by our College Data Analytics TeamA degree in Recording Arts Technology/Technician explores Recording Arts Technology/technician. A Program That Prepares Individuals To Apply Technical Knowledge And Skills To The Production Of Sound Recordings As Finished Products Or As Components Of Film/video, Broadcast, Live, Or Mixed Media Productions. Includes Instruction In Sound Equipment Operation And Maintenance; Music, Dialogue, And Sound Effects Recording; Soundtrack Editing; Dubbing And Mixing; Sound Engineering; Tape, Disk, And Cd Production; Digital Recording And Transmission; Amplification And Modulation; And Working With Producers, Editors, Directors, Artists, And Production Managers. Continue reading for the key facts every recording arts technology/technician student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering recording arts technology/technician programs.
Nationwide, recording arts technology/technician is a popular field of study, with 3,658 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Recording Arts Technology/Technician Schools ranking analyzes these 169 schools to determine the best overall colleges for recording arts technology/technician students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of recording arts technology/technician programs later in this article.
Programs in Recording Arts Technology/Technician emphasize a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations recording arts technology/technician graduates commonly enter.
The skill set emphasized by a recording arts technology/technician program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Per O*NET surveys, a recording arts technology/technician major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several recording arts technology/technician degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 1,357 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 927 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 393 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 969 |
People currently working in careers related to recording arts technology/technician tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 32.1% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 28.3% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 19.9% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 11.6% |
| Some college courses | 4.4% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 1.9% |
| First professional degree | 1.9% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in recording arts technology/technician careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Majoring in recording arts technology/technician prepares you for a variety of career paths. These are some of the most common occupations related to recording arts technology/technician.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to recording arts technology/technician.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Disc Jockeys, Except Radio | 386,017 | -3.0% |
| Audio and Video Technicians | 360,660 | 6.8% |
| Sound Engineering Technicians | 294,018 | -0.5% |
The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of recording arts technology/technician graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $20,139 |
| 4 years | $28,273 |
| 5 years | $32,523 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for recording arts technology/technician graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers recording arts technology/technician grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Disc Jockeys, Except Radio | $87,328 |
| Audio and Video Technicians | $73,086 |
| Sound Engineering Technicians | $66,427 |
With 169 different recording arts technology/technician programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased recording arts technology/technician school rankings to help you.
Those considering recording arts technology/technician, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Radio and Television Broadcasting Technology/Technician | 1,515 |
| Photographic and Film/Video Technology/Technician | 1,287 |
| Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians, Other | 684 |
| Voice Writing Technology/Technician | 25 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
