Top Music Programs in California by Earnings (2026)
Updated
Part of Top Art & Design Colleges in California by Earnings
This page ranks 28 Music programs in California by the median earnings of Music graduates four years after completing. Sonoma State University leads the list at $65,533, followed by University of Redlands at $59,275 and University of California-San Diego at $58,071.
The gap between the top two is $6,258. Across the listed schools, median earnings range from $65,533 to $11,481, with a median of $41,184.
For 5 of the 28 programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.
Public institutions account for 68% of the list, with 19 public and 9 private nonprofit schools represented. University of California-San Diego ranks 1st on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, while California State University-Los Angeles posts the lowest average net price at $3,967.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sonoma State University · Rohnert Park, CA | $65,533 | $12,885 | $8,310 | 93.4% |
| Sonoma State University reports $65,533 in median earnings for its Music graduates four years after completing, drawn from a cohort of 33 graduates. | |||||
| 2 | University of Redlands · Redlands, CA | $59,275 | $30,031 | $28,287 | 82.7% |
| A private nonprofit university in Redlands, University of Redlands ranks 2nd on this list and shows an admission rate of 83%. | |||||
| 3 | University of California-San Diego · La Jolla, CA | $58,071 | $12,470 | $7,525 | 26.7% |
| University of California-San Diego carries a median federal debt of $19,500 among Music completers who borrowed, alongside median earnings of $58,071 four years after completing. | |||||
| 4 | Biola University · La Mirada, CA | $50,781 | $31,495 | $27,144 | 74.4% |
| With an average net price of $27,144 for families earning under $30,000, Biola University ranks 4th on this list. | |||||
| 5 | San Francisco Conservatory of Music · San Francisco, CA | $49,186 | $42,607 | $55,704 | 54.9% |
| San Francisco Conservatory of Music posts median earnings of $49,186 for its Music graduates four years after completing, with a cohort of 46 graduates. | |||||
| 6 | California State University-Long Beach · Long Beach, CA | $47,831 | $10,440 | $7,183 | 46.3% |
| California State University-Long Beach ranks 6th on this list and reports an average net price of $10,440. | |||||
| 7 | University of California-Los Angeles · Los Angeles, CA | $47,779 | $12,548 | $5,579 | 9.0% |
| Admitting 9% of applicants, University of California-Los Angeles shows median earnings of $47,779 for its Music graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 8 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona · Pomona, CA | $44,910 | $11,531 | $7,851 | 75.2% |
| California State Polytechnic University-Pomona ranks 8th on this list, with a median federal debt of $17,750 among Music completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 9 | University of California-Irvine · Irvine, CA | $43,120 | $14,251 | $8,123 | 28.6% |
| University of California-Irvine reports a school-wide median federal debt of $15,000 across all of its borrowers who completed, alongside median earnings of $43,120 for its Music graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 10 | University of the Pacific · Stockton, CA | $43,093 | $25,447 | $17,004 | 71.3% |
| A private nonprofit university in Stockton, University of the Pacific ranks 10th on this list and shows an average net price of $17,004 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 11 | California State University-Sacramento · Sacramento, CA | $42,774 | $9,338 | $6,501 | 94.0% |
| California State University-Sacramento reports median earnings of $42,774 for its Music graduates four years after completing, drawn from a cohort of 49 graduates. | |||||
| 12 | California State University-Chico · Chico, CA | $42,269 | $14,480 | $9,902 | 92.7% |
| With an admission rate of 93%, California State University-Chico ranks 12th on this list and carries a median federal debt of $23,500 among Music completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 13 | San Diego State University · San Diego, CA | $42,090 | $15,364 | $9,910 | 36.2% |
| San Diego State University reports median earnings of $42,090 for its Music graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $15,364. | |||||
| 14 | Chapman University · Orange, CA | $41,698 | $46,555 | $33,559 | 65.4% |
| A private nonprofit university in Orange, Chapman University ranks 14th on this list and shows a median federal debt of $27,000 among Music completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 15 | California State University-Northridge · Northridge, CA | $40,669 | $7,021 | $4,905 | 93.5% |
| California State University-Northridge admits 93% of applicants and posts median earnings of $40,669 for its Music graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 16 | California Institute of the Arts · Valencia, CA | $40,294 | $46,080 | $26,686 | 32.3% |
| With an admission rate of 32%, California Institute of the Arts reports median earnings of $40,294 for its Music graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 17 | California State University-Monterey Bay · Seaside, CA | $40,077 | $13,663 | $9,970 | 97.4% |
| California State University-Monterey Bay reports median earnings of $40,077 for its Music graduates four years after completing, with an average net price of $9,970 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 18 | California State University-Fullerton · Fullerton, CA | $39,590 | $6,555 | $3,315 | 90.5% |
| Ranks 6th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, California State University-Fullerton shows a median federal debt of $18,000 among Music completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 19 | California State University-Los Angeles · Los Angeles, CA | $39,120 | $3,967 | $2,877 | 91.3% |
| Posting the lowest average net price on the page at $3,967, California State University-Los Angeles reports median earnings of $39,120 for its Music graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 20 | San Francisco State University · San Francisco, CA | $38,639 | $12,278 | $9,341 | 96.4% |
| San Francisco State University reports median earnings of $38,639 for its Music graduates four years after completing, with an admission rate of 96%. | |||||
| 21 | University of Southern California · Los Angeles, CA | $34,124 | $32,740 | $13,516 | 9.8% |
| A private nonprofit institution in Los Angeles, University of Southern California ranks 21st on this list and reports an average net price of $13,516 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 22 | University of California-Santa Barbara · Santa Barbara, CA | $33,825 | $16,109 | $9,231 | 33.0% |
| University of California-Santa Barbara shows a school-wide median federal debt of $13,993 across all borrowers who completed, alongside median earnings of $33,825 for its Music graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 23 | California Lutheran University · Thousand Oaks, CA | $32,316 | $30,109 | $22,161 | 75.7% |
| California Lutheran University admits 76% of applicants and reports median earnings of $32,316 for its Music graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 24 | University of California-Santa Cruz · Santa Cruz, CA | $26,353 | $17,890 | $8,717 | 65.8% |
| University of California-Santa Cruz reports an average net price of $8,717 for families earning under $30,000, while its Music graduates earned a median of $26,353 four years after completing. | |||||
| 25 | California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt · Arcata, CA | $25,194 | $13,171 | $8,483 | 98.2% |
| California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt admits 98% of applicants and reports median earnings of $25,194 for its Music graduates four years after completing, with 13 graduates in the earnings cohort. | |||||
| 26 | Azusa Pacific University · Azusa, CA | $24,615 | $22,212 | $15,781 | 88.4% |
| A private nonprofit university in Azusa, Azusa Pacific University posts an average net price of $15,781 for families earning under $30,000 and ranks 481st on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
| 27 | University of California-Berkeley · Berkeley, CA | $24,369 | $13,481 | $5,311 | 11.0% |
| University of California-Berkeley ranks 27th on this list with median earnings of $24,369 four years after completing, alongside an admission rate of 11% and an average net price of $13,481. | |||||
| 28 | University of California-Riverside · Riverside, CA | $11,481 | $14,304 | $8,852 | 76.4% |
| With 14 graduates in the earnings cohort, University of California-Riverside reports median earnings of $11,481 for its Music graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $8,852 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
How this list is ordered
Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Music graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in California appear. The figure captures federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled, measured four years after they finished the program. For 5 of the 28 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The range and median below cover the 28 schools with a published figure. Sonoma State University leads University of Redlands by $6,258, and the spread from the top of the list to the bottom reaches $54,052.
Related rankings
- Best Music Programs in the United States
- Best Colleges in California
- Top Music Programs in Florida by Earnings
- Top Music Programs in New York by Earnings
- Top Music Programs in Michigan by Earnings
- Top Music Programs in Texas by Earnings
- Top Art & Design Colleges in California by Earnings
- Art & Design Colleges in California for Social Mobility