U.S. median for this major: $43,753.
College Scorecard field of study; 28 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 53% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $26,000.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $30,305. College Scorecard.
Ohio State University Music: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.
Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income
Uses Ohio State University's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $4,885 | $20,566 | 1.3 years |
| $30–48k | $5,751 | $24,212 | 1.5 years |
| $48–75k | $9,807 | $41,287 | 2.6 years |
| $75–110k | $20,461 | $86,141 | 5.4 years |
| $110k+ | $27,359 | $115,181 | 7.3 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (71% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Music graduates 4 years after graduating ($51,310) minus $35,438 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in OH (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $15,872 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.
Music at Ohio colleges
Every Ohio college we cover that reports Music graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants. Colleges marked "mostly 2-year" or "bachelor's & associate" award more associate degrees than bachelor's; their bachelor's programs often serve working adults finishing a degree (for example, nurses completing a BSN), so their graduates' earnings can run higher than those of students starting college at 18.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ohio State University | $51,310 | $27,000 | $17,339 | 88% |
| 2 | Miami University-Oxford | $50,680 | $27,000 | $28,384 | 80% |
| 3 | Ohio University-Eastern Campus | $44,593 | $27,000 | $3,925 | 21% |
| 4 | Ohio University-Chillicothe Campus | $44,593 | $27,000 | $5,755 | 14% |
| 5 | Ohio University-Southern Campusbachelor's & associate | $44,593 | $27,000 | $5,993 | 21% |
| 6 | Ohio University-Lancaster Campusbachelor's & associate | $44,593 | $27,000 | $5,650 | 14% |
| 7 | Ohio University | $44,593 | $27,000 | $21,637 | 65% |
| 8 | Ohio University-Zanesville Campus | $44,593 | $27,000 | $5,746 | 22% |
| 9 | Bowling Green State University | $44,037 | $27,000 | $24,022 | 64% |
| 10 | Wright State University | $43,884 | — | $15,415 | 42% |
| 11 | Oberlin College | $43,343 | $26,200 | $38,645 | 81% |
| 12 | Kent State University at Starkmostly 2-year | $43,222 | $28,000 | $10,897 | 37% |
| 13 | Kent State University at Kent | $43,222 | $28,000 | $20,787 | 64% |
| 14 | Capital University | $43,125 | $27,000 | $22,576 | 60% |
| 15 | Baldwin Wallace University | $37,682 | $27,000 | $27,603 | 67% |
| 16 | Cleveland Institute of Music | $37,656 | $25,500 | $28,226 | 72% |
| 17 | Cleveland State University | $29,842 | $30,000 | $14,764 | 51% |
31 more Ohio colleges offer Music but have too few graduates to report earnings.
Careers for Music graduates
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs -0.2% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Music Directors and Composers
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +1.2% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.
What families pay at Ohio State University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Ohio State University
- Acceptance rate: 61% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 88% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $60,409
- Full cost breakdown · all 129 majors · overview
Related majors at Ohio State University
- Theatre$37,445
- Studio Art$46,899
- Arts and Entertainment Management—
Ohio State University Music questions
How much do Ohio State University Music graduates earn?
Music graduates of Ohio State University earn a median $51,310 four years after graduating and $26,084 one year after. The U.S. median for Music graduates across 263 colleges is $43,753.
How much debt do Ohio State University Music graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Music graduates of Ohio State University is $27,000, about 53% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $26,000.
Is Ohio State University a good school for Music in Ohio?
On pay, Music graduates of Ohio State University earn $51,310 four years out, $7,273 above the median for the same major across 17 Ohio colleges ($44,037) and $7,557 above the U.S. median ($43,753). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Ohio State University rank for Music in Ohio?
Of 17 Ohio colleges reporting Music graduate earnings, Ohio State University ranks 1st, the highest.
What jobs do Music graduates get?
A common career is secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education, with a median wage of $81,400 in the Columbus, OH area and $72,040 nationally. Others include music directors and composers.
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Ohio State University Music: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/ohio-state-university-main-campus/majors/music (College Scorecard and BLS data).