The world of music is huge. We often think about the performance side of music, and not about everything that goes on behind the scenes. But it is particularly behind the scenes that things are really interesting. And the added benefit is that this is where the real security is as well. Performing means getting discovered, and stars can fall as quickly as what they can rise. But if you work behind the scenes, there will always be a need for you. It is not surprise, therefore, that the audio engineering degree is now so popular.

Jobs for an Audio Engineer

If you do complete your degree in audio engineering, then there are lots of job opportunities available to you. This is also because the world of music itself is so vast. You could decide to focus on a particular element of music (production, performance, marketing, talent scouting, and so on), a particular element of sound (live music, television, recording studios, radios, and so on), or even on a particular genre of music (hip hop, rock, classical, and so on). You could even decide to go into teaching!

An audio engineering is not an individualist, however. Rather, you will have to be ready to work with a huge team of other people, something that takes very particular skills. Performing artists, for instance, have been known to develop diva attitudes, which you will have to be able to deal with. Meanwhile, their manager will have a certain sound in mind and shout at you for not producing that exact sound, suggesting that you twiddle different buttons that they know nothing of. Then, there are the groupies who believe everything is absolutely perfect so long as the star agrees. The venue manager who will complain to you about having the bass to loud, the television producers deciding that the sound should echo differently, and so on. Music is an art, and everybody involved, no matter at what stage, will have an artistic mind. And artistic minds can be quite difficult to get along with, something that you will have to learn. Remember that, if you think they are awkward, they will probably think the same about you!

So is it worth it? As a starting salary, you can expect to earn around $45,000, but this can easily build up to a six figure income, as you build a name for yourself. Plus, you can really grow in your career, even ending up as a go to source, perhaps through your own business. Some audio engineers hold copyrights over the work they have done, which in turn means you can earn royalties.

It all depends on which course you complete and where. If you go to a one year vocational college and complete a diploma, you will obviously end up in an entry level position that earns less than that what would be given to someone who has completed a four year bachelor’s degree. Think about where you want to study, therefore.