The profession of audio engineering is not only a very exciting line of work, but is also very challenging too. But not everyone knows what a real audio engineer does or what it takes to actually be an audio engineer. On any given day, the engineer can find his or herself working with many talented individuals who can possibly have strong ties to the world of music. And not only does the possibility exist to work with amazing vocal artists, but movie producers and video game designers as well.

As an audio engineer, the possibilities that exist in the audio world are endless. One of the most satisfying and rewarding parts of audio engineering is hearing your finished work on your ipod, favorite radio station or movie. Imagine the gratification and fulfillment one could get by telling all their family and friends that they helped in the production of that brand new song or movie.

If the thought has crossed your mind to pursue an actual career in audio engineering, it is important to know what the average salary of an engineer actually is. To a lot of people, the salary is one of the most important aspects of any career, not just audio engineering. Luckily, the average salary for an audio engineer falls between $80k to 90k a year, which is 24% higher than the national average. If you reside in California or New York, the average salary is even higher. So, at the end of the day, choosing a profession in audio engineering can be a good decision for your finance’s. Many other careers that are similar to that of audio engineering pay considerably lower salaries. For instance, a career as an audio or music producer pays an average salary of about $48k a year. That’s almost a little more than half what an audio engineer would make per year. So it is true that audio engineering is one of the more lucrative professions in the industry.

So, the profession of audio engineering really seems to have it all, great pay, exciting work, and even pretty good benefits. But what is really stopping people from choosing this amazing career and earning that good salary that audio engineers make. For starters, even though the profession of audio engineering is a great career for many people, it necessarily isn’t the greatest job for everyone. Just because you have a passion for music and audio, doesn’t necessarily mean you are going to be a great engineer. On average, a majority of the projects that come through the studio will involve music that the audio engineer might not like or prefer. This means that you might have to work on rock music when your preference might only be hip hop or rap. So as an audio engineer, it is important to know and understand what goes into each genre of music. This way the quality of your work isn’t based off your personal preferences, but off your skills as an audio engineer.

Another reason that turns most people away from a career in audio engineering is the amount of time that it takes to become proficient at it. Most people who are currently working as an audio engineer have said it took them a couple years just to learn and understand the basics of engineering. Nowadays, most folks don’t have the stamina to spend the proper amount of time it takes learning how to become a great engineer. It is a 24 hour, 7 day a week profession. The ones who become great engineers are the people whose lives revolve around their career as an audio engineer. If you really are prepared to go all the way and dedicate yourself 100%, then the profession of audio engineering might actually be a good fit for you. Then, just like us, one day you could be handsomely rewarded too.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email


  1. Jay

    December 1, 2014 (22:37) Reply

    I took an audio engineering course and struggled for years to even find employment in it. I am willing to dedicate myself to it, but aside from making my own studio, it’s hard to get my foot in the door. Now, this may just be where I live, which is a pretty small place, but did you encounter troubles finding beginning positions early in your career and if so, how did you overcome it?

    • admin

      December 8, 2015 (23:02) Reply

      I would look at related industries. For example every small town has a radio or TV station. A theater or live music venue is another example of a venue that incorporates sound. These tend to be better employment opportunities than the recording studio.

Leave a Reply. (Click here to cancel reply)

* Your email address will not be published.