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# Best Music Programs in the United States (2026)

Updated September 30, 2026

Part of [Best Art & Design Colleges in the United States](/rankings/best-art-and-design-colleges/)

This page ranks 314 Music programs in the United States by 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 Christopher Newport University at $63,852 and [Stevens Institute of Technology](/school/stevens-institute-of-technology/majors/) at $61,943.

The median across all listed schools is $40,691, with figures ranging from $65,533 to $11,481. For 70 of the 314 programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.

Public institutions make up 69% of the list, with 216 public and 98 private nonprofit schools represented. CUNY Hunter College posts the lowest average net price at $2,984.

University of California-San Diego ranks 1st on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.

## The ranked list

Top 25 of 314 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 [median earnings of $65,533](/school/sonoma-state-university/outcomes/) for its Music graduates four years after completing, with 33 graduates in the earnings cohort. |
| 2 | Christopher Newport University · Newport News, VA | $63,852 | $23,015 | $12,461 | 86.0% |
|  | Christopher Newport University admits 86% of applicants and its Music graduates earn a median of $63,852 four years after completing. |
| 3 | Stevens Institute of Technology · Hoboken, NJ | $61,943 | $41,346 | $27,221 | 47.6% |
|  | A private nonprofit institution in Hoboken, [Stevens Institute of Technology](/school/stevens-institute-of-technology/majors/) shows [median federal debt of $27,000](/school/stevens-institute-of-technology/cost/) among Music completers who borrowed. |
| 4 | University of Florida · Gainesville, FL | $61,446 | $6,541 | $1,982 | 24.2% |
|  | [University of Florida](/school/university-of-florida/majors/) carries an [average net price of $6,541](/school/university-of-florida/cost/) and ranks 29th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. |
| 5 | Northeastern University · Boston, MA | $60,974 | $30,915 | $2,264 | 5.2% |
|  | [Northeastern University](/school/northeastern-university/majors/) posts a 5% admission rate alongside [median earnings of $60,974](/school/northeastern-university/outcomes/) for its Music graduates four years after completing. |
| 6 | The University of Texas at El Paso · El Paso, TX | $60,172 | $9,403 | $7,863 | 99.9% |
|  | [The University of Texas at El Paso](/school/the-university-of-texas-at-el-paso/majors/) ranks 6th on this list and reports an [average net price of $7,863](/school/the-university-of-texas-at-el-paso/cost/) for families earning under $30,000. |
| 7 | University of Redlands · Redlands, CA | $59,275 | $30,031 | $28,287 | 82.7% |
|  | [University of Redlands](/school/university-of-redlands/majors/) shows [median federal debt of $27,000](/school/university-of-redlands/cost/) among Music completers who borrowed, and the school ranks 651st on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. |
| 8 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley · Edinburg, TX | $59,218 | $4,831 | $3,785 | 94.2% |
|  | [The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley](/school/the-university-of-texas-rio-grande-valley/majors/) reports [median earnings of $59,218](/school/the-university-of-texas-rio-grande-valley/outcomes/) for its Music graduates four years after completing, with 48 graduates in the earnings cohort. |
| 9 | Vanderbilt University · Nashville, TN | $59,217 | $15,846 | $3,414 | 5.9% |
|  | [Vanderbilt University](/school/vanderbilt-university/majors/) carries an [average net price of $3,414](/school/vanderbilt-university/cost/) for families earning under $30,000 and admits 6% of applicants. |
| 10 | The University of Texas at Arlington · Arlington, TX | $59,198 | $13,951 | $11,893 | 79.9% |
|  | [The University of Texas at Arlington](/school/the-university-of-texas-at-arlington/majors/) [ranks 8th on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/the-university-of-texas-at-arlington/) among nonprofit four-year institutions and shows median federal debt of $22,714 among Music completers who borrowed. |
| 11 | Sam Houston State University · Huntsville, TX | $58,743 | $16,404 | $12,474 | 90.3% |
|  | [Sam Houston State University](/school/sam-houston-state-university/majors/) reports [median earnings of $58,743](/school/sam-houston-state-university/outcomes/) for its Music graduates four years after completing, with an average net price of $16,404. |
| 12 | 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](/school/university-of-north-carolina-at-chapel-hill/majors/) [admits 15% of applicants](/school/university-of-north-carolina-at-chapel-hill/admissions/) and its Music graduates earn a median of $58,127 four years after completing. |
| 13 | University of California-San Diego · La Jolla, CA | $58,071 | $12,470 | $7,525 | 26.7% |
|  | Reporting [median earnings of $58,071](/school/university-of-california-san-diego/outcomes/) for its Music graduates four years after completing, [University of California-San Diego](/school/university-of-california-san-diego/majors/) ranks 1st on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. |
| 14 | Texas A&M University-Kingsville · Kingsville, TX | $57,117 | $12,090 | $10,207 | 90.9% |
|  | Admitting 91% of applicants, [Texas A&M University-Kingsville](/school/texas-am-university-kingsville/majors/) posts a [median federal debt of $31,000](/school/texas-am-university-kingsville/cost/) among Music completers who borrowed. |
| 15 | Texas Tech University · Lubbock, TX | $57,043 | $19,070 | $12,457 | 72.7% |
|  | [Texas Tech University](/school/texas-tech-university/majors/) carries an [average net price of $12,457](/school/texas-tech-university/cost/) for families earning under $30,000, alongside median earnings of $57,043 for its Music graduates four years after completing. |
| 16 | Texas Woman's University · Denton, TX | $56,884 | $11,963 | $9,948 | 96.1% |
|  | Ranking 16th on this list, [Texas Woman's University](/school/texas-womans-university/majors/) shows an [average net price of $11,963](/school/texas-womans-university/cost/). |
| 17 | Hofstra University · Hempstead, NY | $56,847 | $34,176 | $28,219 | 68.1% |
|  | A private nonprofit university in Hempstead, [Hofstra University](/school/hofstra-university/majors/) reports [median earnings of $56,847](/school/hofstra-university/outcomes/) for its Music graduates four years after completing, with 11 graduates in the earnings cohort. |
| 18 | Tarleton State University · Stephenville, TX | $56,671 | $20,783 | $15,574 | 89.6% |
|  | [Tarleton State University](/school/tarleton-state-university/majors/) [admits 90% of applicants](/school/tarleton-state-university/admissions/) and lists a median federal debt of $26,200 among Music completers who borrowed. |
| 19 | University of Houston · Houston, TX | $56,667 | $14,276 | $10,929 | 73.9% |
|  | [University of Houston](/school/university-of-houston/majors/) [ranks 13th on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/university-of-houston/) among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports median earnings of $56,667 for its Music graduates four years after completing. |
| 20 | University of Connecticut · Storrs, CT | $56,104 | $25,097 | $15,193 | 52.4% |
|  | An [average net price of $15,193](/school/university-of-connecticut/cost/) for families earning under $30,000 coincides with median earnings of $56,104 for Music graduates four years after completing at [University of Connecticut](/school/university-of-connecticut/majors/). |
| 21 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick · New Brunswick, NJ | $56,008 | $24,406 | $16,343 | 58.2% |
|  | [Rutgers University-New Brunswick](/school/rutgers-university-new-brunswick/majors/) ranks 21st on this list and shows an [average net price of $24,406](/school/rutgers-university-new-brunswick/cost/) alongside an admission rate of 58%. |
| 22 | University of North Texas · Denton, TX | $55,705 | $15,649 | $12,311 | 72.2% |
|  | [University of North Texas](/school/university-of-north-texas/majors/) reports 227 graduates in the earnings cohort for its Music program, with a [median federal debt of $23,425](/school/university-of-north-texas/cost/) among Music completers who borrowed. |
| 23 | Monmouth University · West Long Branch, NJ | $55,526 | $30,988 | $18,924 | 89.0% |
|  | [Monmouth University](/school/monmouth-university/majors/) reports [median earnings of $55,526](/school/monmouth-university/outcomes/) for its Music graduates four years after completing, and admits 89% of applicants. |
| 24 | East Texas A&M University · Commerce, TX | $55,438 | $11,841 | $9,709 | 92.2% |
|  | [East Texas A&M University](/school/east-texas-am-university/majors/) carries an [average net price of $9,709](/school/east-texas-am-university/cost/) for families earning under $30,000, alongside median earnings of $55,438 for its Music graduates four years after completing. |
| 25 | University of Nevada-Las Vegas · Las Vegas, NV | $55,161 | $10,359 | $8,526 | 96.2% |
|  | [University of Nevada-Las Vegas](/school/university-of-nevada-las-vegas/majors/) reports [median earnings of $55,161](/school/university-of-nevada-las-vegas/outcomes/) for its Music graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $10,359. |

Continue by region[Top Music Programs in the Midwest by Earnings](/rankings/best-music-programs-in-the-midwest/)[Best Music Programs in the Northeast](/rankings/best-music-programs-in-the-northeast/)[Top Music Programs in the South by Earnings](/rankings/best-music-programs-in-the-south/)[Top Music Programs in the West by Earnings](/rankings/best-music-programs-in-the-west/)

## 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 the United States appear. The figure captures federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled four years after finishing. For 70 of the 314 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 spread from top to bottom is $54,052, with Sonoma State University reporting $65,533 and the lowest-ranked program reporting $11,481.

## Related rankings

-   [Best Art & Design Colleges in the United States](/rankings/best-art-and-design-colleges/)
-   Art & Design Colleges for Social Mobility