The 10 Best Universities for Audio Engineering in 2027
By Kory White · Updated Oct 2026 · 5 min read
Direct answer
No university wins audio engineering outright, so we scored ten on three checkable criteria. American University, Belmont University, Berklee College of Music, Full Sail University, Middle Tennessee State University and NYU Steinhardt each meet all 3, and ties are ordered alphabetically, so American University is listed first.
Recording training plus a six-month co-op in the music business
Pick by what you want
Best accredited program
Belmont University
Best scoring stage
Berklee College of Music
Best accelerated degree
Full Sail University
Best for a conservatory setting
Johns Hopkins University Peabody Institute
Best for a co-op
Drexel University
The ranking
1
American University
Answrs VerdictMeets all three criteria; first by alphabetical order among the six that do.
Criteria met: 3 of 3: dedicated degree, named studios, AES chapter or accreditationLocation: Washington, DCDedicated degree: Bachelor of Science in Audio TechnologyNamed studios: Kreeger Studio complex of 2200 square feet designed by Walters-Storyk Design Group, with Control Rooms A, B and CAES chapter or accreditation: An Audio Engineering Society student group listed on the Audio Technology program’s student groups page
American University meets all 3 criteria. Its Bachelor of Science in Audio Technology runs in the Kreeger Studio complex of 2200 square feet, designed by Walters-Storyk Design Group with Control Rooms A, B and C, and the program lists an Audio Engineering Society student group.
Go ifA science-based audio degree with its own studio complex and AES group
Skip ifYou want a conservatory setting
Why #1 over #2: It ties on 3 of 3 with Belmont and comes first alphabetically.
2
Belmont University
Answrs VerdictThe only pick that shows both accreditation and an AES chapter.
Criteria met: 3 of 3: dedicated degree, named studios, AES chapter or accreditationLocation: Nashville, TennesseeDedicated degree: Audio Engineering Technology, B.A./B.S.Named studios: Robert E. Mulloy Student Studios, a 9,000 square foot multi-studio complex with Studios A to D, plus Ocean Way Nashville and Columbia Studio AAES chapter or accreditation: ABET-accredited program, and a Belmont AES chapter with some 50+ members
Belmont University meets all 3 criteria. Its Audio Engineering Technology B.A./B.S. is ABET-accredited, the Robert E. Mulloy Student Studios are a 9,000 square foot multi-studio complex, and the Belmont AES chapter has some 50+ members.
Go ifAn ABET-accredited audio engineering degree in Nashville with Dolby Atmos
Skip ifYou want a program outside Nashville
Why #2 over #3: It ties on 3 of 3 with Berklee and comes first alphabetically.
3
Berklee College of Music
Answrs VerdictMeets all three criteria, with the largest named studio on this list.
Criteria met: 3 of 3: dedicated degree, named studios, AES chapter or accreditationLocation: Boston, MassachusettsDedicated degree: Music Production and Engineering bachelor’s degree, a four-year programNamed studios: Shames Family Scoring Stage (Studio 1), 2,200 square feet, for ensembles of up to approximately 50 musiciansAES chapter or accreditation: Berklee Student AES Chapter, established 2010
Berklee College of Music meets all 3 criteria. Its Music Production and Engineering bachelor’s degree in Boston is a four-year program, the Shames Family Scoring Stage is 2,200 square feet for up to approximately 50 musicians, and the Berklee Student AES Chapter was established in 2010.
Go ifA four-year production and engineering degree with a scoring stage
Skip ifYou want a program shorter than four years
Why #3 over #4: It ties on 3 of 3 with Full Sail and comes first alphabetically.
4
Full Sail University
Answrs VerdictMeets all three criteria; its AES listing is on an older FAQ page.
Criteria met: 3 of 3: dedicated degree, named studios, AES chapter or accreditationLocation: Winter Park, FloridaDedicated degree: Recording Arts Bachelor of Science, offered on campus onlyNamed studios: A 72-input SSL Duality in the Audio Temple and a Dolby-approved dub stageAES chapter or accreditation: A student chapter of the Audio Engineering Society listed among campus organizations
Full Sail University meets all 3 criteria. Its Recording Arts Bachelor of Science is offered on campus in Winter Park, with a 72-input SSL Duality in the Audio Temple and a Dolby-approved dub stage, and a student chapter of the Audio Engineering Society is listed among its organizations.
Go ifA fast on-campus recording degree with a dub stage and Atmos room
Skip ifYou want to study online
Why #4 over #5: It ties on 3 of 3 with Middle Tennessee State and comes first alphabetically.
5
Middle Tennessee State University
Answrs VerdictMeets all three criteria; its audio degree is a B.S. in audio production.
Criteria met: 3 of 3: dedicated degree, named studios, AES chapter or accreditationLocation: Murfreesboro, TennesseeDedicated degree: Bachelor of Science degrees in audio production, music business and commercial songwriting, through the Department of Recording IndustryNamed studios: Studio A (40-channel API Vision), Studio B (32-channel API Legacy AXS) and Studio CAES chapter or accreditation: MTSU AES Section, a student chapter of the Audio Engineering Society
Middle Tennessee State University meets all 3 criteria. Its Department of Recording Industry offers Bachelor of Science degrees in audio production, music business and commercial songwriting, has Studios A, B and C with API consoles, and runs an MTSU AES Section.
Go ifA large recording industry department with three named studios and an AES section
Skip ifYou want a degree titled audio engineering
Why #5 over #6: It ties on 3 of 3 with NYU and comes first alphabetically.
6
New York University Steinhardt
Answrs VerdictMeets all three criteria; its AES mention is on an NYU admissions article.
Criteria met: 3 of 3: dedicated degree, named studios, AES chapter or accreditationLocation: New York, New YorkDedicated degree: Bachelor of Music in Music Technology, plus master’s, Tonmeister and PhD optionsNamed studios: James L. Dolan Music Recording Studio, 7,500 square feet, plus 12 existing studiosAES chapter or accreditation: An NYU chapter of the Audio Engineering Society, led by a music technology student
NYU Steinhardt meets all 3 criteria. Its Bachelor of Music in Music Technology is backed by the James L. Dolan Music Recording Studio of 7,500 square feet plus 12 existing studios, and an NYU chapter of the Audio Engineering Society is led by a music technology student.
Go ifA music technology degree with a path from bachelor’s to PhD
Skip ifYou want a program with only one studio
Why #6 over #7: It meets 3 of 3, ahead of Peabody at 2.
7
Johns Hopkins University Peabody Institute
Answrs VerdictMeets two of three criteria; no AES section found.
Criteria met: 2 of 3: dedicated degree, named studiosLocation: Baltimore, MarylandDedicated degree: Bachelor of Music in Recording Arts and Sciences, a double major begun in 1983Named studios: Studio A with a Neve 88RS console, and Studio B with 7.1.4 Genelec Atmos monitoringAES chapter or accreditation (not met): No AES student section or industry accreditation found on the cited pages
The Johns Hopkins University Peabody Institute meets 2 of 3 criteria. Its Bachelor of Music in Recording Arts and Sciences is a double major begun in 1983, with a Neve 88RS console in Studio A and 7.1.4 Genelec Atmos monitoring in Studio B, but no AES section was found.
Go ifA conservatory recording degree pairing engineering with musicianship
Skip ifYou do not want a double major
Why #7 over #8: It ties on 2 of 3 with Miami and comes first alphabetically.
8
University of Miami
Answrs VerdictMeets two of three criteria; no AES section found.
Criteria met: 2 of 3: dedicated degree, named studiosLocation: Coral Gables, FloridaDedicated degree: Bachelor of Science in Music Engineering Technology, the first four-year undergraduate music engineering degree in an American universityNamed studios: L. Austin Weeks Recording Studio at the Frost School of MusicAES chapter or accreditation (not met): No AES student section or industry accreditation found on the cited pages
The University of Miami meets 2 of 3 criteria. Its Bachelor of Science in Music Engineering Technology was the first four-year undergraduate music engineering degree in an American university, and the L. Austin Weeks Recording Studio is at the Frost School of Music, but no AES section was found.
Go ifThe first US four-year music engineering degree
Skip ifYou want a program with a listed AES student section
Why #8 over #9: It meets 2 of 3, ahead of Carnegie Mellon at 1.
9
Carnegie Mellon University
Photo: Cbaile19 / CC0 via Wikimedia Commons
Answrs VerdictMeets one of three criteria; kept for its interdisciplinary degree.
Criteria met: 1 of 3: named studiosLocation: Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaDedicated degree (not met): Bachelor of Science in Music and Technology, an interdisciplinary degree rather than a stand-alone audio degreeNamed studios: The Vlahakis Recording Studio in the College of Fine Arts building, with a control room and a live roomAES chapter or accreditation (not met): No AES student section or industry accreditation found on the cited pages
Carnegie Mellon University meets 1 of 3 criteria. Its Bachelor of Science in Music and Technology is interdisciplinary rather than a stand-alone audio degree, and the Vlahakis Recording Studio in the College of Fine Arts building has a control room and a live room.
Go ifAudio engineering mixed with computer science and electrical engineering
Skip ifYou want a stand-alone audio engineering degree
Why #9 over #10: It ties on 1 of 3 with Drexel and comes first alphabetically.
10
Drexel University
Answrs VerdictMeets one of three criteria; includes a six-month co-op.
Criteria met: 1 of 3: named studiosLocation: Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaDedicated degree (not met): A Recording & Music Production (RAMP) concentration within the Music Industry program, not a stand-alone degreeNamed studios: Studio One, a 1,300 sq. foot studio built around a Rupert Neve Designs 5088 consoleAES chapter or accreditation (not met): No AES student section or industry accreditation found on the cited pages
Drexel University meets 1 of 3 criteria. Studio One is a 1,300 sq. foot studio built around a Rupert Neve Designs 5088 console, and its Recording & Music Production concentration sits inside the Music Industry program, which includes a six-month co-op.
Go ifRecording training plus a six-month co-op in the music business
Skip ifYou want a stand-alone audio degree
How we ranked these
No global ranking measures audio engineering, so we scored each school out of 3 on criteria anyone can check on the school’s own pages: (a) a dedicated audio, music engineering or production degree, (b) named professional studio facilities, and (c) an AES student section or industry accreditation. Schools are ordered by the number of criteria met, and ties are ordered alphabetically, so the order inside a tie says nothing about quality. A criterion counts as not met when we could not find it on the cited pages, which may miss a chapter the school has not published. Facts are taken from each maker's own published information; check the official site before you buy.
Questions people ask
Which university is best for audio engineering?
No single school wins outright. American University, Belmont, Berklee, Full Sail, Middle Tennessee State and NYU Steinhardt each meet all 3 of our criteria, so they are ordered alphabetically.
Is there an official ranking for audio engineering schools?
No global ranking covers audio engineering. This page scores each school on 3 criteria you can check on the school’s own pages, then orders ties alphabetically.
Which program is ABET-accredited?
Belmont University’s Audio Engineering Technology program is described as ABET-accredited on its program page.
Which school has the oldest recording engineering program on this list?
Peabody at Johns Hopkins began its Recording Arts and Sciences major in 1983, and the University of Miami says it was the first American university to offer a four-year music engineering degree.
Criteria met out of 3 (higher is better) at a glance
Carnegie Mellon University1 criteria
Drexel University1 criteria
Johns Hopkins University Peabody Institute2 criteria
University of Miami2 criteria
American University3 criteria
Belmont University3 criteria
Berklee College of Music3 criteria
Full Sail University3 criteria
Middle Tennessee State University3 criteria
New York University Steinhardt3 criteria
Criteria met out of 3 (higher is better), as published by each maker. Picks without a published figure are left off.
