Top Music Engineering Schools
Find out about top schools offering music engineering degree programs and the types of degrees they offer. Get information about coursework and facilities available at these schools.
What Are Some Characteristics of Top Music Engineering Schools?
Many of the programs offered by music engineering schools are designed for musicians with an interest in recording technology. Top schools usually have state-of-the art facilities, including libraries, sound labs, recording studios, rehearsal rooms and electronic music labs. They might have audio recording facilities for school-sponsored record labels. Internships, hands-on recording opportunities and study abroad programs may be available as well.
<h2 id="section---WhatAreThreeTopMusicEngineeringSchools">What Are Three Top Music Engineering Schools?</h2><h3 id="section---NewYorkUniversityNYU">New York University (NYU)</h3><p>NYU was 30th among <i>U.S. News & World Report's</i> 2019 national universities. The Manhattan location of NYU could help you land an internship with a leading industry firm. Its facilities join other computer music and live audio recording studios, research labs and listening rooms at NYU.
</p><p>Undergraduates may study music abroad in Prague or Florence. Graduate students may study global music management in London. NYU's Avery Fisher Center for Music and Media holds audio recordings and could aid advanced research. These degrees are available:
</p><ul><li>Bachelor of Music in Music Technology
</li><li>Master of Music in Music Technology
</li><li>Doctor of Philosophy in Music Technology
</li></ul><h3 id="section---UniversityOfMiamiUMInCoralGablesFL">University of Miami (UM) in Coral Gables, FL</h3><p>UM was 53rd in U.S. News & World Report's 2019 national university rankings. The Marta and Austin Frost Weeks Music Library is the largest and newest facility in UM's library system.
</p><p>Frost offers an interdisciplinary undergraduate major in music engineering technology. You could take courses in music theory as well as advanced audio recording techniques. The 2-year graduate curriculum requires the equivalent of an electrical or computer engineering background for coursework in digital audio, psychoacoustics and electrical engineering.
</p><p>Equipment in the L. Austin Weeks Recording Studio was installed by music engineering students. These facilities include a sound chamber, isolation rooms and laboratories. The Victor Clarke Recital Hall was designed with variable acoustics for optimal recording of diverse styles of music. The university's student-run recording label, 'Cane Records, and U-Tunes - a partnership with the university's TV station - provide music engineering opportunities. Available degrees include:
</p><ul><li>Bachelor of Music in Music Engineering
</li><li>Master of Science in Music Engineering
</li></ul><h3 id="section---UniversityOfMichiganUMInAnnArbor">University of Michigan (U-M) in Ann Arbor</h3><p>U-M was ranked 27th in the U.S. News & World Report national universities category in 2019. You could learn about audio equipment design and sound recording in an undergraduate sound engineering program. Early admission to a graduate program in media arts that incorporates music, art and engineering disciplines could allow you to complete both a bachelor's and master's degree in 5.5 years. You could also pursue a dual bachelor's degree in music and engineering concurrently, choosing a music-related engineering specialty like electrical or electronic engineering. In this case, your music degree might be in music and technology or performing arts technology.
</p><p>The Duderstadt Center features audio, video and electronic music studios as well as multimedia and music technology laboratories. This center also supports audio-related Internet publication of U-M arts activities. The school's music library offers streaming audio access to classical, independent label, American and world traditional music as well as the complete Naxos catalog. You could earn one of the following degrees:
</p><ul><li>Bachelor of Music in Music and Technology
</li><li>Bachelor of Fine Arts in Performing Arts Technology (Music or Media Arts Concentration)
</li><li>B.S. in Sound Engineering
</li><li>M.A. in Media Arts
</li></ul><h2 id="section---TenMusicEngineeringSchools">Ten Music Engineering Schools</h2><p></p><table border="1"><tr><th>College/University</th><th>Institution Type</th><th>Location</th><th>Estimated Undergrad In-State Tuition*</th></tr>
<tr><td>Berklee College of Music</td><td>4-year, Private</td><td>Boston, MA</td><td>$44,000</td></tr>
<tr><td>Carnegie Mellon University</td><td>4-year, Private</td><td>Pittsburgh, PA</td><td>$55,500</td></tr>
<tr><td>Belmont University</td><td>4-year, Private</td><td>Nashville, TN</td><td>$34,000</td></tr>
<tr><td>San Jacinto College</td><td>2-year, Public</td><td>Houston, TX</td><td>$3,000</td></tr>
<tr><td>University of Hartford</td><td>4-year, Private</td><td>West Hartford, CT</td><td>$41,000</td></tr>
<tr><td>William Paterson University</td><td>4-year, Public</td><td>Wayne, NJ</td><td>$13,000</td></tr>
<tr><td>University of Colorado</td><td>4-year, Public</td><td>Denver, CO</td><td>$9,000</td></tr>
<tr><td>Purdue Global</td><td>4-year, Public</td><td>West Lafayette, IN</td><td>$10,000</td></tr>
<tr><td>Kansas City Kansas Community College</td><td>2-year, Public</td><td>Kansas City, KS</td><td>$3,000</td></tr>
<tr><td>Metropolitan Community College - Kansas City</td><td>2-year, Public</td><td>Kansas City, MO</td><td>$6,000</td></tr>
</table><p><i>*Source: NCES, U.S. Department of Education</i></p>