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# Top Music Programs in New York by Earnings (2026)

Updated September 30, 2026

Part of [Best Art & Design Colleges in New York](/rankings/best-art-and-design-colleges-in-new-york/)

This page ranks the 19 Music programs in New York by the median earnings of Music graduates four years after completing. [Hofstra University](/school/hofstra-university/majors/) leads the list at $56,847, followed by [New York University](/school/new-york-university/majors/) at $52,841 and [Ithaca College](/school/ithaca-college/majors/) at $51,338.

The median across the listed schools is $35,060, with a spread of $41,559 from the top figure of $56,847 to the lowest of $15,288.

The list splits almost evenly between public and private institutions, with 10 public and 9 private nonprofit schools. CUNY Hunter College posts the lowest average net price at $2,984, while CUNY Bernard M Baruch College ranks 2nd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.

## The ranked list

19 schools in list order

| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Hofstra University · Hempstead, NY | $56,847 | $34,176 | $28,219 | 68.1% |
|  | [Hofstra University](/school/hofstra-university/majors/) reports [median earnings of $56,847](/school/hofstra-university/outcomes/) for its Music graduates four years after completing, the highest on this list. |
| 2 | New York University · New York, NY | $52,841 | $37,050 | $16,977 | 9.2% |
|  | [New York University](/school/new-york-university/majors/) [admits 9% of applicants](/school/new-york-university/admissions/) and its Music graduates earn a median of $52,841 four years after completing. |
| 3 | Ithaca College · Ithaca, NY | $51,338 | $33,926 | $21,901 | 69.0% |
|  | [Ithaca College](/school/ithaca-college/majors/) ranks 3rd on this list, with a [median of $27,000](/school/ithaca-college/outcomes/) in federal debt among Music completers who borrowed. |
| 4 | SUNY at Fredonia · Fredonia, NY | $45,794 | $15,897 | $9,395 | 77.7% |
|  | [SUNY at Fredonia](/school/suny-at-fredonia/majors/) shows an [average net price of $15,897](/school/suny-at-fredonia/cost/) alongside median earnings of $45,794 for its Music graduates four years after completing. |
| 5 | CUNY City College · New York, NY | $44,058 | $3,776 | $1,251 | 60.0% |
|  | [CUNY City College](/school/cuny-city-college/majors/) [ranks 48th on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/cuny-city-college/) among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports median earnings of $44,058 for its Music graduates four years after completing. |
| 6 | SUNY at Purchase College · Purchase, NY | $41,926 | $18,913 | $11,835 | 74.1% |
|  | [SUNY at Purchase College](/school/suny-at-purchase-college/majors/) posts [median earnings of $41,926](/school/suny-at-purchase-college/outcomes/) for its Music graduates four years after completing, with an admission rate of 74%. |
| 7 | State University of New York at Oswego · Oswego, NY | $41,122 | $16,236 | $8,714 | 80.6% |
|  | [State University of New York at Oswego](/school/state-university-of-new-york-at-oswego/majors/) reports [median earnings of $41,122](/school/state-university-of-new-york-at-oswego/outcomes/) for its Music graduates four years after completing, and graduates across all fields who borrowed left with a median of $20,880 in federal loans. |
| 8 | CUNY Hunter College · New York, NY | $39,600 | $2,984 | $1,029 | 53.8% |
|  | [CUNY Hunter College](/school/cuny-hunter-college/majors/) carries an [average net price of $2,984,](/school/cuny-hunter-college/cost/) the lowest on the page, and its Music graduates earn a median of $39,600 four years after completing. |
| 9 | SUNY College at Potsdam · Potsdam, NY | $36,677 | $13,624 | $8,623 | 77.7% |
|  | [SUNY College at Potsdam](/school/suny-college-at-potsdam/majors/) has an [admission rate of 78%](/school/suny-college-at-potsdam/admissions/) and a median of $26,262 in federal debt among Music completers who borrowed. |
| 10 | CUNY Bernard M Baruch College · New York, NY | $35,060 | $3,033 | $607 | 47.5% |
|  | [CUNY Bernard M Baruch College](/school/cuny-bernard-m-baruch-college/majors/) [ranks 2nd on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/cuny-bernard-m-baruch-college/) among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports median earnings of $35,060 for its Music graduates four years after completing. |
| 11 | University of Rochester · Rochester, NY | $34,888 | $29,278 | $9,678 | 40.1% |
|  | [University of Rochester](/school/university-of-rochester/majors/) reports [median earnings of $34,888](/school/university-of-rochester/outcomes/) for its Music graduates four years after completing, with an average net price of $29,278. |
| 12 | The New School · New York, NY | $32,930 | $58,741 | $50,140 | 63.5% |
|  | [The New School](/school/the-new-school/majors/) shows a [median of $23,000](/school/the-new-school/outcomes/) in federal debt among Music completers who borrowed, alongside an admission rate of 63%. |
| 13 | The Juilliard School · New York, NY | $32,842 | $43,571 | $30,168 | 9.2% |
|  | The Juilliard School admits 9% of applicants and reports median earnings of $32,842 for its Music graduates four years after completing. |
| 14 | Manhattan School of Music · New York, NY | $27,952 | $51,754 | $31,392 | 40.8% |
|  | Manhattan School of Music ranks 14th on this list, with 92 graduates in the earnings cohort and median federal debt of $26,994 among Music completers who borrowed. |
| 15 | Adelphi University · Garden City, NY | $25,194 | $30,783 | $24,095 | 65.9% |
|  | [Adelphi University](/school/adelphi-university/majors/) posts an [average net price of $30,783](/school/adelphi-university/cost/) and sits 370th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. |
| 16 | SUNY Buffalo State University · Buffalo, NY | $21,166 | $11,346 | $7,405 | 73.0% |
|  | A public university in Buffalo, [SUNY Buffalo State University](/school/suny-buffalo-state-university/majors/) reports [median earnings of $21,166](/school/suny-buffalo-state-university/outcomes/) for its Music graduates four years after completing. |
| 17 | CUNY Lehman College · Bronx, NY | $21,052 | $3,148 | $1,589 | 56.6% |
|  | [CUNY Lehman College](/school/cuny-lehman-college/majors/) carries an [average net price of $3,148](/school/cuny-lehman-college/cost/) and an admission rate of 57%. |
| 18 | Mercy University · Dobbs Ferry, NY | $16,992 | $14,072 | $11,974 | 85.8% |
|  | [Mercy University](/school/mercy-university/majors/) [ranks 309th on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/mercy-university/) among nonprofit four-year institutions and shows median earnings of $16,992 for its Music graduates four years after completing. |
| 19 | State University of New York at New Paltz · New Paltz, NY | $15,288 | $18,809 | $10,541 | 61.6% |
|  | [State University of New York at New Paltz](/school/state-university-of-new-york-at-new-paltz/majors/) lists 22 graduates in the earnings cohort and an [average net price of $10,541](/school/state-university-of-new-york-at-new-paltz/cost/) 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 New York appear. The figure captures federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled four years after finishing. For 6 of the 19 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. Hofstra University leads New York University by $4,006, and the spread from the top of the list to the bottom reaches $41,559.

## Related rankings

-   [Best Music Programs in the United States](/rankings/best-music-programs/)
-   [Best Colleges in New York](/rankings/best-colleges-in-new-york/)
-   [Top Music Programs in California by Earnings](/rankings/best-music-programs-in-california/)
-   [Top Music Programs in Florida by Earnings](/rankings/best-music-programs-in-florida/)
-   [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/)
-   [Best Art & Design Colleges in New York](/rankings/best-art-and-design-colleges-in-new-york/)
-   Art & Design Colleges in New York for Social Mobility