Top Music Programs in Tennessee by Earnings (2026)
Updated
Part of Best Art & Design Colleges in Tennessee
This page ranks the 12 Music programs in Tennessee by the median earnings of Music graduates four years after completing. Vanderbilt University leads the list with median earnings of $59,217 four years after completing.
Across the 12 schools with a published figure, earnings range from $59,217 to $33,690, with a median of $45,005.
Public institutions account for 8 of the 12 programs, and private nonprofits for 4. Austin Peay State University posts the lowest average net price on the list, at $9,735.
Vanderbilt University ranks 62nd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vanderbilt University · Nashville, TN | $59,217 | $15,846 | $3,414 | 5.9% |
| Vanderbilt University reports $59,217 in median earnings of Music graduates four years after completing and ranks 1st on this list, with an admission rate of 6%. | |||||
| 2 | Tennessee State University · Nashville, TN | $53,483 | $15,796 | $15,005 | 70.1% |
| Tennessee State University ranks 2nd on this list and its graduates across all fields who borrowed left with a median of $27,000 in federal loans. | |||||
| 3 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville · Knoxville, TN | $46,701 | $18,976 | $10,029 | 41.6% |
| The University of Tennessee-Knoxville, a public university in Knoxville, posts median earnings of $46,701 for its Music graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 4 | Tennessee Technological University · Cookeville, TN | $46,253 | $14,246 | $9,815 | 76.1% |
| Tennessee Technological University has an average net price of $14,246 and its Music graduates earn a median of $46,253 four years after completing. | |||||
| 5 | University of Memphis · Memphis, TN | $45,321 | $12,397 | $10,607 | 72.0% |
| University of Memphis ranks 5th on this list and reports $45,321 in median earnings of Music graduates four years after completing, with a cohort of 46 graduates. | |||||
| 6 | Austin Peay State University · Clarksville, TN | $45,100 | $9,735 | $7,588 | 96.4% |
| Austin Peay State University admits 96% of applicants and its Music completers who borrowed left with a median of $30,900 in federal loans. | |||||
| 7 | The University of Tennessee-Martin · Martin, TN | $44,910 | $10,701 | $7,151 | 88.2% |
| The University of Tennessee-Martin reports median earnings of $44,910 for its Music graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $10,701. | |||||
| 8 | Middle Tennessee State University · Murfreesboro, TN | $43,999 | $13,359 | $9,289 | 69.1% |
| Middle Tennessee State University ranks 8th on this list, with 136 graduates in the earnings cohort and a median of $43,999 four years after completing. | |||||
| 9 | Belmont University · Nashville, TN | $36,866 | $33,147 | $22,950 | 95.3% |
| Belmont University, a private nonprofit university in Nashville, reports $36,866 in median earnings of Music graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $33,147. | |||||
| 10 | East Tennessee State University · Johnson City, TN | $35,707 | $15,983 | $12,433 | 86.2% |
| East Tennessee State University ranks 10th on this list and its Music completers who borrowed left with a median of $23,000 in federal loans. | |||||
| 11 | Lee University · Cleveland, TN | $35,702 | $18,878 | $12,834 | 70.5% |
| Lee University reports $35,702 in median earnings of Music graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $12,834 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 12 | Visible Music College · Memphis, TN | $33,690 | $27,820 | $27,744 | 28.0% |
| Visible Music College ranks 12th on this list, with an admission rate of 28% and median earnings of $33,690 for its Music graduates four years after completing. | |||||
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 Tennessee appear. The figure captures federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled four years after finishing the program. It does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or the characteristics of entering students, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The range and median below cover the 12 schools with a published figure. Vanderbilt University leads at $59,217, and the gap to second-ranked Tennessee State University is $5,734.