Leads the audio team on a video game, setting the sound and music vision and managing the people, budget and tools that deliver it. BLS does not publish separate figures for sound engineering technicians; it counts them within sound engineering technician (SOC 27-4014), whose median pay is $73,130 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Postsecondary nondegree award.
- SOC 27-4014
- Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Game Audio Director in four numbers
- Median pay
- $73,130a year, or $35.16/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $38KTop 10% $137K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- -3.1%DecliningBLS EP, 2025–2035This career−3.1%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career −3.1% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 1,00015,000 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202515K
- Projected 203514.6K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 15K Projected 2035 14.6K - Typical education
- Certificateneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- High school32%
- Certificate20%
- Some college8%
- Associate's12%
- Bachelor's20%
- Post-master’s certificate4%
Highest education held by sound engineering technicians Segment Value High school 32% Certificate 20% Some college 8% Associate's 12% Bachelor's 20% Post-master’s certificate 4%
Also advertised as: Audio Director, Audio Lead, Head of Audio, Lead Sound Designer.
Pay
How much do Sound Engineering Technicians make?
Every game audio director in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$73,130
Middle half earn $49,910 to $100,280
- 10th
- $37,570
- 25th
- $49,910
- 75th
- $100,280
- 90th
- $137,370
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $37,570 |
| 25th | $49,910 |
| Median | $73,130 |
| 75th | $100,280 |
| 90th | $137,370 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $73,130
- Median hourly wage
- $35.16/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $81,390
- People employed
- 13,080
Versus all US occupations
At $73,130, Sound Engineering Technicians earn 43% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $22,150 a year.
Versus arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations
Inside the Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media group, where the middle occupation pays $68,060, this is 7% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $137,370 or more while the bottom 10% earn $37,570, a gap of 3.7×. That is an unusually wide spread, which usually tracks specialisation, employer type and years of experience.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 47% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
New Jersey pays the most at $115,190, and still leads at $105,868 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Sound Engineering Technicians the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1New Jersey | $115,190 | $105,868 | 290 |
| 2District of Columbia | $106,630 | $97,024 | 90 |
| 3New York | $87,510 | $81,087 | 2,050 |
| 4Nevada | $84,570 | $84,588 | 170 |
| 5Maryland | $79,990 | $76,211 | 160 |
| 6California | $78,150 | $70,583 | 4,060 |
| 7Georgia | $77,010 | $79,975 | 200 |
| 8Kentucky | $74,100 | $82,188 | 60 |
| 9Illinois | $73,130 | $73,161 | 570 |
| 10Indiana | $73,130 | $78,357 | 50 |
Job outlook
Is Game Audio Director a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Declining. -3.1% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Sound Engineering Technicians | −3.1% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Declining
BLS projects employment of Sound Engineering Technicians to change -3.1% over 2025–2035, while total US employment is projected to rise 3.5%. That is 500 fewer jobs.
Annual openings
About 1,000 openings are projected each year, 6.7% of the 15,000 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Game Audio Director
Audio directors almost always come up through the ranks as sound designers, composers or audio leads, usually after several shipped titles. A degree in audio production, music technology or sound design is common, and Berklee lists audio director as a senior role in music production careers.
Deep knowledge of middleware such as Wwise, game engines and mixing for consoles and PCs is expected, along with team leadership. Speaking at GDC, building a network through the Game Audio Network Guild and leading audio on smaller games are common steps toward the director role.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Postsecondary nondegree award
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Some preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as sound engineering technicians.
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)32%
- Post-Secondary Certificate20%
- Bachelor's Degree20%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree12%
- Some College Courses8%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 32% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 20% |
| Bachelor's Degree | 20% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 12% |
| Some College Courses | 8% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Game Audio Director do?
A game audio director owns everything the player hears: sound effects, music, dialogue and the technology that plays them. They set the audio style early in development, decide how music and sound will support gameplay, and approve the work of sound designers, composers and voice teams.
The role is part creative lead and part manager. Audio directors build budgets and schedules, hire staff and outside contractors, run voice recording and orchestral sessions, and work with programmers on the audio engine and middleware. They also sit with the game's creative director and producers to argue for audio priorities and make tradeoffs when time or memory is tight.
Day-to-day tasks
- Define the audio vision and style for a game
- Hire and manage sound designers, composers and audio contractors
- Build audio budgets and production schedules
- Review and approve sound effects, music and dialogue
- Direct voice recording and music recording sessions
- Work with programmers on audio engine features and memory budgets
- Oversee the final mix for each target platform
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Most audio directors work at studio offices or remotely with distributed teams, plus time in recording studios and scoring stages. The job involves many meetings and reviews. Hours can stretch during milestones and before launch.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayIndoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeSeated for more than half the working day.
Standing
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayDealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Active Listening3.8
- Speaking3.6
- Critical Thinking3.5
- Reading Comprehension3.3
- Writing3.1
- Active Learning3.1
- Monitoring3.1
- Learning Strategies2.5
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Active Listening | 3.8 |
| Speaking | 3.6 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.5 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.3 |
| Writing | 3.1 |
| Active Learning | 3.1 |
| Monitoring | 3.1 |
| Learning Strategies | 2.5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Complex Problem Solving3.4
- Operations Monitoring3.3
- Operation and Control3.3
- Judgment and Decision Making3.3
- Coordination3.1
- Service Orientation3.1
- Systems Analysis3.1
- Time Management3.1
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.4 |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.3 |
| Operation and Control | 3.3 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.3 |
| Coordination | 3.1 |
| Service Orientation | 3.1 |
| Systems Analysis | 3.1 |
| Time Management | 3.1 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Computer aided design CAD software · in demand
- Desktop publishing software · in demand
- Document management software · in demand
- File versioning software · in demand
- Graphics or photo imaging software · in demand
- Object or component oriented development software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Operating system software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Process mapping and design software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Web page creation and editing software · in demand
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Game Audio Director?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code AEI) built on O*NET's Sound Engineering Technician profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Game Audio Director |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 5 |
| Investigative | 3 |
| Artistic | 5 |
| Social | 2 |
| Enterprising | 3 |
| Conventional | 4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around creating, designing and working without a fixed set of rules, combined with hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors.
- Artistic4.9
- Realistic4.9
- Conventional4.2
- Investigative3.3
- Enterprising3.1
- Social1.7
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Game Audio Director
O*NET related occupations
- Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
- Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
- Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
- Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
- Architecture and Engineering
Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologist and Technician
$78,190median a year
Most earn $50K to $116K
+2.4%Associate's - Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
Audiovisual Equipment Installer and Repairer
$52,600median a year
Most earn $37K to $84K
+4.8%Certificate
More arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media careers
Median annual pay, with sound engineering technicians highlighted
- Art Director$114,850
- Technical Writer$90,390
- Editor$77,920
- Writer and Author$76,910
- Public Relations Specialist$74,750
- Game Audio Director$73,130
- Interior Designer$67,190
- Graphic Designer$62,960
- Photographer$44,660
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Art Director | $114,850 |
| Technical Writer | $90,390 |
| Editor | $77,920 |
| Writer and Author | $76,910 |
| Public Relations Specialist | $74,750 |
| Game Audio Director | $73,130 |
| Interior Designer | $67,190 |
| Graphic Designer | $62,960 |
| Photographer | $44,660 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Game Audio Director appears on
Questions
Game Audio Director: frequently asked questions
How much do Sound Engineering Technicians make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for sound engineering technicians. It counts them within sound engineering technician, whose median pay is $73,130 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $49,910 and $100,280, and the top 10% earn $137,370 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Game Audio Director?
Not a degree, but you do need credentialed training: BLS lists a postsecondary non-degree award (a certificate or license program) as the typical entry route for Sound Engineering Technicians. BLS also lists short-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 32.0% hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged).
Is Game Audio Director a growing career?
No. BLS projects employment to fall 3.1% over 2025–2035, a loss of 500 jobs (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 1,000 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Game Audio Director do?
A game audio director owns everything the player hears: sound effects, music, dialogue and the technology that plays them. A typical task: define the audio vision and style for a game. Employers most often ask for Computer aided design CAD software, Desktop publishing software, Document management software.
Which states pay Sound Engineering Technicians the most?
The highest state medians for Sound Engineering Technicians are New Jersey ($115,190), District of Columbia ($106,630), New York ($87,510) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Game Audio Director?
O*NET scores Sound Engineering Technicians highest on the Artistic, Realistic and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes creating, designing and working without a fixed set of rules with hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are INTJ, ISTP, ISTJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.