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# Top Music Programs in California by Earnings (2026)

Updated September 30, 2026

Part of [Top Art & Design Colleges in California by Earnings](/rankings/best-art-and-design-colleges-in-california/)

This page ranks 28 Music programs in California by the median earnings of Music graduates four years after completing. [Sonoma State University](/school/sonoma-state-university/majors/) leads the list at $65,533, followed by [University of Redlands](/school/university-of-redlands/majors/) at $59,275 and [University of California-San Diego](/school/university-of-california-san-diego/majors/) 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

28 schools in list order

| 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](/school/sonoma-state-university/majors/) reports [$65,533 in median earnings](/school/sonoma-state-university/outcomes/) 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](/school/university-of-redlands/majors/) ranks 2nd on this list and shows an [admission rate of 83%](/school/university-of-redlands/admissions/). |
| 3 | University of California-San Diego · La Jolla, CA | $58,071 | $12,470 | $7,525 | 26.7% |
|  | [University of California-San Diego](/school/university-of-california-san-diego/majors/) carries a [median federal debt of $19,500](/school/university-of-california-san-diego/cost/) 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](/school/biola-university/cost/) for families earning under $30,000, [Biola University](/school/biola-university/majors/) 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](/school/california-state-university-long-beach/majors/) ranks 6th on this list and reports an [average net price of $10,440](/school/california-state-university-long-beach/cost/). |
| 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](/school/university-of-california-los-angeles/majors/) shows [median earnings of $47,779](/school/university-of-california-los-angeles/outcomes/) 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](/school/california-state-polytechnic-university-pomona/majors/) ranks 8th on this list, with a [median federal debt of $17,750](/school/california-state-polytechnic-university-pomona/cost/) among Music completers who borrowed. |
| 9 | University of California-Irvine · Irvine, CA | $43,120 | $14,251 | $8,123 | 28.6% |
|  | [University of California-Irvine](/school/university-of-california-irvine/majors/) reports a school-wide [median federal debt of $15,000](/school/university-of-california-irvine/cost/) 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](/school/university-of-the-pacific/majors/) ranks 10th on this list and shows an [average net price of $17,004](/school/university-of-the-pacific/cost/) 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](/school/california-state-university-sacramento/majors/) reports [median earnings of $42,774](/school/california-state-university-sacramento/outcomes/) 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%](/school/california-state-university-chico/admissions/), [California State University-Chico](/school/california-state-university-chico/majors/) 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](/school/san-diego-state-university/majors/) reports [median earnings of $42,090](/school/san-diego-state-university/outcomes/) 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](/school/chapman-university/majors/) ranks 14th on this list and shows a [median federal debt of $27,000](/school/chapman-university/cost/) among Music completers who borrowed. |
| 15 | California State University-Northridge · Northridge, CA | $40,669 | $7,021 | $4,905 | 93.5% |
|  | [California State University-Northridge](/school/california-state-university-northridge/majors/) [admits 93% of applicants](/school/california-state-university-northridge/admissions/) 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](/school/california-state-university-monterey-bay/majors/) reports [median earnings of $40,077](/school/california-state-university-monterey-bay/outcomes/) 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](/school/california-state-university-fullerton/majors/) shows a [median federal debt of $18,000](/school/california-state-university-fullerton/cost/) 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](/school/california-state-university-los-angeles/majors/) reports [median earnings of $39,120](/school/california-state-university-los-angeles/outcomes/) 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](/school/san-francisco-state-university/majors/) reports [median earnings of $38,639](/school/san-francisco-state-university/outcomes/) 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](/school/university-of-southern-california/majors/) ranks 21st on this list and reports an [average net price of $13,516](/school/university-of-southern-california/cost/) 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](/school/university-of-california-santa-barbara/majors/) shows a school-wide [median federal debt of $13,993](/school/university-of-california-santa-barbara/cost/) 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](/school/california-lutheran-university/majors/) [admits 76% of applicants](/school/california-lutheran-university/admissions/) 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](/school/university-of-california-santa-cruz/majors/) reports an [average net price of $8,717](/school/university-of-california-santa-cruz/cost/) 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](/school/california-state-polytechnic-university-humboldt/majors/) [admits 98% of applicants](/school/california-state-polytechnic-university-humboldt/admissions/) 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](/school/azusa-pacific-university/majors/) posts an [average net price of $15,781](/school/azusa-pacific-university/cost/) 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](/school/university-of-california-berkeley/majors/) ranks 27th on this list with [median earnings of $24,369](/school/university-of-california-berkeley/outcomes/) 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](/school/university-of-california-riverside/majors/) reports [median earnings of $11,481](/school/university-of-california-riverside/outcomes/) 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](/rankings/best-music-programs/)
-   [Best Colleges in California](/rankings/best-colleges-in-california/)
-   [Top Music Programs in Florida by Earnings](/rankings/best-music-programs-in-florida/)
-   [Top Music Programs in New York by Earnings](/rankings/best-music-programs-in-new-york/)
-   [Top Music Programs in Michigan by Earnings](/rankings/best-music-programs-in-michigan/)
-   [Top Music Programs in Texas by Earnings](/rankings/best-music-programs-in-texas/)
-   [Top Art & Design Colleges in California by Earnings](/rankings/best-art-and-design-colleges-in-california/)
-   Art & Design Colleges in California for Social Mobility