How To Become An Engineer/Producer: What It Is and Career Path

What is an engineer/producer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

2 min read

Quoted Expert

Dr. Harvey Hoffman

There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being an engineer/producer. For example, did you know that they make an average of $43.93 an hour? That's $91,370 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 21% and produce 284,100 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to an Engineer/Producer?

Dr. Harvey Hoffman

Associate Dean of Engineering, Fairfield University

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.

ScoreEngineer/ProducerUS Average

Salary

7.1

Avg. Salary $91,370

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

4.0

Growth Rate 21%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

4.1

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.17%

Asian 26.10%

Black or African American 4.57%

Hispanic or Latino 8.32%

Unknown 4.84%

White 56.01%

Gender

female 8.16%

male 91.84%

Age - 38

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 38

Stress Level

4.0

Stress level is moderate

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

7.9

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

6.6

Work Life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become an engineer/producer

Explore engineer/producer education requirements

Most common engineer/producer degrees

Bachelor's

62.3 %

Associate

20.2 %

High School Diploma

6.1 %

Start to develop specific engineer/producer skills

Skills	Percentages
Audio Engineering	24.09%
R	13.38%
Video Production	10.76%
Pro Tools	8.80%
Music Production	4.16%

Complete relevant engineer/producer training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New engineer/producers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an engineer/producer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real engineer/producer resumes.

Research engineer/producer duties and responsibilities

Set up and install equipment such as video screens, projectors, lead lighting, effect lighting, and DMX control.
Perform subsequent energy analysis and modeling, and design retrofit solutions to achieve energy savings while meeting and exceeding customer requirements.
Work hand and hand with the band Merther to create a full EP.
Activate the gate on the SSL 9000G+ and NEVE 88R to remove unwant frequencies in the drums.

Prepare your engineer/producer resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your engineer/producer resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an engineer/producer resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Engineer/Producer Resume templates

Build a professional Engineer/Producer resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Engineer/Producer resume.

Apply for engineer/producer jobs

Now it's time to start searching for an engineer/producer job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams