Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Job outlook for engineer/producers in the United States
Are engineer/producer jobs in demand?
Engineer/producer job and salary trends over time
Engineer/producer jobs over time
Engineer/producer job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 354 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 356 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 423 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 1,046 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 984 | 0.00% |
Average engineer/producer salary over time
Engineer/producer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $91,370 | $43.93 | +3.4% |
| 2024 | $88,360 | $42.48 | +2.3% |
| 2023 | $86,359 | $41.52 | +1.8% |
| 2022 | $84,834 | $40.79 | +1.7% |
| 2021 | $83,409 | $40.10 | +1.9% |
Engineer/producer jobs by state
Most common states for engineer/producers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 721 | 104% |
| 2 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 4,305 | 58% |
| 3 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 2,810 | 41% |
| 4 | Delaware | 961,939 | 384 | 40% |
| 5 | Vermont | 623,657 | 229 | 37% |
| 6 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 3,026 | 36% |
| 7 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 1,382 | 33% |
| 8 | California | 39,536,653 | 12,406 | 31% |
| 9 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 1,882 | 31% |
| 10 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 948 | 31% |
| 11 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 1,655 | 30% |
| 12 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 314 | 30% |
| 13 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 146 | 25% |
| 14 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,257 | 23% |
| 15 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 293 | 22% |
| 16 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 716 | 20% |
| 17 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 215 | 20% |
| 18 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 327 | 19% |
| 19 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 2,327 | 18% |
| 20 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 577 | 18% |
Engineer/Producer job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of engineer/producer experts
California State University - Los Angeles
Mercy College
University of the Pacific
Fairfield University
Xavier University
Columbia College Chicago
University of Nebraska–Lincoln
Liberty University
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
Northern Michigan University
Elon University
Merrimack College
Marietta College
University of Maryland
University of Baltimore
What general advice would you give to an Engineer/Producer?
Uziel Colón Ramos: Find a way in and take it. Most likely, the jobs available won’t be what you expected once you are done with school. The market can be somewhat unpredictable, and the music industry is an ever-changing one. However, there is an opportunity waiting for you; you must look for it. Apply to the jobs you want and to ones that are in the vicinities. Then say yes! Once you get the new job jitters, go back, and review your notes from school, ask a friend, or use online resources to better prepare you for your first few days. Get ready to impress them, but don’t forget kindness and professionalism. Also, you will have an incredible source of knowledge in friends and family; take them out for a coffee and pick their brain. You will be surprised how many people will lend a hand if you ask them. Technology has taken communication to another level, but still nothing replaces the effectiveness of a face-to-face meeting.
What Engineer/Producer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Uziel Colón Ramos: Many processes will start to be automated as AI becomes more prevalent in the music industry. Start using it in your musical endeavors and keep up to date with its progress. Be willing to change and adapt. Music writing, composing, and publishing will continue to be important as many visual medias (and even apps and software) will continue to be produced and will need new music. Also, production and artist/brand development will continue to be strong as the market continues to be decentralized. There’s also no money to be made in music sales for the ones at the end of the ladder, so live music performances (in person or virtually) is where is at.
What will help Engineer/Producers increase their earning potential?
Uziel Colón Ramos: Make sure that you acquire as many skills as possible, and don’t stop learning once you get a job. This way you will be ready to tackle anything that comes your way. You need to be ready to wear many hats in the music universe; long are the days when you only focused on one thing. This will also give you the opportunity to have extra income by having a second job where you consult or get hired for small projects.
What general advice would you give to an Engineer/Producer?
Sam Stauff: Say yes to every opportunity in music / music production. Every gig and person you meet in the field will lead to more work if you do a good job. Say yes, ask questions if you don't know how to do something, show up on time and with a great attitude and you can't fail! Read manuals do the research on whatever the gig is!
What Engineer/Producer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Sam Stauff: Audio production used to be just audio but now we are seeing visual arts become a part of the producer's role. Video editing, social media, WebDesign, merch posters you will need to be able to do all of that for yourself if you are an artist. If you can help your artists do these things as well you will become more valuable.
What will help Engineer/Producers increase their earning potential?
Sam Stauff: Salary is always tricky when entering the music production field. It can be freelance and change from month to month. Live sound, sports sound and film/ tv sound are great places to start to make money. If you are and artist or want to work in a music studio it can take a little longer to make money. Your passion and resume will be your greatest ally!
What general advice would you give to an Engineer/Producer?
Benom Plumb: Take any opportunity that is close or adjacent to what you really want to do. A career in the music industry isn’t always linear, and it’s all about getting experience and building good relationships that will lead you to your dream. One gig always leads to the next in music, so stay open-minded and keep the long game in mind.
What Engineer/Producer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Benom Plumb: Maximizing salary potential when starting a career is certainly possible if someone has more experience than their entry-level peers. For example, if someone worked live shows consistently through all four years of college, they are much more likely to maximize the starting salary with an experienced resume.
What will help Engineer/Producers increase their earning potential?
Benom Plumb: The music industry is built on trusting relationships, so having soft / people skills will always be #1. Aside from that, it really depends on the sector of the music industry. Staying ahead of the curve on AI developments is definitely at the top of the list, whether you’re on the creative side or business side of music. Also being skilled in industry standard technology specific to each sector (like DAW’s for creatives, MasterTour for tour management, or Quickbooks for business managers).
What general advice would you give to an Engineer/Producer?
Dr. Harvey Hoffman: Graduates need to be flexible and open to taking on new projects, exploring new industries, perhaps non-traditional areas where they see growth, while building and maintaining their networking relationships. Go where the demand is for the role you seek. I hate to use a cliche, but remember that your engineering career is a journey that may take you in many directions. Be open to change.
A professional in any field must continue to learn. Your engineering degree gave you the necessary tools. You must engage in lifelong learning to increase your knowledge and improve your skills and competencies to set yourself apart.
Dr. Heidrun Schmitzer
Professor and ChairXavier University
Department Of Physics
What skills stand out on Engineer/Producer resumes?
Dr. Heidrun Schmitzer: Programming languages, numerical design and simulation tools, knowledge of various measurement equipment.
What soft skills should all Engineer/Producers possess?
Dr. Heidrun Schmitzer: Communication, teamwork.
What skills stand out on Engineer/Producer resumes?
Duncan MacKenzie: For all young artists, organizational skills, digital and web-based skills, and an ability to communicate verbally and textually are very important; beyond that, craft-based skills relevant to whatever is being made are always crucial.
Dr. Sohrab Asgarpoor
Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs, Professor of Electrical and Computer EngineeringUniversity of Nebraska–Lincoln
College of Engineering
How do you envision technology impacting Engineer/Producers in the next 5 years?
Dr. Sohrab Asgarpoor: Adopting new technology should be an exciting (and expected) reality for those with an engineering degree. The virtual space will continue to grow as folks seek jobs and work online more. But what holds paramount, no matter what particular technological changes arise, is the ability to adapt-and to demonstrate that critical aptitude in their application documents and through their interviews, always highlighting those moments they've done so and articulating their propensity for learning.
What experience really stands out on Engineer/Producer resumes?
Robert Rich: -Certification such as green belt, black-belt, machine learning, Lean Manufacturing, and APICS supply chain/inventory
-Specialized undergraduate research projects that go deep into various leading-edge topics like integrating AI with manufacturing and logistics
-Consulting experience/real projects within areas of undergraduate research
Dr. Galen Duree
Head of the Department of Physics and Optical Engineering and ProfessorRose-Hulman Institute of Technology
Department of Physics and Optical Engineering
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Engineer/Producers in the next 3-5 years?
Dr. Galen Duree: People with knowledge, even introductory experience, in quantum effects, quantum computing, optics in general (communication, measurements, imaging, illumination, detection), material science and engineering, biotechnology, and nanotechnology, will be in high demand.
What experience really stands out on Engineer/Producer resumes?
Dr. Galen Duree: It depends on what you are applying for. If you are working on product development, then internships or co-ops provide a definite advantage. If you are working on developing new ways of doing things, research experiences in academia or companies are advantageous. Either case, this shows a certain maturity in your career path - you have participated in an activity related to the career you are currently pursuing.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Engineer/Producers?
Michael Rudisill: It depends on what you really mean by enduring, but for all practical purposes, once the pandemic has passed, the economy will return, and anyone in the engineering field who wants a job will have many opportunities. Obviously, the short-term effect can be brutal for new graduates as jobs are not as plentiful as "usual"-but in the long term, those that persevere will end up in great careers. In some ways, it will be harder on the senior engineers who haven't stayed employed, as they are missing out on years when their income should be the highest. New graduates are missing relatively low earning years, so the long-term effects should not be as bad looking at lifetime earnings.
How do you envision technology impacting Engineer/Producers in the next 5 years?
Michael Rudisill: Technology will continue to advance-which will increase the need for trained engineers. Even areas such as sales that not many people would think would be looking for engineers when dealing with technologically advanced products need people who understand how the product works, perform, etc.-in other words-trained engineers.
What general advice would you give to an Engineer/Producer?
Michael Rudisill: Patience will be a key - there will be many jobs available - we have been contacted by several employers looking for grads. Still, it certainly is not like we have seen historically. As the economy comes out of the COVID recession, engineering jobs will come back very quickly. By the spring graduation, I think we will be pretty close to back to a somewhat familiar employment picture.
How would you rate the starting salaries for Engineer/Producers, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Michael Rudisill: From what we've seen, salaries haven't been reduced, even though demand is down. I would expect wages and salary progression to remain strong as the need for engineering will only continue to grow.
What type of skills will young Engineer/Producers need?
John Ring: While our universities consistently educate engineering students with hard skills and strong engineering fundamentals, tomorrow's engineers need to be strong communicators, collaborators, and critical thinkers. Our professional environments are filled with data and information, and the constraint is typically how much time individuals can dedicate to solving a problem. At Elon University, we educate tomorrow's engineers to have the hard skills necessary to analyze the information and situations, apply critical thinking techniques to determine ways to solve the issue, and then concisely and efficiently communicate with colleagues as solutions are being set in motion.
How do you envision technology impacting Engineer/Producers in the next 5 years?
John Ring: An engineering student learns "how to learn" during their time in college. Technology will evolve, and tomorrow's engineers must learn at the same pace so that new technology can be applied to solve a problem.
Rickey Caldwell Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Mechanical EngineeringMerrimack College
Departmet of Mechanical Engineering
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Engineer/Producers?
Rickey Caldwell Ph.D.: In terms of job opportunities, no. It may take longer to secure that first job, and it may be an employer's job market for the next several years. This means starting salaries may not be as high as a year ago, and yearly raises may be near zero up to 3% (depending on career fields and markets). Additionally, some benefits, such as tuition reimbursement, may not be available at some companies.
However, I strongly suspect that things will get better (as a wild guess) in 3 - 5 years as the economy rebounds. For the immediate future, the full economic effects of the pandemic have not been fully realized. As companies restructure to deal with their impact on their bottom lines and workers are laid-off, more experienced employees are entering the job marking and seeking jobs. This is very similar to the financial system crash around 2008, so that could be referenced for a similar environment, especially its effect on the Midwest. Job seekers must be persistent.
For enduring changes, the pandemic has presented a great opportunity to change the nature of where we do work. This experiment has been tried before at places like Yahoo, for example. Pre-pandemic, some companies allowed workers to work from home several times per month under flexible scheduling. I believe the coronavirus pandemic will make these types of work options a larger part of the business workplace culture. Additionally, many companies are actively working to enhance their diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. With this renewed attention, there may be more opportunities for workers that are women, BIPOC, LBGQT+, and others to rewrite and form new workplace norms to have new working environments. I strongly encourage people to take their seats at this table and create the world you wish to work in.
How do you envision technology impacting Engineer/Producers in the next 5 years?
Ben Ebenhack: Technology radically transformed American oil and gas production a little over ten years ago, by opening up the shale plays. That will continue to evolve and remain important in the medium term, I think. We may see some of the technological developments opening new opportunities in geothermal power production.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Engineer/Producers?
Craig Carignan: Yes, it will have an enduring impact on aerospace grads, especially those going into aeronautical engineering. The airline industry has been hit especially hard by the pandemic, and commercial aircraft manufacture has come to a screeching halt. That means not just the airplane manufacturers being affected but all of the hundreds of aircraft parts suppliers too. The other factor is that people are learning how to attend conferences and meetings virtually, through applications like Zoom and Teams, which also saves a lot of money on travel. So even when things do start returning to normal, I think that the demand for air travel will not return to the same levels as before.
Some long term impact may also be felt by the space industry. Even though there are quarantine precautions in place (before and after a flight), human space flight might be seen as riskier due to possible infection from viruses that may not show symptoms. So we might try to do more from the ground using robotics. Also, the density of workers in a lot of places in the aerospace industry is very high, and I would expect telecommuting to become more common.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Engineer/Producers?
Dr. Giovanni Vincenti: COVID-19 put into perspective the importance of technology for everyone. Those people who would typically work in fully staffed offices and took IT systems for granted have now realized how the lack of dedicated personnel and resources is a significant issue as everyone is working from home. The same realization has also reached upper-management, often creating a nearly immediate need for innovation that would have otherwise remained just a plan for the future. Graduates in the IT field and technology, in general, will benefit from this realization, as projects move from the planning stage into implementation and eventually maintenance. This increment in reliance on IT-related resources will create a greater need for employment.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Engineer/Producers to find work opportunities?
Dr. Giovanni Vincenti: Cities that are typically associated with technology will probably remain hubs of innovation, especially if they have local administrations that are favorable towards entrepreneurship. However, the recent need for companies to leverage the ability to work remotely has opened up the possibilities of workers who may not otherwise be willing to relocate. This trend is probably here to stay for a while, so the ability of graduates to work with virtual collaborators will bring tech jobs to parts of the country that are not typically known for innovation. Even though there probably will not be clusters that will identify new equivalents of Silicon Valley out of nowhere, the fact that the reach of potential employees has extended beyond their geographical immediacy will create major opportunities for any location.
How do you envision technology impacting Engineer/Producers in the next 5 years?
Dr. Giovanni Vincenti: Technology will take an ever more prominent role in any field over the next few years. However, it is important for companies to realize that someone who is somewhat familiar with IT probably will not have the same expertise as a trained technologist. Whether we are creating mobile applications, finding new ways to deliver physical products, or ways to facilitate the workflow when people are working remotely, technology will remain the unifying foundation across most fields and gain significant importance in the list of essential assets for operations continuity.