Best Music Schools in New York

New York has 21 colleges offering Music programs tracked by the College Scorecard, producing 525 recent graduates. Graduates in New York earn $22,310 on average within two years — 18% below the national average of $27,045. Lower cost of living or industry mix may explain the gap.

Schools in NY

$22,310

NY Avg. Earnings

$27,045

National Avg.

354

Schools Nationally

Public vs Private: Music in New York

Public Schools (10)

$24,148

avg. 2yr earnings

Private Schools (10)

$19,837

avg. 2yr earnings

Public schools in New York produce comparable or higher early earnings for Music graduates, often at lower cost — making them strong value options.

Music Schools in New York, Ranked by Earnings

Hofstra University

Hempstead, NY · Private

$24,730

2yr Earnings

Acceptance: 70.6%

New York University

New York, NY · Private

$17,489

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $23,570

Graduates: 62

Acceptance: 9.4%

Ithaca College

Ithaca, NY · Private

$24,201

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $27,905

Graduates: 54

Acceptance: 69.9%

SUNY at Fredonia

Fredonia, NY · Public

N/A

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $22,167

Graduates: 19

Acceptance: 79.2%

CUNY City College

New York, NY · Public

$18,771

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $17,652

Graduates: 51

Acceptance: 58.1%

The College of Saint Rose

Albany, NY · Private

$23,340

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $25,435

Graduates: 30

Acceptance: 73.4%

SUNY at Purchase College

Purchase, NY · Public

$16,709

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $17,344

Graduates: 72

Acceptance: 72.8%

State University of New York at Oswego

Oswego, NY · Public

$34,704

2yr Earnings

Acceptance: 80.4%

CUNY Hunter College

New York, NY · Public

$32,391

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $27,183

Graduates: 18

Acceptance: 54.0%

#10

SUNY College at Potsdam

Potsdam, NY · Public

$22,192

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $20,855

Graduates: 16

Acceptance: 85.5%

#11

Five Towns College

Dix Hills, NY · For-Profit

$28,019

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $21,053

Graduates: 25

Acceptance: 72.0%

#12

CUNY Bernard M Baruch College

New York, NY · Public

$35,060

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $26,012

Graduates: 17

Acceptance: 50.5%

#13

University of Rochester

Rochester, NY · Private

$17,499

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $12,050

Graduates: 49

Acceptance: 35.9%

#14

The New School

New York, NY · Private

$15,695

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $17,971

Graduates: 66

Acceptance: 62.5%

#15

The Juilliard School

New York, NY · Private

Manhattan School of Music

New York, NY · Private

$13,393

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $20,620

Graduates: 25

Acceptance: 39.9%

#17

Adelphi University

Garden City, NY · Private

SUNY Buffalo State University

Buffalo, NY · Public

CUNY Lehman College

Bronx, NY · Public

Mercy University

Dobbs Ferry, NY · Private

$16,992

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $26,599

Graduates: 21

Acceptance: 85.5%

#21

State University of New York at New Paltz

New Paltz, NY · Public

$15,288

2yr Earnings

Acceptance: 58.7%

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best school for Music in New York?

Hofstra University ranks #1 for Music in New York with median graduate earnings of $24,730 within two years of graduation. There are 21 schools offering Music programs in the state.

How much do Music graduates earn in New York?

Music graduates in New York earn an average of $22,310 within two years of graduation. This is 18% below the national average of $27,045 for this major.

What is the hardest Music school to get into in New York?

The Juilliard School is the most selective Music program in New York with an acceptance rate of 9.0%. The average acceptance rate across Music programs in the state is 60.8%.

Should I attend a public or private school for Music in New York?

In New York, private Music programs produce average earnings of $19,837 vs $24,148 at public schools. However, public schools typically cost less — consider net price relative to earnings when calculating ROI. There are 10 public and 10 private options in the state.

Other Popular Majors in New York

Marine Transportation $73,446 Computer Science $71,535 Computer Engineering $71,263 Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology $70,176 Industrial Engineering $69,459 Construction Management $67,560 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering $66,924 Materials Engineering $66,884

All colleges in New York →

Music in Other States

California Texas Ohio Pennsylvania Illinois Tennessee New Jersey Florida Virginia Massachusetts North Carolina Washington View All →

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Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study file last updated June 2026. Institution-level figures elsewhere on the site come from the June 2026 release.