How loud is 100 decibels?
100 dB is extremely loud. NIOSH puts the safe limit at 15 minutes a day. Many phones can push earbuds to this level, which is why iOS warns about headphone exposure.
- Sounds like
- Headphones at full volume or a snowmobile
- Loudness
- Extremely loud
- Safe per day (NIOSH)
- 15 min
- OSHA workplace limit
- 2 h
100 dB on the decibel scale
Tap another sound to compare- Safe · under 65 dB
- Caution · 65–85 dB
- Risk · over 85 dB
What 100 dB sounds like
- Earbuds at maximum volume
- A snowmobile
- A jackhammer at 15 m
- A woodworking shop
Earbuds at full volume, a snowmobile, a sports car revving, a dance class with big speakers.
Is 100 dB safe?
100 dB can damage hearing. NIOSH recommends no more than 15 min a day at this level, and OSHA’s legal workplace limit is 2 h. Ear plugs or earmuffs typically cut 15–30 dB.
Hearing damage from noise adds up over time and does not heal. If your ears ring or sounds seem muffled after being somewhere this loud, that is a sign the exposure was too long. How loud is too loud? explains the limits in detail.
100 dB compared with other sounds
| Compared with | Difference | Sounds | Sound energy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whisper (30 dB) | +70 dB | 128× as loud | 10,000,000× more |
| Conversation (60 dB) | +40 dB | 16× as loud | 10,000× more |
| Heavy traffic (85 dB) | +15 dB | 2.8× as loud | 32× more |
| Concert (110 dB) | −10 dB | 2× quieter | 10× less |
Rule of thumb: +10 dB sounds about twice as loud and carries ten times the energy. See what is a decibel.
How to check if a sound is 100 dB
Open the free online decibel meter on this site and allow the microphone. Hold your phone or laptop where your ears would be, wait a few seconds, and read the average rather than the momentary number. For a reliable, calibrated reading you can save or show to someone else, use the Decibel Meter app on iPhone.