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Acoustical engineer education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become an acoustical engineer. Acoustical engineers usually study mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, or physics. 68% of acoustical engineers hold a bachelor's degree, and 21% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 196 real acoustical engineer resumes to see exactly what acoustical engineer education sections show.
The most common colleges for acoustical engineers are the Pennsylvania State University and the Pennsylvania State University.
There are also many online acoustical engineer courses to help get the education required to be an acoustical engineer.
What education do you need to become an acoustical engineer?
What degree do you need to be an acoustical engineer?
- Bachelor's, 68%
- Master's, 21%
- High School Diploma, 5%
- Doctorate, 4%
- Other Degrees, 2%
What should I major in to become an acoustical engineer?
- Physics, 14%
- Other Majors, 32%
Most common colleges for acoustical engineers
| Acoustical engineer common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Pennsylvania State University | 10.64% |
| University of Utah | 8.51% |
| Wayne State University | 6.38% |
| University of Hartford | 6.38% |
| University of Portland | 6.38% |
Best majors for acoustical engineers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mechanical Engineering | 31.2% |
| 2 | Electrical Engineering | 16.0% |
| 3 | Physics | 13.6% |
| 4 | Aerospace Engineering | 7.2% |
| 5 | Engineering | 4.8% |
Best colleges for acoustical engineers
The best colleges for acoustical engineers are Northwestern University, California Institute of Technology, and Johns Hopkins University.
An acoustical engineer with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for acoustical engineers. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become acoustical engineers.
1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,832
Enrollment
4,550
2. Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$12,424
Enrollment
15,201
3. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
4. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
5. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
6. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
7. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
8. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
9. Michigan Technological University
Houghton, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,646
Enrollment
5,736
10. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
20 best online courses for acoustical engineers
Advertising disclosure
1. Intro to Acoustics (Part 1)
This course introduces acoustics by using the concept of impedance. The course starts with vibrations and waves, demonstrating how vibration can be envisaged as a kind of wave, mathematically and physically. They are realized by one-dimensional examples, which provide mathematically simplest but clear enough physical insights. Then the part 1 ends with explaining waves on a flat surface of discontinuity, demonstrating how propagation characteristics of waves change in space where there is a...
2. Fundamentals of Audio and Music Engineering: Part 1 Musical Sound & Electronics
In this course students learn the basic concepts of acoustics and electronics and how they can applied to understand musical sound and make music with electronic instruments. Topics include: sound waves, musical sound, basic electronics, and applications of these basic principles in amplifiers and speaker design...
3. Building Acoustics and Noise Control
Essential knowledge for acoustic design aspects of buildings...
4. Acoustic Guitar For Beginners
Fast-track course for getting up and strumming on acoustic...
5. Introduction to Data Engineering
Start your journey in one of the fastest growing professions today with this beginner-friendly Data Engineering course! You will be introduced to the core concepts, processes, and tools you need to know in order to get a foundational knowledge of data engineering. as well as the roles that Data Engineers, Data Scientists, and Data Analysts play in the ecosystem. You will begin this course by understanding what is data engineering as well as the roles that Data Engineers, Data Scientists, and...
6. Acoustics 201: Loudspeaker measurements
Learn how to make frequency response and impedance measurements and set up the foundation for designing crossovers...
7. Beginners Guitar Lessons The Essential Acoustic Course
Learn properly from day 1 with our beginners guitar lessons. Improve your acoustic skills fast with our unique method...
8. Acoustics 101: Speaker design basics and enclosure design
How to design your own sealed or bass reflex enclosure. Loud speaker building techniques for a great DIY audio system...
9. Acoustic Guitar Redefined. Learn Chords, Rhythm and Melody!
Learn how to spice up basic chords, add simple melodies to chord progressions and learn easy percussive techniques...
10. Acoustic Guitar System Melodic Guitar Lessons for Beginner
Guitar Course Packed with Practical Guitar Lessons from Simple Fingerstyle Melodies to Beautiful Extended Chords...
11. Diesel Engine Fundamentals (Mechanical Engineering)
Learn about the diesel engine! Ideal for Automotive Engineering and Automobile Engineering!...
12. Google Cloud Professional Data Engineer Practice Tests
Pass the Google Cloud Professional Data Engineer Exam...
13. Acoustic Guitar and Electric Guitar Lessons: Getting Started
Acoustic Guitar Theory, Fingerpicking, Fretting, Chords: Most Important 25 Videos For Getting Started w/ Playing Guitar...
14. Mechanics / Statics - Introduction to Mechanical Engineering
Engineering Solid Mechanics / Engineering Statics...
15. An Introduction to Machine Learning for Data Engineers
A Prerequisite for Tensorflow on Google's Cloud Platform for Data Engineers...
16. Loudspeaker engineering: How to design speaker crossovers
Learn how to design a passive crossover network. Five examples of crossovers (2-way, 3-way) in different enclosures...
17. Databricks Certified Data Engineer Associate Practice Exams
Practice Exams Databricks Certified Data Engineer Associate both for V2 and V3 exams, 5 Exams with detailed explanations...
18. NI LabVIEW: Become a LabVIEW Test Engineer
Learn Lab VIEW from industrial experienced consultant, starting from basic programming to advanced Lab VIEW projects...
19. Databricks Certified Data Engineer Associate - Preparation
Preparation course for Databricks Data Engineer Associate certification exam (Versions 2 and 3) with hands-on training...
20. Practice Exams: Databricks Certified Data Engineer Associate
Practice Tests with Detailed Explanations for Databricks Data Engineer Associate certification exam (Versions 2 and 3)...
Top 10 most affordable universities for acoustical engineers
The most affordable schools for acoustical engineers are California State University - Long Beach, university of florida, and brigham young university.
If the best universities for acoustical engineers are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for acoustical engineers.
1. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
2. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
3. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
4. New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
Socorro, NM • Private
In-state tuition
$7,770
Cost of attendance
21,244
5. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
6. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
7. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
14,302
8. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
9. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
10. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Pomona, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,353
Cost of attendance
21,302
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for acoustical engineers
The hardest universities for acoustical engineers to get into are Northwestern University, California Institute of Technology, and Johns Hopkins University.
Some great schools for acoustical engineers are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for acoustical engineers based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, CA • Private
Admissions rate
7%
SAT average
1,566
3. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
4. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
5. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
6. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
7. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,471
8. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
9. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
10. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for acoustical engineers
The easiest schools for acoustical engineers to get into are Oregon Institute of Technology, texas a&m; university - corpus christi, and old dominion university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an acoustical engineer without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for acoustical engineers.
1. Oregon Institute of Technology
Klamath Falls, OR • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,139
2. Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi, TX • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,068
3. Old Dominion University
Norfolk, VA • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,093
4. San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,054
5. Texas A&M University - Kingsville
Kingsville, TX • Private
Admissions rate
89%
SAT average
1,035
6. Saint Cloud State University
Saint Cloud, MN • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
1,086
7. Capitol Technology University
Laurel, MD • Private
Admissions rate
69%
SAT average
1,070
8. Cleveland State University
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,111
9. South Dakota State University
Brookings, SD • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,149
10. Alabama A & M University
Normal, AL • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
957
Average acoustical engineer salary by education level
| Acoustical engineer education level | Acoustical engineer salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $104,310 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $92,901 |
| Doctorate Degree | $112,457 |
Acoustical engineer education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025