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The differences between music producers and sound engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a music producer, becoming a sound engineer takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a music producer has an average salary of $56,752, which is higher than the $52,197 average annual salary of a sound engineer.
The top three skills for a music producer include R, audio engineering and music production. The most important skills for a sound engineer are audio equipment, venues, and A/V.
| Music Producer | Sound Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $56,752 | $52,197 |
| Hourly rate | $27.28 | $25.09 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 13,950 | 6,923 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Average age | 40 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 2 |
Music producers and sound engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Music Producer | Sound Engineer | |
| Average salary | $56,752 | $52,197 |
| Salary range | Between $39,000 And $81,000 | Between $28,000 And $95,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Philadelphia, PA |
| Highest paying state | New York | Oregon |
| Best paying company | Amazon | Techtronic Industries TTI |
| Best paying industry | Start-up | - |
There are a few differences between a music producer and a sound engineer in terms of educational background:
| Music Producer | Sound Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Most common major | Music | Music |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Johns Hopkins University |
Here are the differences between music producers' and sound engineers' demographics:
| Music Producer | Sound Engineer | |
| Average age | 40 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.1% Female, 8.9% | Male, 90.3% Female, 9.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.0% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 14.7% Asian, 6.4% White, 65.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 6.3% Hispanic or Latino, 16.5% Asian, 5.1% White, 62.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 14% | 8% |