Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks The Juilliard School #1433 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $43,488, placing The Juilliard School in the 2.2 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks The Juilliard School #456 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Azimuth ranks The Juilliard School #1433 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. A private university located in New York, NY, Juilliard School enrolls roughly 468 undergraduates. The institution's six-year graduation rate is 92.6%, reflecting strong completion outcomes for a conservatory-focused institution. The Juilliard School is specializes in its specialized mission in visual and performing arts. The institution's program portfolio concentrates in Visual & Performing Arts, which defines both its academic identity and its graduate outcomes. Azimuth ranks The Juilliard School #1305 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $43,488, reflecting outcomes in a field where early-career earnings vary widely by specialization and market entry point. The institution's access profile shows 13.9% of undergraduates receiving Pell Grants, indicating meaningful economic diversity within a selective arts conservatory. What shapes The Juilliard School's composite position is the interplay between strong return outcomes in certain specializations and the structural economics of arts training. Affordability sits in the 3.2 percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, reflecting the institution's private tuition structure and the cost intensity of conservatory training. Access ranks in the 3.2 percentile, consistent with the institution's highly selective admissions posture. For students pursuing careers in performance, composition, dance, and drama, Juilliard School represents a concentrated investment in specialized training with outcomes that depend heavily on individual talent, market conditions, and career trajectory choices post-graduation.
The Juilliard School's published cost of attendance is $83,892. Financial aid reshapes that figure across income levels: low-income families pay approximately $30,168, middle-income families pay around $40,705, and higher-income families pay approximately $51,160. Azimuth ranks The Juilliard School #1380 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown. Juilliard's aid structure is need-based and merit-based, with the school committing to meet demonstrated financial need in full for admitted students under current financial aid policies. The institution participates in federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans) and institutional aid programs. Families apply using the FAFSA and CSS Profile. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $25,500, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $38,466; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the Parent PLUS risk framework for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at the institution's typical four-year earnings of $43,488, median federal debt of $25,500 projects to a monthly payment of about $288 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
The Juilliard School is a strong fit for students passionate about the performing arts who want an intensive conservatory experience in New York City. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $43,488, placing The Juilliard School in the 2.2 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The aid structure is merit-based. Published cost of attendance is $51,160, and median federal debt at graduation is $25,500. About 13.9% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants, reflecting the institution's commitment to supporting students from diverse economic backgrounds. Fit depends on two realistic filters: the 9.2% admit rate makes the application process highly competitive, and the program mix focuses exclusively on Visual & Performing Arts. Students whose interests align with those areas and who can navigate the application process will find a conservatory experience ranked #1 in Visual & Performing Arts among nonprofit four-year institutions by Azimuth.
This school profile was generated using Azimuth's proprietary ROI framework, developed by founder Daniel Rogers. Our methodology transforms federal education data into actionable insights for families.
College Azimuth is a private research initiative and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education or Federal Student Aid. Data sourced from College Scorecard.
This content is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, investment, or professional advice. Consult a qualified advisor before making any financial decisions.
Comprehensive Analysis
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Financial GPS Tool
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This is the The Juilliard School hub overview page. Related admissions, cost, outcomes, majors, and similar-school pages provide the detailed school data.
Based on federal data for students receiving aid. Actual costs may vary.
The Juilliard School's published cost of attendance is $83,892. Financial aid reshapes that figure across income levels: low-income families pay approximately $30,168, middle-income families pay around $40,705, and higher-income families pay approximately $51,160.
Azimuth ranks The Juilliard School #1380 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.
Juilliard's aid structure is need-based and merit-based, with the school committing to meet demonstrated financial need in full for admitted students under current financial aid policies. The institution participates in federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans) and institutional aid programs.
Families apply using the FAFSA and CSS Profile. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $25,500, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $38,466; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions.
For a graduate at the institution's typical four-year earnings of $43,488, median federal debt of $25,500 projects to a monthly payment of about $288 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).
Graduates of the Juilliard School earn median 4-year earnings of $43,488, placing The Juilliard School in the 2.2 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks The Juilliard School #1305 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions.
These outcomes reflect the institution's specialized focus on visual and performing arts training, where early-career earnings trajectories depend heavily on field-specific talent development, professional networks, and market positioning within creative industries. The earnings pattern centers on Visual & Performing Arts, which defines the institution's degree output and labor-market alignment.
Music is the largest program with 89 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $32,842. The Dance program graduates 21 students with median 4-year earnings of $50,287.
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft rounds out the core offerings with 10 graduates. These programs anchor The Juilliard School's mission of intensive conservatory training, where outcomes reflect both the competitive talent pool and the specialized career pathways available to graduates in performance, composition, conducting, and related creative fields.
Consider these schools with similar outcomes but higher acceptance rates:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
University Of The Arts Higher acceptance rate (69.2 percentage points higher) with similar program focus and located 85 miles away; similar graduate earnings | PA | 78% | $38,252 | Compare |
Moore College Of Art And Design Higher acceptance rate (51.5 percentage points higher) with similar program focus and located 84 miles away; similar graduate earnings | PA | 61% | $37,839 | Compare |
University Of Valley Forge Higher acceptance rate (69.2 percentage points higher) and located 94 miles away; similar graduate earnings | PA | 78% | $39,016 | Compare |
Villa Maria College Higher acceptance rate (77.7 percentage points higher) with similar program focus; similar graduate earnings | NY | 87% | $38,857 | Compare |
Dean College Higher acceptance rate (64.8 percentage points higher) with similar program focus; similar graduate earnings | MA | 74% | $38,109 | Compare |
Peer institutions with comparable quality and outcomes:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cairn University-Langhorne Similar quality tier in Northeast (#36228 ranked) | PA | 88% | $44,172 | #36228 | Compare |
Brevard College Similar quality tier (#36226 ranked) | NC | 42% | $43,545 | #36226 | Compare |
Laguna College Of Art And Design Similar quality tier (#36225 ranked) | CA | 94% | $47,867 | #36225 | Compare |
University Of Mobile Similar quality tier (#36224 ranked) | AL | 78% | $43,611 | #36224 | Compare |
Cleveland Institute Of Music Similar quality tier (#36222 ranked) | OH | 47% | $32,641 | #36222 | Compare |
Dance
21 graduates
Music
89 graduates
The Juilliard School concentrates entirely in visual and performing arts — a portfolio shaped by the institution's identity as a conservatory focused on professional training in music, dance, drama, and related disciplines. Music is the largest program with 89 graduates, followed by Dance with 21 graduates and Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft with 10 graduates.
Across 0 ranked programs serving roughly 120 students annually, earnings patterns reflect the specialized nature of arts-focused training and the varied career pathways graduates pursue. Dance leads earnings outcomes at The Juilliard School, with 21 graduates earning median four-year earnings of $50,287.
Music follows with 89 graduates earning median four-year earnings of $32,842. The earnings variation across programs reflects differences in labor-market demand, career trajectory timing — many performing arts graduates build income gradually through freelance work, ensemble participation, and teaching — and the mix of graduates who pursue graduate study, arts administration, or alternative career paths alongside performance.
As a conservatory, Juilliard School serves students whose primary goal is professional artistry rather than broad-based liberal arts education. The supply and demand for college graduates framework provides limited direct guidance for specialized arts training, since conservatory outcomes depend heavily on individual talent, geographic market conditions, and non-traditional income streams (performance fees, grants, teaching, freelance work) that four-year earnings snapshots may not fully capture.
Graduates often experience earnings growth over a longer timeline as their professional networks expand and performance opportunities accumulate.
