---
title: "How loud is a air compressor?"
description: "An air compressor reaches 60–92 dB. How that compares to other things, and where the number comes from."
url: https://atoneplace.net/loud/air-compressor/
site: "At One Place"
---

# How loud is a air compressor?

**Typical loudness: 60–92 dB**

A pump that stores compressed air in a tank to drive nailers, wrenches and spray equipment.

> Manufacturer declarations; oil-lubricated and rotary-screw units are much quieter than oil-free direct-drive ones.

## How that compares

*Air compressor against things of a similar loudness.*

- Blender: 80–95 dB
- Hair dryer: 75–95 dB
- Pressure washer: 75–95 dB
- Lawn mower: 80–85 dB
- Leaf blower: 65–92 dB
- Air compressor: 60–92 dB
- Vacuum cleaner: 62–85 dB
- Washing machine: 70 dB

## How long you can safely listen

Safe for a full day, though prolonged exposure is tiring.

Decibels are logarithmic, which makes the intuitive arithmetic wrong in a way worth knowing: every 10 dB is ten times the sound energy, and two identical sources together are 3 dB louder than one — not double. So two 70 dB fans are 73 dB, not 140 dB.

> Levels are measured at roughly one metre unless stated otherwise. Sound falls off with distance — about 6 dB per doubling — so the same appliance is noticeably quieter across a room than beside your ear.

## More about an air compressor

- [How much does a air compressor weigh?](https://atoneplace.net/weight/air-compressor/) — 12–170 kg
- [How much does a air compressor cost?](https://atoneplace.net/cost/air-compressor/) — 100–1,800 $
- [Air compressor vs Jackhammer](https://atoneplace.net/vs/air-compressor-vs-jackhammer/) — Side by side
- [Air compressor vs Lawn mower](https://atoneplace.net/vs/air-compressor-vs-lawn-mower/) — Side by side

## Common questions

### How loud is an air compressor?

An air compressor reaches 60–92 dB. Manufacturer declarations; oil-lubricated and rotary-screw units are much quieter than oil-free direct-drive ones.

## Related pages

- [How much does a air compressor weigh?](https://atoneplace.net/weight/air-compressor/)
- [How much does a air compressor cost?](https://atoneplace.net/cost/air-compressor/)
- [How loud is a lawn mower?](https://atoneplace.net/loud/lawn-mower/)
- [How loud is a chainsaw?](https://atoneplace.net/loud/chainsaw/)
- [How loud is a generator?](https://atoneplace.net/loud/generator/)
- [How loud is a leaf blower?](https://atoneplace.net/loud/leaf-blower/)
- [How loud is a pressure washer?](https://atoneplace.net/loud/pressure-washer/)
- [How loud is a jackhammer?](https://atoneplace.net/loud/jackhammer/)
- [Air compressor vs Jackhammer](https://atoneplace.net/vs/air-compressor-vs-jackhammer/)
- [Air compressor vs Lawn mower](https://atoneplace.net/vs/air-compressor-vs-lawn-mower/)

## Sources

- Typical range compiled from manufacturer specifications — At One Place (/about/)
- What Noises Cause Hearing Loss? — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/hearing_loss/what_noises_cause_hearing_loss.html) [Public domain (US Government)]
- Occupational Noise Exposure — Occupational Safety and Health Administration (https://www.osha.gov/noise) [Public domain (US Government)]