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COLLEGE + DEGREE OUTCOMES

Music bachelor's degree at Berklee College of Music

Boston, MA · Private nonprofit

What this page covers

Federal data group related majors at the same college and degree level. One record can include several named programs or concentrations.

The short version

Reported earnings are close to similar programs.

$4,275 below the national median for the same field and degree level.

Debt as a share of earnings
64.7% of annual earnings
Highest price with a positive payoff
Not reached
Modeled 10-year payoff
−117% · Negative payoff
Available price data
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$38,617 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.

+84%Earnings growth, year 1 → 5$18,177 → $33,368
158Earn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
69Working in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
349Year-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median
471Borrowers representedCohort behind the debt median
$94,046Awarding-school debtDebt attributed to the college granting the credential
15Recent awardsIPEDS 2024–25 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.

2,777Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment
339Federal-aid completers2024–25 program completers
1,151Pell Grant recipients2024–25 program count
2,046Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count
8.0%Federal-aid non-completion rate2022–23 program cohort · 231 non-completers
388Graduates not recorded as employedHistorical federal cohort, three years after completion
Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$34,808Informational preview, not a final accountability result
Observed year-4 earnings$38,617$3,809 above the preliminary benchmark

Additional borrowing reported for this category: 440 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. Completion and employment measures use older cohorts shown above and are not combined into the payoff estimate.

01 · PRICE CONTEXT$49,465

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

02 · BORROWING$24,979

Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.

03 · EARNINGS$38,617

Observed median earnings four full years after completion.

04 · REPAYMENT$265/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.

Enter my price →
AVERAGE NET PRICE$49,465Institution-wide annual figure
COST OF ATTENDANCE$72,700Institution-wide annual budget
ADMISSION RATE43.5%Institution context
COMPLETION RATE67.3%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.

$18,177Year 1
$38,617Year 4
$33,368Year 5
CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?

8.2% 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$3,218
Estimated loan payment$265
471borrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$38,617 vs. $42,892

$4,275 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$85,820 median wageMA estimate · 4,960 jobs · 25-1121$65,760–$111,710 middle 50% of MA wages+2.2% projected U.S. growth · 8,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeMusicians and SingersNot available median wageU.S. estimate · 680 jobs · 27-2042+0.3% projected U.S. growth · 17,400 openings/yrTypical entry: No formal educational credentialMusic Directors and Composers$78,620 median wageMA estimate · 340 jobs · 27-2041$63,800–$114,150 middle 50% of MA wages+1.2% projected U.S. growth · 4,200 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeSecondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$95,260 median wageMA estimate · 28,460 jobs · 25-2031$77,890–$102,530 middle 50% of MA wages-0.2% projected U.S. growth · 63,500 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeSound Engineering Technicians$63,250 median wageMA estimate · 200 jobs · 27-4014$51,190–$113,710 middle 50% of MA wages-3.1% projected U.S. growth · 1,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Postsecondary nondegree awardDisc Jockeys, Except RadioNot available median wageU.S. estimate · 150 jobs · 27-2091+3.8% projected U.S. growth · 1,700 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.

Boston, MA

Northeastern University

$22,357 higher earnings · $18,550 lower annual net price

Earnings
$60,974
Debt
$26,568
Annual net price
$30,915
View outcomes →
Lowell, MA

University of Massachusetts-Lowell

$14,767 higher earnings · $32,302 lower annual net price

Earnings
$53,384
Debt
$27,000
Annual net price
$17,163
View outcomes →
Westfield, MA

Westfield State University

$1,075 higher earnings · $32,744 lower annual net price

Earnings
$39,692
Debt
Not available
Annual net price
$16,721
View outcomes →
Boston, MA

Boston University

$809 higher earnings · $25,063 lower annual net price

Earnings
$39,426
Debt
$26,957
Annual net price
$24,402
View outcomes →
Compare these programs →
DATA QUALITY

Check the evidence behind the estimate.

349 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 →