Understanding the Different Types of Audio Engineering Schools

If you’re researching different audio engineering schools to pursue a career as a music producer or audio engineer, it’s easy to get confused by the different options out there. Some programs last several years, and some last only a few months; some have a formal approach, and some are more practical. The cost of education can range from a few thousand dollars to over a hundred thousand dollars. How do you know which program is right for you, and which is worth the cost?

The truth is, the cost of education, the length of the program, or what kind of certification it offers—none of these factors matter very much in the music industry. Many successful producers and engineers never went to any of these audio engineering schools. The most expensive school is not necessarily the best, and degrees and diplomas are essentially irrelevant. What matters most is whether the school can position you for a career in the music recording industry—and that has as much to do with connections as it does with education. That being said, let’s look briefly at the different types of audio engineering schools, so at least you can understand what you’re looking at.
 

COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY PROGRAMS

Many colleges, universities and media schools now offer degree programs in audio engineering and music production, usually through their music or communications departments. These programs tend to be the most expensive because they take the longest time to complete (2-4 years), and they usually include general education requirements. The college route honestly won’t give you any added advantage over other programs, but it can be a good choice if a well-rounded education is important to you.
 

TRADE SCHOOLS

Many audio engineering schools are more focused trade schools, offering shorter-term diploma and certificate programs usually lasting a year or less. These schools offer a more practical approach, and while still costly, offer a more accelerated approach. Unfortunately, many of them still aren’t very connected to the music industry itself, so graduates sometimes have a hard time landing jobs afterward.
 

MENTOR-APPRENTICE EDUCATION

A mentor-apprentice school is a trade school that teaches its students by placing them as apprentices inside real recording studios in their local areas, where they receive one-on-one instruction from working music producers and audio engineers. This approach has proven to be highly effective because learning in a real-world environment helps students get both the education and the connections they need, for a lot less money than most schools charge. In-studio training, in fact, was how everyone learned audio engineering before schools existed to teach it.

The choice of where to go to school is never an easy one. Hopefully this overview of the different types of audio engineering schools will help point you in the right direction.