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Best Schools for Music

Music graduates earn a median of $26,832 within two years of graduation, ranking #259 out of 292 tracked majors — 24% below the median across all fields. There are 286 colleges nationwide with tracked earnings for this major, producing 7,652 recent graduates.

Where you study matters: University of Houston graduates earn $49,312 while University of California-Riverside graduates earn $11,481 — a $37,831 difference. Factors like location, employer networks, co-op programs, and curriculum focus drive this gap.

Early career salary growth is moderate: Music graduates see an average 7% increase between year 1 and year 2 post-graduation, reflecting career advancement and skill development in the first years after college.

286
Schools
$26,832
Avg. 2yr Earnings
#259
of 292 Majors
7,652
Graduates

Public vs Private: Music

Public (187 schools)
$28,072
avg. 2yr earnings
Private (95 schools)
$24,385
avg. 2yr earnings

Public schools produce comparable or higher early earnings for Music, often at lower tuition — making them strong value options for this major.

Music by State

Texas
23 schools
$38,450
California
20 schools
$22,718
New York
20 schools
$22,133
Illinois
14 schools
$24,610
Pennsylvania
13 schools
$25,796
Tennessee
13 schools
$25,657
Ohio
12 schools
$23,004
Wisconsin
10 schools
$30,425

Top Music Schools by Graduate Earnings

#1
U

University of Houston

Houston, TX · Public

$49,312
2yr Earnings
1yr: $49,557
Grads: 59
Acceptance: 69.5%
#2
T

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

Edinburg, TX · Public

$49,084
2yr Earnings
1yr: $47,631
Grads: 66
Acceptance: 84.8%
#3
T

Texas A&M University-Kingsville

Kingsville, TX · Public

$48,041
2yr Earnings
1yr: $48,541
Grads: 20
Acceptance: 92.3%
#4
T

The University of Texas at El Paso

El Paso, TX · Public

$47,846
2yr Earnings
1yr: $48,653
Grads: 30
Acceptance: 99.9%
#5
T

Texas Tech University

Lubbock, TX · Public

$44,170
2yr Earnings
1yr: $43,170
Grads: 55
Acceptance: 70.9%
#6
T

The University of Texas at San Antonio

San Antonio, TX · Public

$43,674
2yr Earnings
1yr: $32,974
Grads: 48
Acceptance: 88.5%
#7
L

Lamar University

Beaumont, TX · Public

$43,426
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 85.7%
#8
S

Stephen F Austin State University

Nacogdoches, TX · Public

$43,054
2yr Earnings
1yr: $39,195
Grads: 78
Acceptance: 88.3%
#9
E

East Texas A&M University

Commerce, TX · Public

$42,682
2yr Earnings
1yr: $43,755
Grads: 35
Acceptance: 92.6%
#10
T

Tarleton State University

Stephenville, TX · Public

$42,682
2yr Earnings
1yr: $29,088
Grads: 24
Acceptance: 94.2%
#11
T

Texas State University

San Marcos, TX · Public

$42,363
2yr Earnings
1yr: $40,576
Grads: 95
Acceptance: 89.5%
#12
W

West Texas A & M University

Canyon, TX · Public

$41,937
2yr Earnings
1yr: $42,424
Grads: 26
Acceptance: 97.4%
#13
F

Fairfield University

Fairfield, CT · Private

$41,565
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 45.0%
#14
U

University of Wisconsin-Whitewater

Whitewater, WI · Public

$40,945
2yr Earnings
1yr: $37,851
Grads: 24
Acceptance: 82.8%
#15
T

The University of Texas at Arlington

Arlington, TX · Public

$40,768
2yr Earnings
1yr: $41,236
Grads: 48
Acceptance: 81.3%
#16
G

Georgia State University

Atlanta, GA · Public

$39,729
2yr Earnings
1yr: $21,016
Grads: 27
Acceptance: 62.3%
#17
A

Auburn University

Auburn, AL · Public

$39,369
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 50.5%
#18
B

Biola University

La Mirada, CA · Private

$39,369
2yr Earnings
1yr: $28,811
Grads: 26
Acceptance: 60.1%
#19
U

University of Nevada-Las Vegas

Las Vegas, NV · Public

$39,009
2yr Earnings
1yr: $35,326
Grads: 32
Acceptance: 96.3%
#20
S

Sam Houston State University

Huntsville, TX · Public

$39,009
2yr Earnings
1yr: $41,865
Grads: 88
Acceptance: 85.4%
#21
U

University of Wisconsin-La Crosse

La Crosse, WI · Public

$39,009
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 73.3%
#22
U

University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

Eau Claire, WI · Public

$38,505
2yr Earnings
1yr: $33,945
Grads: 41
Acceptance: 76.1%
#23
U

University of Central Arkansas

Conway, AR · Public

$38,289
2yr Earnings
1yr: $35,220
Grads: 19
Acceptance: 90.5%
#24
U

University of Maryland-College Park

College Park, MD · Public

$38,289
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 44.8%
#25
T

Texas Wesleyan University

Fort Worth, TX · Private

$38,289
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 62.4%
#26
U

University of North Texas

Denton, TX · Public

$38,048
2yr Earnings
1yr: $33,408
Grads: 143
Acceptance: 72.5%
#27
O

Ohio University-Main Campus

Athens, OH · Public

$37,208
2yr Earnings
1yr: $34,078
Grads: 39
Acceptance: 84.8%
#28
M

Michigan State University

East Lansing, MI · Public

$36,992
2yr Earnings
1yr: $35,201
Grads: 49
Acceptance: 83.9%
#29
R

Rowan University

Glassboro, NJ · Public

$36,852
2yr Earnings
1yr: $27,411
Grads: 55
Acceptance: 77.8%
#30
U

University of Rhode Island

Kingston, RI · Public

$36,848
2yr Earnings
1yr: $36,068
Grads: 20
Acceptance: 77.1%
#31
E

Eastern Illinois University

Charleston, IL · Public

$36,668
2yr Earnings
1yr: $34,254
Grads: 26
Acceptance: 67.8%
#32
J

Jacksonville State University

Jacksonville, AL · Public

$36,560
2yr Earnings
1yr: $34,611
Grads: 24
Acceptance: 76.2%
#33
W

Western Carolina University

Cullowhee, NC · Public

$36,368
2yr Earnings
1yr: $23,792
Grads: 25
Acceptance: 86.7%
#34
N

North Dakota State University-Main Campus

Fargo, ND · Public

$36,312
2yr Earnings
1yr: $39,104
Grads: 31
Acceptance: 95.8%
#35
L

Luther College

Decorah, IA · Private

$36,220
2yr Earnings
1yr: $37,723
Grads: 45
Acceptance: 73.3%
#36
I

Indiana State University

Terre Haute, IN · Public

$36,131
2yr Earnings
1yr: $36,486
Grads: 20
Acceptance: 91.5%
#37
M

Moravian University

Bethlehem, PA · Private

$35,600
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 54.0%
#38
N

Northeastern University Oakland

Oakland, CA · Private

$35,416
2yr Earnings
1yr: $29,347
Grads: 41
Acceptance: 16.5%
#39
N

Northeastern University

Boston, MA · Private

$35,416
2yr Earnings
1yr: $29,347
Grads: 41
Acceptance: 5.7%
#40
G

George Mason University

Fairfax, VA · Public

$35,416
2yr Earnings
1yr: $27,836
Grads: 46
Acceptance: 88.8%
#41
W

West Chester University of Pennsylvania

West Chester, PA · Public

$35,351
2yr Earnings
1yr: $36,810
Grads: 42
Acceptance: 79.2%
#42
C

CUNY Bernard M Baruch College

New York, NY · Public

$35,060
2yr Earnings
1yr: $26,012
Grads: 17
Acceptance: 50.5%
#43
S

Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania

Slippery Rock, PA · Public

$35,060
2yr Earnings
1yr: $37,538
Grads: 18
Acceptance: 74.6%
#44
W

Washington State University

Pullman, WA · Public

$34,711
2yr Earnings
1yr: $30,809
Grads: 19
Acceptance: 85.4%
#45
S

State University of New York at Oswego

Oswego, NY · Public

$34,704
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 80.4%
#46
U

University of Utah

Salt Lake City, UT · Public

$34,704
2yr Earnings
1yr: $21,696
Grads: 41
Acceptance: 87.2%
#47
W

Western Illinois University

Macomb, IL · Public

$34,230
2yr Earnings
1yr: $35,994
Grads: 38
Acceptance: 75.0%
#48
E

Emory University

Atlanta, GA · Private

$33,993
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 11.1%
#49
U

University of Massachusetts-Amherst

Amherst, MA · Public

$33,993
2yr Earnings
1yr: $28,867
Grads: 26
Acceptance: 57.8%
#50
U

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC · Public

$33,993
2yr Earnings
1yr: $25,813
Grads: 41
Acceptance: 18.7%

Showing top 50 of 286 schools. View all or filter by state above.

Majors with Similar Earnings

Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management $27,464 Arts, Entertainment,and Media Management $27,456 Alternative and Complementary Medicine and Medical Systems $27,372 Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language $27,323 Religious/Sacred Music $27,022 Agriculture/Veterinary Preparatory Programs $26,503

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best school for Music?
University of Houston ranks #1 for Music with median graduate earnings of $49,312 within two years. There are 286 schools nationwide offering this major with tracked earnings data.
How much do Music graduates earn?
Music graduates earn an average of $26,832 within two years of graduation. This is 24% below the median across all majors. Earnings range from $11,481 to $49,312 depending on the school.
How hard is it to get into a top Music program?
The average acceptance rate across Music programs is 73.4%. The most selective program is at Northeastern University with a 5.7% acceptance rate. Competitive programs value strong math/analytical skills and relevant coursework.
Is a public or private school better for Music?
Private Music programs average $24,385 in early earnings vs $28,072 at public schools. Public schools offer competitive earnings at typically lower cost, making them strong value options.

Data updated June 2026. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are median 2 years after graduation for bachelor's degree holders.

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