sound mastering engineer
Sound mastering engineers convert finished recordings to the desired format such as CD, vinyl and digital. They ensure the quality of the sound on all formats.
sound mastering engineer sound mastering engineers convert finished recordings to the desired format such as CD, vinyl and digital. They ensure the quality of the sound on all formats. The role shows moderate AI exposure (0.50 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include audio technology, audiovisual products, types of audiovisual formats, audio editing software, audio mastering.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £32,643 a year for Photographers, audio-visual and broadcasting equipment operators (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 3417). ONS rates this estimate reasonably precise. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)
Pay in India (occupation group)
Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Technicians and associate professionals” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only sound mastering engineer, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.
Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 3. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- Computers and Electronics
- Customer and Personal Service
- Fine Arts
- English Language
- Engineering and Technology
- Communications and Media
- Production and Processing
- Administration and Management
What you'd actually do
- Confer with producers, performers, and others to determine and achieve the desired sound for a production, such as a musical recording or a film.
- Regulate volume level and sound quality during recording sessions, using control consoles.
- Record speech, music, and other sounds on recording media, using recording equipment.
- Separate instruments, vocals, and other sounds, and combine sounds during the mixing or postproduction stage.
- Set up, test, and adjust recording equipment for recording sessions and live performances.
- Report equipment problems and ensure that required repairs are made.
Tools & technology you'd use
Frequently asked questions
What does sound mastering engineer do?
Sound mastering engineers convert finished recordings to the desired format such as CD, vinyl and digital. They ensure the quality of the sound on all formats.
What skills does sound mastering engineer need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include audio technology, audiovisual products, types of audiovisual formats, audio editing software, audio mastering, manage sound quality. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace sound mastering engineer?
Our AI-durability model gives sound mastering engineer a score of 0.50 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.