by: Matt DeStefano
Music Industry Careers by Pay
Music is more accessible now than ever before. With social media, movies, and pop culture having big influence on the frequency in which music is used, a career in music has never been more exciting. We know the first step to obtaining a highly coveted career in music starts with obtaining a music degree. Naturally before getting a music degree, many students want to know, what music jobs pays the most and what music degree do you need? This is a fair question since you must make a living with your music career! Below are the top 5 highest paying music career jobs.
Here we break down the Top 5 highest paying music industry career jobs in 2022.
1. Job Titles: Sound Engineer
Music Degree Needed: Music Production
Median Salary: $40,000 to over $120,000
Sound Engineers have the potential to rake in A LOT of money. With a music degree in Music Production from Berklee, you can catch one of these grads creating sounds/voice effects for video games or engineering sound effects/segments for movies.
2. Job Title: Recording Engineer
Music Degree: Electronic Music Production and Sound Design
Median Salary: $25,000 to over $150,000
To become a Recording Engineer, you’ll first need a degree in Electronic Music Production and Sound Design, you’ll learn how to record, edit, and mix electronic music and sound design projects. These types of programs will prepare you for a career in many areas of electronic music production, including sound design, digital audio editing, synthesist/producing, MIDI pre-production, multimedia development, performing, and more.
3. Job Title: Music Professor
Music Degree: Doctor of Musical Arts, Ph.D. in Music Education
Median Salary: $70,000
Becoming a music professor takes a great deal of education but can be a very rewarding career. You can expect to teach college students how to master an instrument and lead a career in music. Other responsibilities include teaching college courses in music-related disciplines, creating course syllabi and lesson plans, or coordinating college music performances.
4. Job Title: Music Therapist
Music Degree: Music Therapy
Median Salary: $60,000
Music Therapy is becoming increasingly popular. Musical therapists use sound to help improve the mental state of others. Many people find music to be therapeutic, calming the mind and helping them cope with difficult situations.
5. Job Title: Music Director or Composer
Music Degree: Music Composition, Music Theory, or Conducting
Median Salary: $51,670
Music directors/composers are becoming a rare breed. They require talent and a keen ear. They conduct musical groups and make sure the overall sound is coherent, with a balanced melody, timing, and rhythm. Although being talented does not require that you have a diploma, employers typically seek out a master’s degree in musical theory or some related area.
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Did you find this blog helpful? Do you picture yourself in a music career? If the answer to that is a “yes”, your next step is simple. Contact insidemusicschools.com and allow our team of industry insiders to guide you toward your goal of being a professional in the music industry. Through expert counseling and real world experience, we will make sure you are prepared for the journey
Founder & President at Inside Music Schools | Insidemusicschools.com
Head of admissions and faculty member at Berklee College of Music for 40 years, Steve Lipman and our team at Inside Music Schools speak music as their primary language. We approach each client contact with open eyes, ears, and minds. As the country’s premier music school consultant, he has advised students from the United States, Canada, the U.K., India, Singapore, Dubai, China, Australia, Turkey, Colombia, Argentina, Brazil, Japan, Israel, Italy, Russia and elsewhere.