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COLLEGE + DEGREE OUTCOMES

Music bachelor's degree at James Madison University

Harrisonburg, VA · Public

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 notably above similar programs.

$8,990 above the national median for the same field and degree level.

Debt as a share of earnings
40.4% of annual earnings
Highest price with a positive payoff
Not reached
Modeled 10-year payoff
−75% · 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$51,882 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.

+27%Earnings growth, year 1 → 5$36,106 → $45,783
Not availableEarn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
36Working in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
55Year-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median
65Borrowers representedCohort behind the debt median
$30,000Awarding-school debtDebt attributed to the college granting the credential
Not availableRecent 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.

248Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment
42Federal-aid completers2024–25 program completers
56Pell Grant recipients2024–25 program count
126Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count
61Graduates not recorded as employedHistorical federal cohort, three years after completion
Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$35,969Informational preview, not a final accountability result
Observed year-4 earnings$51,882$15,913 above the preliminary benchmark

Additional borrowing reported for this category: 43 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$23,322

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

02 · BORROWING$20,968

Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.

03 · EARNINGS$51,882

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.

Enter my price →
AVERAGE NET PRICE$23,322Institution-wide annual figure
COST OF ATTENDANCE$31,735Institution-wide annual budget
ADMISSION RATE71.5%Institution context
COMPLETION RATE79.7%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.

$36,106Year 1
$51,882Year 4
$45,783Year 5
CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?

5.1% 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$4,324
Estimated loan payment$222
65borrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$51,882 vs. $42,892

$8,990 above 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$74,870 median wageVA estimate · 2,840 jobs · 25-1121$52,900–$96,300 middle 50% of VA wages+2.2% projected U.S. growth · 8,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeMusicians and SingersNot available median wageU.S. estimate · 400 jobs · 27-2042+0.3% projected U.S. growth · 17,400 openings/yrTypical entry: No formal educational credentialMusic Directors and Composers$59,050 median wageVA estimate · 370 jobs · 27-2041$48,510–$92,150 middle 50% of VA wages+1.2% projected U.S. growth · 4,200 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeSecondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$72,170 median wageVA estimate · 31,100 jobs · 25-2031$60,250–$83,820 middle 50% of VA wages-0.2% projected U.S. growth · 63,500 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeSound Engineering Technicians$49,920 median wageVA estimate · 120 jobs · 27-4014$41,930–$80,360 middle 50% of VA wages-3.1% projected U.S. growth · 1,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Postsecondary nondegree awardDisc Jockeys, Except RadioNot available median wageU.S. estimate · 7,920 jobs · 27-2091+3.8% projected U.S. growth · 1,700 openings/yrTypical entry: High school diploma or equivalent
CENSUS EMPLOYMENT DESTINATIONS

Where graduates work five years later

The leading industries employing graduates in this college, broad field and credential group.

01

Educational Services

about 28.5%
02

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

about 18.3%
03

Retail Trade

about 9.6%
04

Accommodation and Food Services

about 6.1%
05

Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation

about 5.6%

How to read this: This is an observed industry mix, not a list of job titles or proof that every graduate worked in the field studied. Counts and shares are approximate because Census privacy protections add statistical noise.

Coverage is limited to institutions and states participating in the Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes program. These figures do not affect DegreeVerdict ROI calculations.

Download the official Census source file →
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.

Newport News, VA

Christopher Newport University

$11,970 higher earnings · $307 lower annual net price

Earnings
$63,852
Debt
Not available
Annual net price
$23,015
View outcomes →
Norfolk, VA

Old Dominion University

$146 higher earnings · $8,684 lower annual net price

Earnings
$52,028
Debt
$26,000
Annual net price
$14,638
View outcomes →
Radford, VA

Radford University

$8,744 lower annual net price

Earnings
$47,586
Debt
$27,000
Annual net price
$14,578
View outcomes →
Fairfax, VA

George Mason University

$5,407 lower annual net price

Earnings
$46,765
Debt
$24,048
Annual net price
$17,915
View outcomes →
Compare these programs →
DATA QUALITY

Check the evidence behind the estimate.

55 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.

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