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The differences between recording engineers and producers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a recording engineer, becoming a producer takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a recording engineer has an average salary of $78,099, which is higher than the $72,202 average annual salary of a producer.
The top three skills for a recording engineer include digital audio, R and music videos. The most important skills for a producer are work ethic, video production, and client relationships.
| Recording Engineer | Producer | |
| Yearly salary | $78,099 | $72,202 |
| Hourly rate | $37.55 | $34.71 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 7,117 | 10,610 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Average age | 42 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 12 |
Recording engineers and producers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Recording Engineer | Producer | |
| Average salary | $78,099 | $72,202 |
| Salary range | Between $44,000 And $135,000 | Between $43,000 And $120,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Oregon | Nevada |
| Best paying company | Western Digital | Meta |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between a recording engineer and a producer in terms of educational background:
| Recording Engineer | Producer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Most common major | Music | Communication |
| Most common college | Johns Hopkins University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between recording engineers' and producers' demographics:
| Recording Engineer | Producer | |
| Average age | 42 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.4% Female, 8.6% | Male, 58.2% Female, 41.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 6.3% Hispanic or Latino, 16.5% Asian, 5.1% White, 62.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 7.8% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 6.3% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 14% |