U.S. median for this major: $43,753.
College Scorecard field of study; 64 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 46% 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 $35,654. College Scorecard.
Rutgers University-Newark 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 Rutgers University-Newark'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 | $16,420 | $73,069 | 3.8 years |
| $30–48k | $16,338 | $72,704 | 3.8 years |
| $48–75k | $17,806 | $79,237 | 4.1 years |
| $75–110k | $22,867 | $101,758 | 5.3 years |
| $110k+ | $33,018 | $146,930 | 7.6 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.5 years, the average time graduates took (42% 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 ($56,008) minus $36,661 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NJ (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $19,347 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 New Jersey colleges
Every New Jersey college we cover that reports Music graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stevens Institute of Technology | $61,943 | $27,000 | $41,346 | 87% |
| 2 | Rutgers University-Camden | $56,008 | $26,000 | $18,745 | 67% |
| 3 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick | $56,008 | $26,000 | $24,406 | 84% |
| 4 | Rutgers University-Newark | $56,008 | $26,000 | $19,703 | 64% |
| 5 | Monmouth University | $55,526 | $26,411 | $30,988 | 72% |
| 6 | Montclair State University | $50,418 | $27,000 | $15,566 | 65% |
| 7 | Rowan University | $47,208 | $26,500 | $22,408 | 67% |
| 8 | Rider University | $43,753 | $27,000 | $24,792 | 61% |
| 9 | Ramapo College of New Jersey | $41,659 | $23,541 | $18,173 | 70% |
| 10 | William Paterson University of New Jersey | $39,553 | $26,875 | $18,745 | 44% |
| 11 | New Jersey City University | $35,729 | $22,500 | $16,053 | 34% |
8 more New Jersey 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 Rutgers University-Newark, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Rutgers University-Newark
- Acceptance rate: 71% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 64% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $74,479
- Full cost breakdown · all 43 majors · overview
Related majors at Rutgers University-Newark
- Theatre$42,712
- Studio Art$52,450
Rutgers University-Newark Music questions
How much do Rutgers University-Newark Music graduates earn?
Music graduates of Rutgers University-Newark earn a median $56,008 four years after graduating and $36,707 one year after. The U.S. median for Music graduates across 263 colleges is $43,753.
How much debt do Rutgers University-Newark Music graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Music graduates of Rutgers University-Newark is $26,000, about 46% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $26,000.
Is Rutgers University-Newark a good school for Music in New Jersey?
On pay, Music graduates of Rutgers University-Newark earn $56,008 four years out, $5,590 above the median for the same major across 11 New Jersey colleges ($50,418) and $12,255 above the U.S. median ($43,753). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Rutgers University-Newark rank for Music in New Jersey?
Of 11 New Jersey colleges reporting Music graduate earnings, Rutgers University-Newark ranks 4th. The highest is Stevens Institute of Technology at $61,943.
What jobs do Music graduates get?
A common career is secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education, with a median wage of $100,800 in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 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: “Rutgers University-Newark Music: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/rutgers-university-newark/majors/music (College Scorecard and BLS data).