Also called: Senior Acoustician, Acoustics Practice Lead
Senior expert who leads the acoustics design of concert halls, stadiums, hospitals and big buildings.
You sit in an empty new concert hall clapping and firing a starter pistol while microphones record how the sound bounces. You compare it with your computer model, then tell the architect exactly which wall panels to angle so the orchestra sounds warm everywhere.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Master's degree, about 6 years after high school. Master's in acoustics or architectural engineering plus 10+ years of experience; INCE board certification.
Ways in: 4-year college, Graduate school, On-the-job training. Training cost: $60k – $150k.
Majors to look at: Acoustical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Physics, Architectural Engineering.
Growing about average. Not tracked separately by BLS; a small, steady specialty.
Low risk for 10 years. AI helps model room sound and draft reports; client trust, design judgment and testing in real halls stay human.
Classes: AP Physics, Music or band, Speech or debate, Art or architecture.
Official data: O*NET occupation 17-2199.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.