Bachelor's · Visual and Performing Arts

Music (Bachelor's): earnings by school

301 schools report graduate earnings for this major.

Median across schools, 1 year out
$34,410
Treasury AY2020-21, AY2021-22 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
Median across schools, 4 years out
$43,386
Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
Typical debt
$23,092
NSLDS pooled AY2022-23, AY2023-24 cohort

Across 270 schools reporting 4-year earnings, the middle half of programs pay graduates between $39,241 and $49,145. The school matters less than you might think for this major.

Schools, highest earnings first

School1 year4 yearsDebt
Sonoma State University CA$39,731$65,533—
Christopher Newport University VA—$63,852—
Stevens Institute of Technology NJ$27,281$61,943$27,000
University of Florida FL$56,011$61,446$13,725
Northeastern University MA$48,272$60,974$18,500
Northeastern University Professional Programs MA$48,272$60,974$18,500
The University of Texas at El Paso TX$59,229$60,172$17,334
University of Redlands CA—$59,275$23,322
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley TX$54,156$59,218$13,956
Vanderbilt University TN$19,017$59,217$8,207
The University of Texas at Arlington TX$47,751$59,198$18,202
Sam Houston State University TX$58,677$58,743$24,246
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill NC—$58,127$13,653
University of California-San Diego CA$25,949$58,071$17,000
Texas A&M University-Kingsville TX$53,380$57,117$31,000
Texas Tech University TX$52,432$57,043$26,979
Texas Woman's University TX$37,532$56,884$21,132
Hofstra University NY—$56,847—
Tarleton State University TX$40,272$56,671$22,140
University of Houston TX—$56,667$22,600
University of Connecticut CT—$56,104$23,875
University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus CT—$56,104$23,875
University of Connecticut-Avery Point CT—$56,104$23,875
University of Connecticut-Stamford CT—$56,104$23,875
University of Connecticut-Hartford Campus CT—$56,104$23,875
Rutgers University-Camden NJ$40,187$56,008$21,750
Rutgers University-New Brunswick NJ$40,187$56,008$21,750
Rutgers University-Newark NJ$40,187$56,008$21,750
University of North Texas TX$43,561$55,705$21,399
Monmouth University NJ$28,818$55,526$26,000
East Texas A&M University TX$50,443$55,438$23,209
University of Nevada-Las Vegas NV$43,734$55,161$16,429
Illinois State University IL$42,272$54,767$19,941
Lebanon Valley College PA$44,270$54,235$24,250
Lamar University TX$46,653$53,904—
The University of Texas at San Antonio TX$31,059$53,878$26,000
Northwestern University IL$47,390$53,875$19,500
Tennessee State University TN—$53,483—
University of Massachusetts-Lowell MA$38,279$53,384$27,000
Texas A & M International University TX—$52,870—
New York University NY$39,043$52,841$21,875
University of Rhode Island RI$42,270$52,346—
Stephen F Austin State University TX$52,588$52,341$25,034
Texas State University TX$51,924$52,320$21,905
Furman University SC—$52,225$15,250
Michigan State University MI$44,788$52,132$23,750
Old Dominion University VA$53,029$52,028—
James Madison University VA$51,664$51,882$19,700
Ithaca College NY—$51,338$25,000
Ohio State University-Main Campus OH—$51,310$22,500
Rhode Island College RI—$51,090—
Central Washington University WA—$51,008$23,899
Luther College IA$44,426$50,947$27,000
Biola University CA$41,268$50,781$20,250
Miami University-Oxford OH—$50,680$23,417
Florida International University FL$27,596$50,677$12,250
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign IL$29,508$50,544$19,376
Montclair State University NJ$35,299$50,418$21,500
Wayne State University MI$40,637$50,340$18,095
University of Iowa IA$43,865$50,180$25,250
University of California-Berkeley CA$49,985—$8,141
University of North Carolina at Charlotte NC$43,488$49,761$27,839
Indiana State University IN$40,365$49,711$24,437
Auburn University AL—$49,555—
Vermont State University VT—$49,438$19,005
University of Utah UT$43,255$49,240$18,852
Eastern Illinois University IL$38,553$49,236$21,419
San Francisco Conservatory of Music CA—$49,186$25,000
University of Delaware DE—$49,145—
Grand Valley State University MI$43,397$49,111$24,750
West Texas A & M University TX$40,324$48,656$19,863
Indiana University of Pennsylvania PA$42,314$48,630$27,000
University of Denver CO—$48,461$25,000
University of Silicon Valley CA—$48,360—
West Virginia University WV$32,639$48,226$24,250
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University VA—$48,028$25,749
University of Nebraska-Lincoln NE—$47,990$26,575
California State University-Long Beach CA$23,094$47,831$18,010
University of California-Los Angeles CA$29,315$47,779$13,000
University of St Thomas MN—$47,724$25,000
University of Maryland-College Park MD—$47,654$20,467
Radford University VA$41,278$47,586$21,891
Jacksonville State University AL$34,264$47,582$27,000
Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College LA$34,930$47,521$15,000
University of New Hampshire-Main Campus NH$46,733$47,448$27,000
Northern Kentucky University KY—$47,343—
Rowan University NJ$36,284$47,208$21,500
The University of Texas at Austin TX$44,568$47,164$23,200
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire WI$44,633$47,079$19,370
University of New Haven CT$27,115$47,057$27,000
George Mason University VA$44,344$46,765$25,125
North Central College IL—$46,744—
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville TN$33,994$46,701$25,630
University of Tulsa OK$28,458$46,662—
Frostburg State University MD—$46,546—
University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus CO$32,325$46,532$16,472
Mercer University GA—$46,502—
University of Central Arkansas AR$35,612$46,446—
University of Arkansas AR$29,965$46,352$27,000
Tennessee Technological University TN$42,206$46,253$19,250
Duquesne University PA$33,821$46,217$27,000
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville IL—$46,196—
University of Northwestern-St Paul MN—$46,177—
The Catholic University of America DC$27,163$46,123$27,000
Rollins College FL$31,242$45,910$19,500
University of Minnesota-Duluth MN—$45,834—
SUNY at Fredonia NY$32,177$45,794$26,249
University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus OK$41,653$45,781$20,617
The University of Texas at Tyler TX—$45,651—
Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus NM$45,589——
North Dakota State University-Main Campus ND$42,381$45,578$29,000
University of Memphis TN$32,249$45,321$13,531
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater WI$41,173$45,306$26,539
University of South Carolina-Columbia SC$44,297$45,181$21,000
Austin Peay State University TN$36,520$45,100$15,556
University of West Georgia GA$45,013——
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona CA$33,778$44,910$16,263
The University of Tennessee-Martin TN—$44,910$25,798
Utah State University UT$27,741$44,898—
DePaul University IL$23,574$44,756$21,500
Ohio University-Eastern Campus OH$36,209$44,593$26,796
Ohio University-Chillicothe Campus OH$36,209$44,593$26,796
Ohio University-Southern Campus OH$36,209$44,593$26,796
Ohio University-Lancaster Campus OH$36,209$44,593$26,796
Ohio University-Main Campus OH$36,209$44,593$26,796
Ohio University-Zanesville Campus OH$36,209$44,593$26,796
Florida State University FL$34,778$44,454$18,350
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus PA$32,085$44,241$26,081
CUNY City College NY$25,416$44,058—
Bowling Green State University-Main Campus OH—$44,037—
Western Carolina University NC$39,595$44,014$27,750
Middle Tennessee State University TN$37,737$43,999$17,759
Wright State University-Main Campus OH—$43,884—
Northern Arizona University AZ$35,545$43,792—
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor MI$34,723$43,777$20,500
Rider University NJ$29,631$43,753$27,000
University of Hartford CT$27,670$43,700$27,000
Millikin University IL$27,539$43,388$21,333
Lawrence University WI$34,245$43,385$27,000
Oberlin College OH$22,671$43,343$27,000
Kent State University at Stark OH$34,179$43,222$25,000
Kent State University at Kent OH$34,179$43,222$25,000
Capital University OH$28,878$43,125$27,000
University of California-Irvine CA—$43,120$14,923
University of the Pacific CA—$43,093—
Central Michigan University MI—$43,089$30,750
Liberty University VA$37,764$42,960$25,000
California State University-Sacramento CA—$42,774$15,000
University of Nebraska at Omaha NE$39,137$42,768$21,793
University of Missouri-Kansas City MO$30,705$42,708$23,000
University of Central Missouri MO—$42,610—
Brown University RI$42,515——
Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania PA$37,363$42,481$27,000
St Olaf College MN$37,924$42,439$27,000
University of Central Oklahoma OK$28,923$42,355$22,000
University of Maryland-Baltimore County MD$33,769$42,289$21,227
California State University-Chico CA$34,293$42,269$10,673
Drake University IA—$42,233—
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities MN$31,772$42,232$20,500
San Diego State University CA$25,783$42,090$19,587
Moravian University PA$50,856$41,962$27,000
SUNY at Purchase College NY$23,001$41,926$19,239
University of Alabama at Birmingham AL—$41,768—
University of North Alabama AL—$41,734$27,000
Chapman University CA$27,373$41,698$23,500
Ramapo College of New Jersey NJ$25,547$41,659$22,484
Arizona State University Campus Immersion AZ$37,949$41,610$17,500
Pennsylvania Western University PA—$41,546—
Muhlenberg College PA$41,377—$27,000
Stetson University FL—$41,298$25,500
University of Puget Sound WA$35,490$41,207—
Washington State University WA$40,277$41,181—
State University of New York at Oswego NY$23,958$41,122$24,193
Oregon State University OR$33,307$41,073$21,500
Oregon State University-Cascades Campus OR$33,307$41,073$21,500
University of Arizona AZ$36,662$40,922$16,509
University of North Carolina at Greensboro NC$22,413$40,778$23,902
Morehead State University KY$34,526$40,768$22,791
Columbia College Chicago IL$25,208$40,734$24,562
Millersville University of Pennsylvania PA$38,252$40,713$22,250
California State University-Northridge CA$28,903$40,669$14,000
Colorado State University Pueblo CO$40,613——
Utah Valley University UT—$40,597—
University of Missouri-St Louis MO—$40,496—
Northern Illinois University IL$39,404$40,398$22,498
Temple University PA$31,470$40,387$27,000
Wheaton College IL$27,565$40,329$27,000
California Institute of the Arts CA$22,071$40,294$26,000
California State University-Monterey Bay CA—$40,077—
Baylor University TX$23,360$40,017$19,250
Jacksonville University FL$31,225$40,009—
University of Oregon OR$27,212$39,928$20,500
Montana State University MT$42,292$39,920—
University of Central Florida FL$29,518$39,898$11,125
University of Kentucky KY$39,963$39,746$19,400
Westfield State University MA—$39,692—
Loyola University New Orleans LA—$39,658$26,000
Catawba College NC$28,523$39,633—
Western Illinois University IL$40,566$39,609$21,500
Keene State College NH—$39,603—
CUNY Hunter College NY$32,755$39,600—
California State University-Fullerton CA$25,043$39,590$25,429
William Paterson University of New Jersey NJ$29,407$39,553$18,500
Kutztown University of Pennsylvania PA—$39,549$27,000
West Chester University of Pennsylvania PA$39,511—$26,000
Full Sail University FL$33,026$39,466$27,084
DePauw University IN—$39,430—
Boston University MA$49,329$39,426$23,985
Colorado State University-Fort Collins CO$41,459$39,414$21,457
University of Missouri-Columbia MO$35,423$39,241$14,595
Northwestern State University of Louisiana LA—$39,223—
University of Louisville KY—$39,168$18,250
California State University-Los Angeles CA$27,448$39,120$22,016
East Carolina University NC—$39,029$24,073
Metropolitan State University of Denver CO$28,836$38,957$23,721
Western Washington University WA$35,348$38,858—
University of Colorado Boulder CO$30,084$38,701$13,079
Purdue University Fort Wayne IN$35,188$38,682$23,183
San Francisco State University CA$36,891$38,639$18,812
Berklee College of Music MA$25,558$38,617$23,750
Western Kentucky University KY$35,078$38,377$26,000
Virginia Commonwealth University VA$37,008$38,278$25,502
University of California-Riverside CA$38,187—$20,035
Ball State University IN—$37,997$24,250
University of Northern Colorado CO—$37,749$20,335
Baldwin Wallace University OH$33,747$37,682$27,000
Eastern Kentucky University KY$35,510$37,673$23,000
Cleveland Institute of Music OH$13,093$37,656$19,500
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee WI$32,201$37,616$20,924
University of North Carolina Asheville NC$27,063$37,484$22,940
Fordham University NY$37,311——
Northwest University WA—$37,112—
Belmont University TN$27,430$36,866$21,886
Murray State University KY$33,884$36,697$26,102
SUNY College at Potsdam NY$35,497$36,677$25,000
Concordia University-Irvine CA$36,573——
Towson University MD$35,385$36,285$17,500
Western Michigan University MI$31,341$36,254$27,000
Southern Oregon University OR$24,121$36,201—
Five Towns College NY$26,919$36,157$25,283
University of Akron Main Campus OH$36,127——
Georgia State University GA$32,015$35,963$25,500
Western Connecticut State University CT$31,916$35,889$24,997
New Jersey City University NJ$37,464$35,729$24,547
East Tennessee State University TN$29,492$35,707$21,500
Lee University TN$33,373$35,702$27,000
Oklahoma City University OK$26,090$35,621$23,875
Boise State University ID$35,412—$22,680
Concordia College at Moorhead MN—$35,351—
Webster University MO$35,274——
University of Rochester NY$18,388$34,888$27,000
Morgan State University MD$42,724$34,725—
Portland State University OR—$34,160—
Georgia Southern University GA—$34,150—
University of Southern California CA$31,854$34,124$16,649
University of North Carolina School of the Arts NC—$34,022$25,720
University of North Florida FL—$33,841$13,000
University of California-Santa Barbara CA—$33,825$9,816
Snow College UT$35,081$33,705$20,927
Visible Music College TN$26,001$33,690$26,500
Academy of Art University CA—$33,151—
Missouri State University-Springfield MO—$32,984$25,748
The New School NY—$32,930$21,500
The Juilliard School NY—$32,842$19,500
Elmhurst University IL$23,348$32,448—
California Lutheran University CA—$32,316$22,125
The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga TN$32,200——
Butler University IN$32,095——
University of Georgia GA$31,821—$19,705
The University of Alabama AL$31,012$31,666$19,700
University of Massachusetts-Boston MA$31,560——
Los Angeles Film School CA$31,013—$46,476
Shenandoah University VA—$30,758$27,000
Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music PR$9,289$29,940$7,000
Johns Hopkins University MD$25,851$29,849$20,500
Cleveland State University OH$33,303$29,842—
Brigham Young University UT$27,458$29,483$10,500
University of Idaho ID—$29,227$27,094
University of Louisiana at Lafayette LA$29,678$29,175$28,283
University of Miami FL$19,843$29,090$14,125
Azusa Pacific University CA$28,836——
Indiana University-Bloomington IN$34,546$28,727$19,500
Valley City State University ND$28,674——
Manhattan School of Music NY$16,652$27,952$27,000
Valdosta State University GA—$27,357$27,002
The New England Conservatory of Music MA$22,827$26,985$23,500
University of Wisconsin-Madison WI$26,871——
Brigham Young University-Idaho ID$26,663——
Bennington College VT—$26,241—
Salisbury University MD$24,767——
Trevecca Nazarene University TN$24,759——
Roosevelt University IL—$24,232—
Los Angeles College of Music CA$22,957—$31,000
Lipscomb University TN$21,700——
University of Cincinnati-Main Campus OH$21,514—$19,787
University of Nevada-Reno NV$21,172——
Mercy University NY$20,606——
Inter American University of Puerto Rico-San German PR—$19,792—
Columbus State University GA—$18,218$22,934
Kennesaw State University GA$16,870—$26,210

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