BerkleeNYC

What BerkleeNYC does

BerkleeNYC is the New York City graduate campus of Berklee College of Music, a non-profit performing arts institution established in 2017. The campus operates from a renovated facility at 441 West 53rd Street in Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan, anchored by the historic Power Station recording studio. BerkleeNYC's core academic offering is a one-year Master of Arts in Creative Media and Technology — a STEM-designated graduate degree with three specializations: Songwriting and Production, Writing and Production for Musical Theater, and Live Music Production and Design. The program serves students pursuing careers at the intersection of music, theater, and emerging media technologies.

The campus generates revenue through two primary channels. The first is graduate tuition for the one-year MA program, priced at peer-institution graduate rates. The second is commercial studio revenue from Power Station at BerkleeNYC, which runs 600 or more paid recording sessions per year for entertainment industry clients and supports the campus's instructional mission by providing professional-grade production facilities. Additional financial support comes from public-sector partnerships, notably $6 million in funding from NYC's Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment and the NYC Economic Development Corporation, which formalized the campus's role in the city's creative economy strategy.

BerkleeNYC's strategic positioning combines the Berklee College of Music brand and alumni network — which includes DJ Khaled, Diana Krall, Lady Gaga, John Legend, Mick Jagger, and Paul Simon — with the geographic advantages of a Manhattan location proximate to Broadway, major labels, and the broader NYC music industry. The campus is in a leadership transition, with Jim Lucchese installed as Berklee's fifth president in July 2024 and Betsie Becker named Executive Director of BerkleeNYC in June 2025. Physical infrastructure includes 360-degree VR recording capabilities added at Power Station, supporting both studio services and curricular content for live-music production and design coursework.

Name

BerkleeNYC

Legal name

Berklee College of Music

Website

https://nyc.berklee.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

BerkleeNYC is the Manhattan graduate campus of Berklee College of Music, offering a one-year STEM-designated Master of Arts in Creative Media and Technology and operating the historic Power Station commercial recording studio for industry clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Music Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Fine Arts Schools (611610), Sound Recording Studios (51224)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Music Conservatories & Music Colleges (EDAHAJAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Performing Arts Colleges (Theatre, Dance, Musical Theatre) (EDAHAJAD), Film, Television & Media Arts Colleges (EDAHAJAE), Music Production & Composition (Songwriting, Recording, DJing) (EDAMAAAF)

Keywords

• Graduate music education
• Creative media degree
• Recording studio services
• Music technology program
• Performing arts training

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Graduate Tuition: BerkleeNYC generates revenue through graduate program tuition for its Master of Arts in Creative Media and Technology. Students pay tuition for a full-time, one-year intensive program with three specializations.
2. Tuition Deposits: A $2,500 tuition deposit is required upon acceptance to secure a seat in the entering class.
3. Recording Studio Operations: Power Station at BerkleeNYC operates commercially as a recording studio, hosting sessions for artists, Broadway cast albums, film and TV soundtracks.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

BerkleeNYC offers a one-year, 36-credit Master of Arts in Creative Media and Technology graduate degree with specializations in Music and Entertainment Technology, Creative Production, and Writing, Producing, and Scoring for Visual Media. The campus also operates the historic Power Station recording studio as a commercial facility offering professional recording, mixing, and mastering services to external artists and clients.

Product overview

BerkleeNYC is a higher education institution offering a single unified graduate degree program: the Master of Arts in Creative Media and Technology. This one-year program comprises three specializations—Songwriting and Production, Writing and Production for Musical Theater, and Live Music Production and Design—that share a common curriculum framework while providing specialized track-specific training. The institution also operates the Power Station at BerkleeNYC, a historic recording studio facility that serves as both a commercial recording venue and an educational resource for students. BerkleeNYC is not a software product company; it does not offer API products, SaaS platforms, or digital product modules.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Master of Arts in Creative Media and Technology A one-year, 36-credit graduate degree for individuals who have completed an undergraduate program, combining music, technology, and creative media with specializations in Music and Entertainment Technology, Creative Production, and Writing, Producing, and Scoring for Visual Media.
• Power Station Recording Studio Services Commercial recording, mixing, mastering, and broadcast services offered at the historic Power Station facility to external artists, producers, and entertainment industry clients.

Named customers18 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017City agency supporting BerkleeNYC's establishment and public programming. Provided $6M in funding for public programming, educational initiatives, and facility development. MOME expanded its portfolio to include music, marking first time a City agency had mandate to support the industry. Commissioned study on NYC music industry showing loss of recording studios and jobs, driving reinvigoration efforts.
• NYC Economic Development Corporation (EDC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017City's primary vehicle for promoting economic growth partnered with Berklee to establish BerkleeNYC at Power Station. Co-funded public programming initiatives and educational outreach. Focused on maintaining New York's status as music capital of the world.
• Power Station Founder Tony BongioviflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Founder and original designer of Power Station studios (1977). His legendary acoustical design made the studio world-renowned. Expressed honor at the Power Station name returning to the original studios. The studio was renamed from Avatar Studios back to Power Station.
• Clinton Housing Development Company (CHDC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided temporary facility at 500 West 52nd Street (Safehouse) for BerkleeNYC operations during Power Station renovations. Berklee became neighbors with community organizations in Clinton/Hell's Kitchen area.
• 52nd Street ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity arts organization located near BerkleeNYC's temporary facility. Partner in community engagement during renovation period.
• NYC MediacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to produce 'Inside Power Station @BerkleeNYC' video series featuring interviews with industry talent. Season 3 featured faculty member Arun Pandian as host. Showcases studio history and contemporary recording artists.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Manhattan School of Music: NYC-based music conservatory offering graduate degrees in classical and jazz performance and composition. Comparable to BerkleeNYC as a specialized music graduate institution in the same metro area, though with a more classical performance orientation.
• The New School - College of Performing Arts (Mannes School of Music): The New School's Mannes and College of Performing Arts offer graduate music, composition, and performance programs in NYC. Competes with BerkleeNYC for graduate music students seeking creative media and performance training in New York City.
• NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development: NYU Steinhardt offers graduate programs in Music Technology, Music Business, and Screen Scoring in NYC. Directly competes with BerkleeNYC for the same pool of aspiring music-tech graduate students in the New York metro area.
• USC Thornton School of Music: USC Thornton offers graduate programs in Music Production, Scoring for Film and Television, and Music Technology. Comparable to BerkleeNYC as a major music school with production-focused graduate specializations, though on the West Coast.
• Belmont University - Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business: Belmont's Curb College offers graduate and undergraduate programs in Music Business, Audio Engineering, and Entertainment Industry Studies. Nashville-based but comparable to BerkleeNYC as a music-industry-focused graduate institution.
• Columbia University School of the Arts (Music MFA): Columbia offers graduate music composition and sonic arts programs in NYC. Competes with BerkleeNYC for graduate students interested in music technology, composition, and creative media at a top-tier research university.

Others

• Electric Lady Studios: Historic NYC commercial recording studio offering similar recording services to Power Station. Comparable as a peer commercial recording facility in NYC, though not an educational institution. Useful benchmark for studio-side operations.

Emerging players

• Full Sail University: Full Sail offers graduate degrees in Music Production, Entertainment Business, and Film. Comparable to BerkleeNYC in its production and recording-arts focus, though geared toward a more vocational/online-leaning student base.

Broad incumbents

• Juilliard School: Premier NYC music conservatory offering graduate performance and composition programs. While more classical-focused, Juilliard competes for the same high-caliber music graduate student pool in NYC and has overlapping industry access.
• Berklee College of Music (Boston): Parent institution and BerkleeNYC's central campus offering undergraduate and graduate music programs in Boston. BerkleeNYC effectively extends Berklee's brand and curriculum into NYC; the two operate as one institution with shared curriculum and accreditation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BerkleeCollege
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/BerkleeCollege
• Facebookfacebook.com/BerkleeCollege
• Instagraminstagram.com/berkleecollege
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/berkleenyc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about BerkleeNYC