Best Music Degrees in the US by ROI
Top colleges ranked by estimated 20-year net return on investment across all active states. Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Programs Analyzed
239
Colleges with salary data
Average 20-Yr Net ROI
-$379,028
Across all programs
Average Annual Cost
$36,988
Cost of attendance
| # | College | State | 20-Yr Net ROI | Median Salary | Annual Cost | Avg Debt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Grad rate: 91.7% |
NC | +$180,486 | $57,343 | $25,181 | $19,000 | Full ROI → |
| 2 |
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Grad rate: 50.9% |
TX | +$114,686 | $52,815 | $18,343 | $20,920 | Full ROI → |
| 3 |
Texas A&M University-Kingsville
Grad rate: 44.8% |
TX | +$103,002 | $53,695 | $22,262 | $31,000 | Full ROI → |
| 4 |
University of Houston
Grad rate: 64.0% |
TX | +$80,436 | $52,788 | $25,056 | $26,000 | Full ROI → |
| 5 |
Vanderbilt University
Grad rate: 92.7% |
TN | +$13,607 | $61,014 | $84,412 | $21,500 | Full ROI → |
| 6 |
Lamar University
Grad rate: 37.4% |
TX | -$6,773 | $47,769 | $21,626 | $26,407 | Full ROI → |
| 7 |
The University of Texas at San Antonio
Grad rate: 52.3% |
TX | -$9,745 | $47,466 | $21,474 | $24,570 | Full ROI → |
| 8 |
University of Rhode Island
Grad rate: 71.4% |
RI | -$12,414 | $49,457 | $32,584 | $23,125 | Full ROI → |
| 9 |
Prairie View A & M University
Grad rate: 42.4% |
TX | -$27,132 | $45,835 | $25,958 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 10 |
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
Grad rate: 66.5% |
CA | -$51,728 | $45,163 | $22,672 | $18,000 | Full ROI → |
| 11 | Northeastern University Oakland | CA | -$52,206 | $41,183 | N/A | $26,568 | Full ROI → |
| 12 |
Colorado State University-Fort Collins
Grad rate: 66.8% |
CO | -$65,113 | $46,495 | $29,696 | $26,837 | Full ROI → |
| 13 |
East Texas A&M University
Grad rate: 44.2% |
TX | -$68,278 | $45,148 | $23,663 | $27,101 | Full ROI → |
| 14 |
Stephen F Austin State University
Grad rate: 52.4% |
TX | -$70,614 | $45,138 | $24,231 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 15 |
North Dakota State University-Main Campus
Grad rate: 63.4% |
ND | -$72,104 | $43,073 | $23,391 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 16 |
Truman State University
Grad rate: 69.7% |
MO | -$75,000 | $42,934 | $23,420 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 17 |
Auburn University
Grad rate: 80.0% |
AL | -$79,288 | $44,916 | $34,402 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 18 |
University of Central Arkansas
Grad rate: 51.7% |
AR | -$85,417 | $44,549 | $24,265 | $29,139 | Full ROI → |
| 19 |
West Texas A & M University
Grad rate: 46.1% |
TX | -$90,404 | $43,827 | $23,383 | $24,750 | Full ROI → |
| 20 |
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
Grad rate: 62.9% |
WI | -$117,414 | $41,684 | $18,661 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 21 |
The University of Texas at Arlington
Grad rate: 55.1% |
TX | -$119,269 | $42,771 | $25,265 | $24,911 | Full ROI → |
| 22 |
CUNY Bernard M Baruch College
Grad rate: 72.8% |
NY | -$121,744 | $38,617 | $13,521 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 23 |
Rowan University
Grad rate: 68.2% |
NJ | -$123,239 | $44,450 | $34,116 | $26,500 | Full ROI → |
| 24 |
Texas State University
Grad rate: 56.0% |
TX | -$126,337 | $42,724 | $26,348 | $26,241 | Full ROI → |
| 25 |
Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi
Grad rate: 34.4% |
TX | -$134,902 | $41,959 | $24,562 | $26,544 | Full ROI → |
| 26 |
Southeastern Louisiana University
Grad rate: 44.3% |
LA | -$135,533 | $41,828 | $22,647 | $30,745 | Full ROI → |
| 27 |
George Mason University
Grad rate: 69.9% |
VA | -$138,512 | $42,092 | $26,972 | $24,048 | Full ROI → |
| 28 |
West Chester University of Pennsylvania
Grad rate: 70.7% |
PA | -$149,976 | $40,013 | $27,559 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 29 |
Ball State University
Grad rate: 63.6% |
IN | -$151,116 | $39,471 | $25,134 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 30 |
Western Carolina University
Grad rate: 59.8% |
NC | -$158,778 | $39,695 | $19,057 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 31 |
Ohio University-Eastern Campus
Grad rate: 18.0% |
OH | -$158,882 | $37,931 | $10,263 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 32 |
Ohio University-Lancaster Campus
Grad rate: 13.1% |
OH | -$158,898 | $37,931 | $10,267 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 33 |
Ohio University-Southern Campus
Grad rate: 20.4% |
OH | -$159,418 | $37,931 | $10,397 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 34 |
Ohio University-Chillicothe Campus
Grad rate: 15.4% |
OH | -$161,334 | $37,931 | $10,876 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 35 |
Ohio University-Zanesville Campus
Grad rate: 18.2% |
OH | -$161,670 | $37,931 | $10,960 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 36 |
SUNY College at Potsdam
Grad rate: 48.9% |
NY | -$161,866 | $40,627 | $24,489 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 37 |
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
Grad rate: 66.4% |
WI | -$165,155 | $39,743 | $21,014 | $26,637 | Full ROI → |
| 38 |
Texas Tech University
Grad rate: 67.1% |
TX | -$169,879 | $40,878 | $27,472 | $27,816 | Full ROI → |
| 39 |
Jacksonville State University
Grad rate: 51.7% |
AL | -$170,293 | $40,026 | $23,422 | $27,500 | Full ROI → |
| 40 |
University of North Texas
Grad rate: 59.2% |
TX | -$175,995 | $39,945 | $25,470 | $24,456 | Full ROI → |
| 41 |
University of Nebraska at Kearney
Grad rate: 56.8% |
NE | -$176,368 | $38,072 | $24,452 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 42 |
University of Massachusetts-Lowell
Grad rate: 70.6% |
MA | -$180,934 | $40,680 | $29,521 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 43 |
University of Arizona
Grad rate: 66.9% |
AZ | -$182,532 | $39,581 | $28,543 | $14,800 | Full ROI → |
| 44 |
The University of Tennessee-Martin
Grad rate: 53.8% |
TN | -$192,912 | $36,680 | $21,628 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 45 |
University of Maryland-Baltimore County
Grad rate: 70.5% |
MD | -$192,970 | $39,896 | $27,935 | $29,000 | Full ROI → |
| 46 |
University of Iowa
Grad rate: 73.4% |
IA | -$195,219 | $39,491 | $26,883 | $27,783 | Full ROI → |
| 47 |
Sam Houston State University
Grad rate: 55.6% |
TX | -$196,988 | $38,944 | $24,517 | $28,000 | Full ROI → |
| 48 |
University of Maryland-College Park
Grad rate: 88.9% |
MD | -$199,150 | $39,116 | $28,073 | $21,614 | Full ROI → |
| 49 |
James Madison University
Grad rate: 81.0% |
VA | -$200,458 | $39,435 | $30,213 | $20,968 | Full ROI → |
| 50 |
Eastern Illinois University
Grad rate: 50.2% |
IL | -$201,601 | $38,928 | $26,164 | $26,300 | Full ROI → |
How ROI is calculated
20-Year Net ROI = Gross Earnings (salary × 20) − Total Degree Cost − Debt Payoff (×1.35) − Baseline Opportunity Cost ($42,000 × 20). Data from the U.S. College Scorecard.
Find Best Music Degrees by State
Browse Music programs ranked by 20-year ROI in every state that offers this degree.