Program directoryPROGRAM-CATEGORY PAYOFF

Music bachelor's degree outcomes at University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA · Private nonprofit · Federal field 5009

Data scope

Federal records group outcomes by college, four-digit field and credential level. A record may cover several catalog programs or concentrations.

The short version

Reported earnings trail the same-degree benchmark.

$8,768 below the national median for the same field and credential.

Debt pressure
61.5% of annual earnings
Positive-payoff price ceiling
Not reached
10-year scenario
−135% · Negative payoff
Price evidence
College-wide context only
PRICE SENSITIVITY

The price can change the verdict.

Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.

What stays fixed$34,124 observed annual earnings · 4 years of study · $45,000 alternative annual earnings · ten-year horizonThe marked price is this college’s institution-wide average net price, not the exact price of this program category. This is a sensitivity test, not a tuition quote or earnings forecast.
OUTCOME SIGNALS

Graduate outcomes from several angles.

Follow earnings over time and inspect the cohort behind each federal measure.

+91%Earnings growth, year 1 → 5$12,947$24,763
Not availableEarn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
Not availableWorking in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
62Year-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median
65Borrowers representedCohort behind the debt median
$50,000Awarding-school debtDebt attributed to the college granting the credential
Not availableRecent awardsIPEDS 2023–24 first-major completions in this field and credential
NEW FEDERAL PROGRAM CONTEXT

Size, aid and an earnings floor.

The Department of Education’s 2026 informational preview adds current program participation and a preliminary earnings comparison. It does not make a final eligibility determination.

217Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment
49Federal-aid completers2024–25 program completers
94Pell Grant recipients2024–25 program count
104Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count
Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$36,082Informational preview, not a final accountability result
Observed year-4 earnings$34,124$1,958 below the preliminary benchmark

Additional borrowing reported for this category: 52 Parent PLUS borrowers.

Source: U.S. Department of Education PPD:2026 informational preview. Program categories use OPEID, four-digit field and credential level; federal-aid counts do not represent every enrolled student.

01 · PRICE CONTEXT$32,740

Institution-wide annual average net price, not this program’s price.

02 · BORROWING$20,976

Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.

03 · EARNINGS$34,124

Observed median earnings four full years after completion.

04 · REPAYMENT$222/mo

Estimated standard 10-year federal payment.

WHAT WILL IT COST?

Published college costs provide the starting point.

Your exact offering, aid, residency and time to finish determine the price you actually pay.

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AVERAGE NET PRICE$32,740Institution-wide annual figure
COST OF ATTENDANCE$90,300Institution-wide annual budget
ADMISSION RATE9.8%Institution context
COMPLETION RATE91.8%Institution-wide completion rate
WHAT DO GRADUATES EARN?

Reported earnings after completion.

Each point may represent a different federal cohort. A missing bar means the figure was unavailable or suppressed.

$12,947Year 1
$34,124Year 4
$24,763Year 5
CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?

7.8% of gross monthly earnings

Estimated monthly payment divided by observed gross monthly earnings. This excludes taxes, other debts and income-driven repayment.

Gross monthly earnings$2,844
Estimated loan payment$222
65borrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$34,124 vs. $42,892

$8,768 below the national median for the same field and credential.

Same-field national median
WHAT WORK CAN IT LEAD TO?

Related occupations, wages and outlook.

Official CIP–SOC links show careers the curriculum may prepare students for, not observed jobs held by this school’s graduates. BLS wages describe everyone working in an occupation.

BLS May 2025 wage estimates and 2025–35 employment projections.
Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary$99,410 median wageCA estimate · 9,820 jobs · 25-1121+2.2% projected U.S. growth · 8k openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeMusicians and SingersNot available median wageU.S. estimate · 6,840 jobs · 27-2042+0.3% projected U.S. growth · 17.4k openings/yrTypical entry: No formal educational credentialMusic Directors and Composers$93,090 median wageCA estimate · 2,510 jobs · 27-2041+1.2% projected U.S. growth · 4.2k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeSecondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$101,370 median wageCA estimate · 99,230 jobs · 25-2031-0.2% projected U.S. growth · 63.5k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeSound Engineering Technicians$78,150 median wageCA estimate · 4,060 jobs · 27-4014-3.1% projected U.S. growth · 1k openings/yrTypical entry: Postsecondary nondegree awardDisc Jockeys, Except RadioNot available median wageU.S. estimate · 2,190 jobs · 27-2091+3.8% projected U.S. growth · 1.7k openings/yrTypical entry: High school diploma or equivalent
Possible alternatives

Same degree, stronger on at least one reported measure.

Every option below reports higher earnings, lower federal debt or a lower college-wide net price. Same-state options appear first.

La Jolla, CA

University of California, San Diego

$23,947 higher earnings · $2,038 less debt · $20,270 lower annual net price

Earnings
$58,071
Debt
$18,938
Annual net price
$12,470
View outcomes →
Long Beach, CA

California State University, Long Beach

$13,707 higher earnings · $426 less debt · $22,300 lower annual net price

Earnings
$47,831
Debt
$20,550
Annual net price
$10,440
View outcomes →
Pomona, CA

California State Polytechnic University-Pomona

$10,786 higher earnings · $2,976 less debt · $21,209 lower annual net price

Earnings
$44,910
Debt
$18,000
Annual net price
$11,531
View outcomes →
Sacramento, CA

California State University, Sacramento

$8,650 higher earnings · $4,476 less debt · $23,402 lower annual net price

Earnings
$42,774
Debt
$16,500
Annual net price
$9,338
View outcomes →
Compare these programs →
DATA QUALITY

Check the evidence behind the estimate.

62 observations in the earnings cohort

June 10, 2026 College Scorecard release

Observed, estimated and contextual figures are labeled separately throughout this page

IS IT WORTH IT AT YOUR PRICE?

Your price and current earnings determine the result.

Add your grants, borrowing and current salary to estimate payment pressure, break-even time and ten-year payoff.

Calculate my payoff →