How loud are ocean waves?
Breaking waves heard from the shore measure roughly 60 to 78 dB. A study on Baltic Sea beaches found the sound pressure level rose from 60 dB with 0.4 m waves to 78 dB with 2.0 m waves.
- Level
- 60–78 dBunweighted sound level
- Daily limit
- No daily limitNIOSH, at the loud end
What the numbers mean
How it was measured. Airborne sound of breaking waves measured on Baltic Sea shores with different slopes and sediments (Bolin & Åbom 2010). Level rises with significant wave height, from 0.4 m to 2.0 m waves. Weighting and microphone distance not stated in the abstract.
Bolin and Åbom measured airborne sound from breaking waves at Baltic Sea shores with different slopes and sediment types. Their abstract reports a sound pressure level of 60 dB at a significant wave height of 0.4 m, rising to 78 dB at 2.0 m, and notes that the frequency spectrum depended on the type of surf. Their model relates the sound to the power the waves dissipate as they break.
An 18 dB rise between small and large waves is a big change: on the decibel scale, every 10 dB is perceived as roughly a doubling of loudness. Your own level will also depend on how close you stand to the break and on the shape of the beach.
How long is safe?
Below 85 dBA, the level NIOSH allows for a full 8-hour day. (This figure is not A-weighted; treat it as a rough guide.)
| Level | NIOSH limit (85 dBA, 3 dB rule) | OSHA limit (90 dBA, 5 dB rule) | UK/EU 80 dB(A) action value reached after | UK/EU 85 dB(A) action value reached after |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 78 dB | No limit | No limit | Not reached in 24 h | Not reached in 24 h |
Times are for a whole day’s exposure, with the rest of the day quiet. The workplace limits were written for adults at work, not for children. Work out a mixed day with the noise dose calculator.
Protecting your hearing
No protection needed for ordinary surf. Even the 78 dB measured with 2 m waves is below the 85 dB level at which US employers must provide hearing protection.
Earplug and earmuff ratings (NRR in the US, SNR in the UK and EU) are lab figures; real-world protection is usually lower. How to read the ratings.
Compared with sounds nearby
Using midpoints of each range. Energy multiplies by 10 every 10 dB; perceived loudness roughly doubles (why).
- Quiet rural area (30 dB): this has about 7,943× its sound energy and sounds about 14.9× as loud.
- Quiet library (40–44 dB): this has about 501× its sound energy and sounds about 6.5× as loud.
- Smoke alarm (85 dB): it has about 40× the sound energy of this and sounds about 3.0× as loud.
- Birdsong (74–103 dB max): it has about 89× the sound energy of this and sounds about 3.9× as loud.
Questions
How many decibels are ocean waves?
About 60 to 78 dB on the shore in a Baltic Sea study, rising with wave height from 0.4 m to 2.0 m.
Can the sound of the sea damage your hearing?
Not at the levels measured on Baltic beaches (60 to 78 dB). The National Park Service notes employers must provide hearing protection when workplace levels reach 85 dB.
Sources
- Air-borne sound generated by sea waves, Journal of the Acoustical Society of America (Bolin & Åbom, 2010), via PubMed. Supports: dB_low: 60 dB (0.4 m waves); dB_high: 78 dB (2.0 m waves).
Results showed that the sound pressure level increased from 60 dB at 0.4 m wave height to 78 dB at 2.0 m wave height.
Checked 2026-11-02. - Air-borne sound generated by sea waves, Journal of the Acoustical Society of America (Bolin & Åbom, 2010), via PubMed. Supports: conditions: Baltic Sea.
Measurements have been performed at the Baltic Sea.
Checked 2026-11-02. - Understanding Sound - Natural Sounds, U.S. National Park Service. Supports: protection/faq: 85 dB workplace threshold.
When workplace sound levels reach or exceed 85 dB, employers must provide hearing protection.
Checked 2026-11-02.
This page is general information, not medical advice. If you have ringing in your ears, muffled hearing or any change in your hearing, see an audiologist or your doctor.