[College research](/) / [Rankings](/rankings/) # Top Music Programs in Ohio by Earnings (2026) Updated September 30, 2026 Part of [Best Art & Design Colleges in Ohio](/rankings/best-art-and-design-colleges-in-ohio/) This page ranks the 14 Music programs in Ohio by median earnings of Music graduates four years after completing. [Ohio State University-Main Campus](/school/ohio-state-university-main-campus/majors/) leads the list at $51,310, followed by [Miami University-Oxford](/school/miami-university-oxford/majors/) at $50,680 and [Ohio University-Main Campus](/school/ohio-university-main-campus/majors/) at $44,593. The median across the listed schools is $43,174, with figures ranging from $51,310 to $13,702. For 3 of the 14 programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The list includes 8 public and 6 private nonprofit institutions. Ohio State University-Main Campus ranks 90th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. University of Akron Main Campus posts the lowest average net price at $13,946, and Wright State University-Main Campus reports the highest admission rate, admitting 96% of applicants. ## The ranked list 14 schools in list order | Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | Ohio State University-Main Campus · Columbus, OH | $51,310 | $17,339 | $4,885 | 60.6% | | | [Ohio State University-Main Campus](/school/ohio-state-university-main-campus/majors/) ranks 1st on this list, reporting [$51,310 in median earnings](/school/ohio-state-university-main-campus/outcomes/) for its Music graduates four years after completing, and sits 90th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | | 2 | Miami University-Oxford · Oxford, OH | $50,680 | $28,384 | $16,015 | 75.4% | | | [Miami University-Oxford](/school/miami-university-oxford/majors/) [admits 75% of applicants](/school/miami-university-oxford/admissions/) and posts median earnings of $50,680 for its Music graduates four years after completing, with a median federal debt of $27,000 among Music completers who borrowed. | | 3 | Ohio University-Main Campus · Athens, OH | $44,593 | $21,637 | $15,673 | 85.0% | | | With an [average net price of $15,673](/school/ohio-university-main-campus/cost/) for families earning under $30,000, [Ohio University-Main Campus](/school/ohio-university-main-campus/majors/) reports $44,593 in median earnings for its Music graduates four years after completing. | | 4 | Bowling Green State University-Main Campus · Bowling Green, OH | $44,037 | $24,022 | $18,396 | 81.0% | | | [Bowling Green State University-Main Campus](/school/bowling-green-state-university-main-campus/majors/) ranks 4th on this list and shows [median earnings of $44,037](/school/bowling-green-state-university-main-campus/outcomes/) for its Music graduates four years after completing, alongside an 81% admission rate. | | 5 | Wright State University-Main Campus · Dayton, OH | $43,884 | $15,415 | $11,952 | 96.3% | | | [Wright State University-Main Campus](/school/wright-state-university-main-campus/majors/) carries a [median federal debt of $22,750](/school/wright-state-university-main-campus/cost/) across all of the school's borrowers who completed, and its Music graduates earn a median of $43,884 four years after completing. | | 6 | Oberlin College · Oberlin, OH | $43,343 | $38,645 | $18,774 | 34.2% | | | [Oberlin College](/school/oberlin-college/majors/), a private nonprofit institution, [admits 34% of applicants](/school/oberlin-college/admissions/) and reports $43,343 in median earnings for its Music graduates four years after completing. | | 7 | Kent State University at Kent · Kent, OH | $43,222 | $20,787 | $15,280 | 86.3% | | | [Kent State University at Kent](/school/kent-state-university-at-kent/majors/) posts [median earnings of $43,222](/school/kent-state-university-at-kent/outcomes/) for its Music graduates four years after completing, and its completers who borrowed left with a median federal debt of $28,000. | | 8 | Capital University · Columbus, OH | $43,125 | $22,576 | $19,062 | 70.2% | | | [Capital University](/school/capital-university/majors/) reports [$43,125 in median earnings](/school/capital-university/outcomes/) for its Music graduates four years after completing, and sits 1046th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | | 9 | Baldwin Wallace University · Berea, OH | $37,682 | $27,603 | $21,296 | 75.7% | | | With an [average net price of $21,296](/school/baldwin-wallace-university/cost/) for families earning under $30,000, [Baldwin Wallace University](/school/baldwin-wallace-university/majors/) reports median earnings of $37,682 for its Music graduates four years after completing. | | 10 | Cleveland Institute of Music · Cleveland, OH | $37,656 | $28,226 | $23,782 | 47.3% | | | Cleveland Institute of Music admits 47% of applicants and its Music graduates earn a median of $37,656 four years after completing, with a median federal debt of $25,500 among Music completers who borrowed. | | 11 | Cleveland State University · Cleveland, OH | $29,842 | $14,764 | $11,958 | 91.3% | | | An [average net price of $14,764](/school/cleveland-state-university/cost/) coincides with median earnings of $29,842 for Music graduates of [Cleveland State University](/school/cleveland-state-university/majors/) four years after completing. | | 12 | Cedarville University · Cedarville, OH | $23,649 | $24,468 | $18,987 | 65.3% | | | [Cedarville University](/school/cedarville-university/majors/) ranks 12th on this list, with [median earnings of $23,649](/school/cedarville-university/outcomes/) for its Music graduates four years after completing and an admission rate of 65%. | | 13 | Otterbein University · Westerville, OH | $22,999 | $19,237 | $12,458 | 84.5% | | | [Otterbein University](/school/otterbein-university/majors/), a private nonprofit university in Westerville, reports [median earnings of $22,999](/school/otterbein-university/outcomes/) for its Music graduates four years after completing, with a cohort of 8. | | 14 | University of Akron Main Campus · Akron, OH | $13,702 | $13,946 | $10,413 | 59.7% | | | [University of Akron Main Campus](/school/university-of-akron-main-campus/majors/) [admits 60% of applicants](/school/university-of-akron-main-campus/admissions/) and posts an average net price of $13,946, the lowest among listed Ohio programs. | ## 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 Ohio appear. The figure captures federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled four years after finishing. For 3 of the 14 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 differences in who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The gap between first-ranked Ohio State University-Main Campus and second-ranked Miami University-Oxford is $630, while the spread from the top of the list to the bottom reaches $37,608. ## Related rankings - [Best Music Programs in the United States](/rankings/best-music-programs/) - [Best Colleges in Ohio](/rankings/best-colleges-in-ohio/) - [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 New York by Earnings](/rankings/best-music-programs-in-new-york/) - [Top Music Programs in Michigan by Earnings](/rankings/best-music-programs-in-michigan/) - Art & Design Colleges in Ohio for Social Mobility - [Best Art & Design Colleges in Ohio](/rankings/best-art-and-design-colleges-in-ohio/)