Studying at a strong music production school can help aspiring producers develop creativity, technical skills, and professional habits. These schools offer programs and courses in areas such as music engineering, production, editing, DJing, singing, songwriting, mixing, mastering, and recording. Many also provide access to studios, production suites, software, and industry-standard equipment, giving students a practical training environment for producing music. A degree or structured course in music production can help students explore their creativity and prepare for roles in the music industry.
In the guide below, we discuss several top music production schools around the world.
Top Music Production Schools in the World
1. Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music is one of the world’s best-known institutions for contemporary music. It is a private music college located in Boston, Massachusetts, and Berklee also operates a campus in Valencia, Spain. Its alumni have earned hundreds of major music and entertainment awards, including Grammy, Latin Grammy, Emmy, Tony, and Oscar awards.
Known for jazz and contemporary music, Berklee offers programs across a wide range of musical styles. Its Bachelor’s in Music Production and Engineering program helps students develop expertise in areas such as music engineering, production, editing, mixing, mastering, and recording while preparing them for the modern music and recording industry.
For individuals seeking graduate-level study, Berklee Valencia offers a Master of Music in Music Production, Technology, and Innovation. The program uses intensive, project-based learning and explores music technology, electronic musicianship, and advanced production practice.
2. SAE Institute
- Study Program
- Location: United Kingdom and other international campuses | Degrees Offered: Bachelor’s
SAE Institute is an international creative media education provider with campuses in many countries. Its UK Audio Production degree is available at campuses such as London, Glasgow, Liverpool, and Leeds, and SAE also operates in regions across Europe, the Pacific, the Americas, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.
Students who want to study a full degree in audio or music production should check availability at their preferred SAE campus, since programs, degree titles, fees, and delivery options vary by country. SAE’s audio programs emphasize practical training, industry-standard tools, and creative media skills.
3. Academy of Contemporary Music
The Academy of Contemporary Music, often known as ACM, offers music production study through locations such as Birmingham, Guildford, London, and online.
ACM’s Music Production pathway is part of its Creative Industries Futures course and includes specialisms such as Electronic Music Production and Music Production and Creative Sound Engineering. Students train in industry-standard studios and learn topics such as DAWs, plugins, synthesis, engineering, mixing, and creative sound design.
4. New York University Steinhardt
- Study Program
- Location: USA | Degrees Offered: Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Ph.D.
New York University Steinhardt offers Music Technology programs at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels. The program covers music, electronics, sound engineering, music production, electronic music, and liberal arts, and prepares students for fields such as sound engineering, film scoring, multimedia, and software development.
Students also benefit from NYU’s location in New York City, where they can access recording studios, music companies, performance spaces, and other arts organizations. NYU Steinhardt’s facilities include the 7,500-square-foot James Dolan Music Recording Studio and additional studios used by the Music Technology program.
5. American University
American University offers a BA in Audio Production through its Audio Technology Program in Washington, DC. The program focuses on both the art and science of audio and music technology and includes study in areas such as audio production, digital audio workstations, sound synthesis, electronics, and physics.
American University also offers a BS in Audio Technology, an MA in Audio Technology, and a graduate certificate in Audio Production. Students can use university facilities and technical spaces while building skills for careers in audio, media, recording, and production.
6. Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University offers Music and Technology programs through a joint project involving the School of Music, School of Computer Science, and the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. The program offers both a Bachelor of Science in Music and Technology and a Master of Science in Music and Technology.
Students can focus on areas such as recording technology, audio engineering, computer music, music composition, music performance, music theory, interactive music software, sound synthesis, and musical robotics. The program is interdisciplinary and includes work across music, technology, computing, and engineering.
7. Middle Tennessee State University
The Department of Recording Industry at MTSU benefits from its location near Nashville, also known as Music City. The department offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Audio Production, Music Business, and Commercial Songwriting, and graduate options include an MFA in Recording Arts and Technologies.
MTSU’s Recording Industry Department has been recognized on Billboard’s Top Music Business Schools list, including the 2024 list. Its facilities include recording, mixing, editing, Foley, live sound, virtual reality, sound studios, a post studio, mix and mastering studios, and an electronic music lab.
We hope that you found this article on music production schools in the world informative and helpful. To learn more about studying abroad, check out the Available Programs for International Students!
