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MASTER'S DEGREE · DEGREE PAYOFF · FEDERAL FIELD 5009

Music: is this master's degree worth it?

National picture across 98 reporting college programs.

Personal baseline needed

$47,357 in median year-4 earnings

A credible return for this credential must start with what the student would otherwise earn. The federal data does not provide that personal baseline.

$47,357Median year-4 earnings

$22,412Average institution net-price context

Not availableMedian federal debt

Use your actual price and alternative earnings before evaluating return. Model your own starting point →

WHAT THIS DEGREE PAYS

Observed national outcomes

$47,357Median reported earnings · year 4

$41,176Average reported earnings · year 5

Not availableMedian federal debt

2thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential

98Reporting programs

98With year-4 earnings

COMPARE CREDENTIAL LEVELS

The same field can produce a different equation.

Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.

OPEN PROFILE

Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma

Year-4 earnings: $35,327
Federal debt: $9,500
Reporting programs: 10

8 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Associate's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $36,153
Federal debt: $19,687
Reporting programs: 13

10 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Bachelor's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $43,385
Federal debt: $26,000
Reporting programs: 314

275 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Post-baccalaureate Certificate

Year-4 earnings: $35,623
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 1

1 report earnings →CURRENT VIEW

Master's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $47,357
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 98

98 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Doctoral Degree

Year-4 earnings: $57,796
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 30

30 report earnings →

COLLEGE-TO-COLLEGE RANGE

Where the middle half of programs lands

Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.

Median

25th percentile$41,657National median$47,35775th percentile$53,050

98 programs report year‑4 earnings.

WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1New Jersey City University$82,054 2Central Washington University$79,115 3Messiah University$77,342 4Sam Houston State University$68,888 5University of Delaware$66,502 6CUNY Brooklyn College$63,685 7Michigan State University$62,193 8Ohio State University-Main Campus$60,865 9California State University, Northridge$60,697 10University of Florida$59,913

Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking

WHERE THIS FIELD CAN LEAD

Related occupations

Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.

Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1121 · 16 crosswalk linksMusicians and SingersSOC 27-2042 · 11 crosswalk linksMusic Directors and ComposersSOC 27-2041 · 8 crosswalk linksDisc Jockeys, Except RadioSOC 27-2091 · 1 crosswalk linksSecondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationSOC 25-2031 · 1 crosswalk linksSound Engineering TechniciansSOC 27-4014 · 1 crosswalk links

BEST COLLEGES FOR MUSIC

Same degree, different outcomes

Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. Automated ROI is withheld when an exact program price or personal earnings baseline is required.

#	College	Location	Earnings, year 4	Federal debt	ROI status	Cost context
1	New Jersey City UniversityMaster's Degree	Jersey City, NJ	$82,054	Not available	Baseline needed	$16,053
2	Central Washington UniversityMaster's Degree	Ellensburg, WA	$79,115	Not available	Baseline needed	$18,476
3	Messiah UniversityMaster's Degree	Mechanicsburg, PA	$77,342	Not available	Baseline needed	$26,502
4	Sam Houston State UniversityMaster's Degree	Huntsville, TX	$68,888	Not available	Baseline needed	$16,404
5	University of DelawareMaster's Degree	Newark, DE	$66,502	Not available	Baseline needed	$17,799
6	CUNY Brooklyn CollegeMaster's Degree	Brooklyn, NY	$63,685	Not available	Baseline needed	$3,103
7	Michigan State UniversityMaster's Degree	East Lansing, MI	$62,193	Not available	Baseline needed	$19,680
8	Ohio State University-Main CampusMaster's Degree	Columbus, OH	$60,865	Not available	Baseline needed	$17,339
9	California State University, NorthridgeMaster's Degree	Northridge, CA	$60,697	Not available	Baseline needed	$7,021
10	University of FloridaMaster's Degree	Gainesville, FL	$59,913	Not available	Baseline needed	$6,541
11	Stephen F Austin State UniversityMaster's Degree	Nacogdoches, TX	$59,471	Not available	Baseline needed	$14,260
12	Colorado State University-Fort CollinsMaster's Degree	Fort Collins, CO	$57,772	Not available	Baseline needed	$21,279
13	SUNY at FredoniaMaster's Degree	Fredonia, NY	$57,662	Not available	Baseline needed	$15,897
14	University of MemphisMaster's Degree	Memphis, TN	$57,099	Not available	Baseline needed	$12,397
15	University of MiamiMaster's Degree	Coral Gables, FL	$55,826	Not available	Baseline needed	$37,244
16	Berklee College of MusicMaster's Degree	Boston, MA	$55,467	Not available	Baseline needed	$49,465
17	University of HartfordMaster's Degree	West Hartford, CT	$54,836	Not available	Baseline needed	$30,282
18	Montclair State UniversityMaster's Degree	Montclair, NJ	$54,787	Not available	Baseline needed	$15,566
19	University of South Carolina-ColumbiaMaster's Degree	Columbia, SC	$54,634	Not available	Baseline needed	$22,811
20	University of Nevada-Las VegasMaster's Degree	Las Vegas, NV	$54,262	Not available	Baseline needed	$10,359
21	University of Maryland-College ParkMaster's Degree	College Park, MD	$54,160	Not available	Baseline needed	$15,678
22	University of North Carolina School of the ArtsMaster's Degree	Winston Salem, NC	$54,140	Not available	Baseline needed	$14,906
23	George Mason UniversityMaster's Degree	Fairfax, VA	$53,431	Not available	Baseline needed	$17,915
24	Norwich UniversityMaster's Degree	Northfield, VT	$53,360	Not available	Baseline needed	$22,257
25	University of Nebraska-LincolnMaster's Degree	Lincoln, NE	$53,139	Not available	Baseline needed	$17,747
26	University of DenverMaster's Degree	Denver, CO	$53,050	Not available	Baseline needed	$36,131
27	University of Wisconsin-MilwaukeeMaster's Degree	Milwaukee, WI	$53,047	Not available	Baseline needed	$15,014
28	The University of Tennessee-KnoxvilleMaster's Degree	Knoxville, TN	$53,019	Not available	Baseline needed	$18,976
29	Texas Tech UniversityMaster's Degree	Lubbock, TX	$52,995	Not available	Baseline needed	$19,070
30	New York UniversityMaster's Degree	New York, NY	$52,777	Not available	Baseline needed	$37,050
31	Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical CollegeMaster's Degree	Baton Rouge, LA	$51,887	Not available	Baseline needed	$19,151
32	San Francisco Conservatory of MusicMaster's Degree	San Francisco, CA	$51,822	Not available	Baseline needed	$42,607
33	Johns Hopkins UniversityMaster's Degree	Baltimore, MD	$51,713	Not available	Baseline needed	$18,809
34	Rice UniversityMaster's Degree	Houston, TX	$50,777	Not available	Baseline needed	$13,370
35	University of Akron Main CampusMaster's Degree	Akron, OH	$50,460	Not available	Baseline needed	$13,946
36	Ohio University-Main CampusMaster's Degree	Athens, OH	$50,365	Not available	Baseline needed	$21,637
37	Florida State UniversityMaster's Degree	Tallahassee, FL	$50,069	Not available	Baseline needed	$11,297
38	Wichita State UniversityMaster's Degree	Wichita, KS	$49,779	Not available	Baseline needed	$13,194
39	University of ArizonaMaster's Degree	Tucson, AZ	$49,602	Not available	Baseline needed	$16,674
40	Oklahoma City UniversityMaster's Degree	Oklahoma City, OK	$49,533	Not available	Baseline needed	$22,857
41	University of KansasMaster's Degree	Lawrence, KS	$49,191	Not available	Baseline needed	$18,059
42	Texas Woman's UniversityMaster's Degree	Denton, TX	$49,163	Not available	Baseline needed	$11,963
43	Longy School of Music of Bard CollegeMaster's Degree	Cambridge, MA	$48,961	Not available	Baseline needed	$38,530
44	Bard CollegeMaster's Degree	Annandale-On-Hudson, NY	$48,961	Not available	Baseline needed	$34,649
45	University of IowaMaster's Degree	Iowa City, IA	$48,460	Not available	Baseline needed	$22,531
46	University of Minnesota-Twin CitiesMaster's Degree	Minneapolis, MN	$47,890	Not available	Baseline needed	$16,778
47	Texas Christian UniversityMaster's Degree	Fort Worth, TX	$47,885	Not available	Baseline needed	$36,660
48	University of GeorgiaMaster's Degree	Athens, GA	$47,875	Not available	Baseline needed	$13,936
49	University of Missouri-Kansas CityMaster's Degree	Kansas City, MO	$47,852	Not available	Baseline needed	$13,310
50	University of South FloridaMaster's Degree	Tampa, FL	$46,862	Not available	Baseline needed	$9,812
51	Arizona State University Campus ImmersionMaster's Degree	Tempe, AZ	$46,731	Not available	Baseline needed	$14,967
52	Baylor UniversityMaster's Degree	Waco, TX	$46,515	Not available	Baseline needed	$41,104
53	Illinois State UniversityMaster's Degree	Normal, IL	$46,476	Not available	Baseline needed	$19,398
54	Georgia State UniversityMaster's Degree	Atlanta, GA	$46,454	Not available	Baseline needed	$15,931
55	The Juilliard SchoolMaster's Degree	New York, NY	$46,372	Not available	Baseline needed	$43,571
56	Liberty UniversityMaster's Degree	Lynchburg, VA	$46,324	Not available	Baseline needed	$29,357
57	Bowling Green State University-Main CampusMaster's Degree	Bowling Green, OH	$46,069	Not available	Baseline needed	$24,022
58	Rider UniversityMaster's Degree	Lawrenceville, NJ	$45,928	Not available	Baseline needed	$24,792
59	University of OregonMaster's Degree	Eugene, OR	$45,719	Not available	Baseline needed	$22,182
60	The New England Conservatory of MusicMaster's Degree	Boston, MA	$45,532	Not available	Baseline needed	$46,754
61	University of California, Los AngelesMaster's Degree	Los Angeles, CA	$45,410	Not available	Baseline needed	$12,548
62	University of Southern CaliforniaMaster's Degree	Los Angeles, CA	$45,304	Not available	Baseline needed	$32,740
63	University of Colorado BoulderMaster's Degree	Boulder, CO	$45,110	Not available	Baseline needed	$25,346
64	Youngstown State UniversityMaster's Degree	Youngstown, OH	$45,051	Not available	Baseline needed	$12,767
65	Southern Methodist UniversityMaster's Degree	Dallas, TX	$44,670	Not available	Baseline needed	$40,892
66	Indiana University-BloomingtonMaster's Degree	Bloomington, IN	$44,312	Not available	Baseline needed	$16,264
67	Temple UniversityMaster's Degree	Philadelphia, PA	$44,122	Not available	Baseline needed	$28,198
68	University of North TexasMaster's Degree	Denton, TX	$44,040	Not available	Baseline needed	$15,649
69	Boston UniversityMaster's Degree	Boston, MA	$43,249	Not available	Baseline needed	$24,402
70	Shenandoah UniversityMaster's Degree	Winchester, VA	$42,787	Not available	Baseline needed	$30,298
71	University of RochesterMaster's Degree	Rochester, NY	$42,543	Not available	Baseline needed	$29,278
72	University of Nevada-RenoMaster's Degree	Reno, NV	$42,242	Not available	Baseline needed	$15,927
73	Northern Illinois UniversityMaster's Degree	Dekalb, IL	$41,850	Not available	Baseline needed	$13,391
74	University of New Mexico-Main CampusMaster's Degree	Albuquerque, NM	$41,657	Not available	Baseline needed	$15,489
75	University of Northern ColoradoMaster's Degree	Greeley, CO	$41,645	Not available	Baseline needed	$17,760
76	University of LouisvilleMaster's Degree	Louisville, KY	$41,519	Not available	Baseline needed	$17,988
77	Roosevelt UniversityMaster's Degree	Chicago, IL	$41,219	Not available	Baseline needed	$20,194
78	Manhattan School of MusicMaster's Degree	New York, NY	$40,812	Not available	Baseline needed	$51,754
79	University of North Carolina at GreensboroMaster's Degree	Greensboro, NC	$40,517	Not available	Baseline needed	$10,965
80	Carnegie Mellon UniversityMaster's Degree	Pittsburgh, PA	$39,953	Not available	Baseline needed	$31,944
81	University of Oklahoma-Norman CampusMaster's Degree	Norman, OK	$39,637	Not available	Baseline needed	$15,300
82	University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignMaster's Degree	Champaign, IL	$39,607	Not available	Baseline needed	$14,355
83	Cleveland Institute of MusicMaster's Degree	Cleveland, OH	$38,887	Not available	Baseline needed	$28,226
84	University of Michigan-Ann ArborMaster's Degree	Ann Arbor, MI	$38,693	Not available	Baseline needed	$13,138
85	DePaul UniversityMaster's Degree	Chicago, IL	$38,670	Not available	Baseline needed	$30,902
86	University of Massachusetts-AmherstMaster's Degree	Amherst, MA	$38,489	Not available	Baseline needed	$22,383
87	California State University, FullertonMaster's Degree	Fullerton, CA	$37,850	Not available	Baseline needed	$6,555
88	Texas State UniversityMaster's Degree	San Marcos, TX	$37,655	Not available	Baseline needed	$16,805
89	The University of Texas at AustinMaster's Degree	Austin, TX	$37,603	Not available	Baseline needed	$19,857
90	Duquesne UniversityMaster's Degree	Pittsburgh, PA	$37,427	Not available	Baseline needed	$37,730
91	Belmont UniversityMaster's Degree	Nashville, TN	$37,264	Not available	Baseline needed	$33,147
92	University of Cincinnati-Main CampusMaster's Degree	Cincinnati, OH	$37,208	Not available	Baseline needed	$25,648
93	Northwestern UniversityMaster's Degree	Evanston, IL	$34,062	Not available	Baseline needed	$29,167
94	Western Michigan UniversityMaster's Degree	Kalamazoo, MI	$33,453	Not available	Baseline needed	$15,273
95	California State University, Long BeachMaster's Degree	Long Beach, CA	$32,534	Not available	Baseline needed	$10,440
96	Yale UniversityMaster's Degree	New Haven, CT	$29,895	Not available	Baseline needed	$23,777
97	California Institute of the ArtsMaster's Degree	Valencia, CA	$29,494	Not available	Baseline needed	$46,080
98	The New SchoolMaster's Degree	New York, NY	$26,925	Not available	Baseline needed	$58,741

This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.