Music: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries

Salaries for Music graduates vary by role and location. Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education earn a median of $64,580 annually, while Musicians and Singers earn around $0. Geographic location significantly impacts earnings—professionals in Washington average $99,640 compared to $49,170 in Oklahoma. Approximately 1,110,890 professionals work in related occupations nationwide.

Currently 997 accredited institutions offer Music degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include University of North Texas (UNT) (127 graduates), The University of Texas, Austin (124 graduates), and University of Iowa (98 graduates).

Program size doesn't necessarily indicate quality—consider factors like faculty expertise, production opportunities, location, and available degree levels when choosing a school.

Graduate numbers have decreased over the past decade, rising from 11,328 in 2010 to a peak of 11,587 in 2020, before declining slightly to 10,690 in 2023-24. This represents a 6% decrease overall from 2010.

The field remains specialized with consistent demand, though opportunities are most concentrated in major metropolitan areas with active arts scenes like New York, California, and Illinois.

This degree prepares you for roles such as Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education, Musicians and Singers, . Related occupations employ approximately 1,110,890 professionals nationwide.

Skills in project management, creative leadership, and collaboration also transfer to event planning, arts administration, marketing, and corporate training roles. Many professionals work freelance or on a project basis across theatre, film, and live events.