VanderCook College of Music
Chicago, Illinois · Private, nonprofit
Graduate earnings
has graduates earning more than a typical Illinois high-school graduate (about $36,082 a year).
1 of 4 undergraduate programs could be assessed. The other 3: 2 with no earnings published and 1 with nothing reported. The 1 graduate programs are in the table.
Average net price, all families$19,780 a year By family income
What it would cost
Net price is the yearly cost after grants and scholarships, as reported for students who received federal aid.
Average for all families
$19,780 a year
About $79,120 over 4 years, if price and aid stay the same.
This multiplies the reported yearly net price by the years you choose. It is not a quote or a prediction: it leaves out interest, price rises and the chance of taking longer to finish.
Net price for every income band
| Family income | Net price per year |
|---|---|
| Under $30k | $16,308 |
| $48k to $75k | $17,968 |
| $75k to $110k | $20,485 |
| $110k and up | $31,777 |
| All families (average) | $19,780 |
College Scorecard, release 2026-06-10. Bands with no figure were not reported by the school.
Program earnings
Median earnings of each program’s graduates against a typical Illinois high-school graduate ($36,082 a year).
1 of 5 programs could be assessed 20% have an earnings verdict
| Program | Degree | Median earnings | vs a high-school grad | Verdict | Median debt | Debt as years of gain | Recent completers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teacher Education (by subject) | Bachelor's Degree | $52,671 | +$16,589 | clears the bar | $27,000 | 1.6 yrs | 7 |
| Teacher Education (by subject) | Master's Degree | not published | not assessed | earnings not published | not published | not assessed | 40 |
| Teacher Education (by subject) | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | not published | not assessed | earnings not published | not published | not assessed | 3 |
| Music | Bachelor's Degree | not published | not assessed | earnings not published | not published | not assessed | 0 |
| Teacher Education (by subject) | Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification) | not reported | not reported | nothing reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
Sources and definitions
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, release 2026-06-10. Earnings are medians for graduates who received federal aid. Debt is federal loans only.
- The high-school line is ED’s state benchmark, $36,082 a year.
- Earnings not published: ED reports the program but no earnings figure, usually because too few graduates were measured. Nothing reported: ED lists the program with no figures at all. Neither is a judgement of the program.
- Debt as years of gain is median federal debt divided by how much more graduates earn per year than a typical high-school graduate. It is not a repayment time.
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