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,674/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,136/month, which eats 30.9% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a sound engineering technicians salary go in Idaho?
Idaho has a Regional Price Parity of 93.88 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median sound engineering technicians salary is worth about $58,553 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do sound engineering technicians get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.