Best Music Programs in North Carolina (2026)
Updated
Part of Best Art & Design Colleges in North Carolina
This page ranks the 9 Music programs in North Carolina by the median earnings of Music graduates four years after completing. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ranks 1st on this list, reporting median earnings of $58,127 for its Music graduates four years after completing.
Across the listed schools, the median earnings figure is $39,633, with a range from $58,127 to $25,774. For 1 of the 9 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.
The list is predominantly public: 8 of the 9 schools are public, a share of 89%. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ranks 50th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, and University of North Carolina at Greensboro posts the lowest average net price on the page at $10,965.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · Chapel Hill, NC | $58,127 | $11,655 | $2,004 | 15.3% |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill reports $58,127 in median earnings for its Music graduates four years after completing, the highest on this list, and ranks 50th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
| 2 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte · Charlotte, NC | $49,761 | $15,435 | $10,357 | 79.6% |
| Admitting 80% of applicants, University of North Carolina at Charlotte shows median earnings of $49,761 for its Music graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 3 | Western Carolina University · Cullowhee, NC | $44,014 | $13,315 | $8,816 | 81.8% |
| Western Carolina University posts an average net price of $13,315 and its Music graduates earned a median of $44,014 four years after completing. | |||||
| 4 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro · Greensboro, NC | $40,778 | $10,965 | $7,305 | 88.5% |
| University of North Carolina at Greensboro carries the lowest average net price on the page at $10,965 and its Music graduates earned a median of $40,778 four years after completing. | |||||
| 5 | Catawba College · Salisbury, NC | $39,633 | $17,879 | $13,618 | 75.2% |
| Catawba College, a private nonprofit college in Salisbury, has an average net price of $17,879 and its Music completers who borrowed left with a median of $27,000 in federal loans. | |||||
| 6 | East Carolina University · Greenville, NC | $39,029 | $15,739 | $10,046 | 89.2% |
| East Carolina University ranks 6th on this list, with median earnings of $39,029 for its Music graduates four years after completing and a median federal debt of $25,500 among Music completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 7 | University of North Carolina Asheville · Asheville, NC | $37,484 | $12,250 | $8,219 | 91.9% |
| Graduates across all fields who borrowed from University of North Carolina Asheville left with a median of $20,500 in federal loans, and the school admits 92% of applicants. | |||||
| 8 | University of North Carolina School of the Arts · Winston Salem, NC | $34,022 | $14,906 | $3,165 | 30.0% |
| University of North Carolina School of the Arts reports an average net price of $3,165 for families earning under $30,000 and its Music graduates earned a median of $34,022 four years after completing. | |||||
| 9 | North Carolina Central University · Durham, NC | $25,774 | $15,359 | $13,032 | 87.0% |
| North Carolina Central University ranks 9th on this list, with median earnings of $25,774 for its Music graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $15,359. | |||||
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 North Carolina appear. The figures are medians for federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled. For 1 of the 9 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. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill leads University of North Carolina at Charlotte by $8,366, and the spread from the top to the bottom of the list is $32,353.
Related rankings
- Best Music Programs in the United States
- Best Colleges in North Carolina
- Top Music Programs in California by Earnings
- Top Music Programs in Florida by Earnings
- Top Music Programs in New York by Earnings
- Top Music Programs in Michigan by Earnings
- Best Art & Design Colleges in North Carolina
- Art & Design Colleges in North Carolina for Social Mobility