Decibel Shield
Decibel chart › 90 dB
How loud is 90 decibels?
90 decibels is about as loud as a shouted conversation, riding a subway, a hair dryer. That is at or above the 85 dB hearing-risk line: NIOSH limits safe exposure to about 2.5 hours a day, and every 3 dB louder halves that. On the decibel scale, each 10 dB step sounds roughly twice as loud.
Last updated:
| Sound level | 90 dB |
|---|---|
| Hearing risk | High |
| Safe exposure (NIOSH) | About 2.5 hours a day |
What 90 dB sounds like
These charted sounds sit at about 90 dB — sourced to CDC, NIOSH, NIDCD and ASHA. Open any one for its own breakdown, or see the full decibel levels chart.
- Shouted conversation 90 dB
- Riding a subway 90–95 dB
- Hair dryer 80–90 dB
- Kitchen blender 80–90 dB
How loud is 90 decibels (90 dB)?
90 decibels is about as loud as a shouted conversation, riding a subway, a hair dryer. That is at or above the 85 dB hearing-risk line: NIOSH limits safe exposure to about 2.5 hours a day, and every 3 dB louder halves that. On the decibel scale, each 10 dB step sounds roughly twice as loud.
Is 90 decibels dangerous, and how long is safe?
At 90 dB, NIOSH puts the safe daily exposure at about 2.5 hours a day. Each 3 dB increase halves it.
Measure 90 dB yourself
Want to know if where you are hits 90 dB? Check it live with the free online decibel meter — it runs in your browser, and nothing is recorded or uploaded.