Music
Visual & Performing Arts
Median earnings by degree level
| Degree | Median earnings | Typical range | Schools | Clear the bar |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $34,014 | $29,373 to $36,639 | 9 | 44% |
| Associate's Degree | $36,153 | $32,691 to $38,154 | 10 | 60% |
| Bachelor's Degree | $42,251 | $36,398 to $47,818 | 306 | 75% |
| Master's Degree | $46,413 | $39,716 to $53,013 | 110 | 85% |
| Doctoral Degree | $57,492 | $49,893 to $61,196 | 32 | 97% |
"Clear the bar" is the share of programs whose graduates out-earn a typical high-school graduate (the federal earnings-premium test). Typical range is the 25th to 75th percentile of program medians.
Job outlook
Projected employment growth -1% (2024 to 2034), about 80,700 openings a year across the occupations this field commonly leads to.
| Occupation | Median pay | Growth | Openings/yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | $64,580 | -1.6% | 66,200 |
| Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary | $80,190 | +1.7% | 9,000 |
| Music Directors and Composers | $63,670 | -0.3% | 4,300 |
| Sound Engineering Technicians | $66,430 | -1.7% | 1,200 |
Occupation pay and outlook: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wages, Employment Projections). A field maps to several occupations, and the same occupations serve many majors, so these are the jobs this major commonly leads to, not positions reserved for its graduates; the openings should not be added up across majors.
Earnings source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (release 2026-06-10), median earnings of graduates measured up to four years after completing. Figures describe past graduates and are never a promise. Method: methodology. Report an error.