U.S. median for this major: $43,753.
College Scorecard field of study
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 36% 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 $27,780. College Scorecard.
Music at California colleges
Every California 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 | Sonoma State University | $65,533 | — | $12,885 | 58% |
| 2 | University of Redlands | $59,275 | $27,000 | $30,031 | 67% |
| 3 | University of California-San Diego | $58,071 | $18,938 | $12,470 | 86% |
| 4 | Biola University | $50,781 | $26,417 | $31,495 | 68% |
| 5 | San Francisco Conservatory of Music | $49,186 | $27,000 | $42,607 | 74% |
| 6 | California State University-Long Beach | $47,831 | $20,550 | $10,440 | 69% |
| 7 | University of California-Los Angeles | $47,779 | $23,119 | $12,548 | 93% |
| 8 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | $44,910 | $18,000 | $11,531 | 68% |
| 9 | University of California-Irvine | $43,120 | — | $14,251 | 87% |
| 10 | University of the Pacific | $43,093 | $26,017 | $25,447 | 69% |
| 11 | California State University-Sacramento | $42,774 | $16,500 | $9,338 | 56% |
| 12 | California State University-Chico | $42,269 | $24,125 | $14,480 | 63% |
| 13 | San Diego State University | $42,090 | $15,131 | $15,364 | 76% |
| 14 | Chapman University | $41,698 | $27,000 | $46,555 | 82% |
| 15 | California State University-Northridge | $40,669 | $15,933 | $7,021 | 57% |
| 16 | California Institute of the Arts | $40,294 | $23,125 | $46,080 | 67% |
| 17 | California State University-Monterey Bay | $40,077 | $18,920 | $13,663 | 59% |
| 18 | California State University-Fullerton | $39,590 | $20,469 | $6,555 | 70% |
| 19 | California State University-Los Angeles | $39,120 | $12,500 | $3,967 | 53% |
| 20 | San Francisco State University | $38,639 | $15,000 | $12,278 | 50% |
| 21 | University of Southern California | $34,124 | $20,976 | $32,740 | 92% |
| 22 | University of California-Santa Barbara | $33,825 | — | $16,109 | 83% |
| 23 | California Lutheran University | $32,316 | $25,980 | $30,109 | 70% |
44 more California 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 San Diego State University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About San Diego State University
- Acceptance rate: 36% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 76% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $64,909
- Full cost breakdown · all 79 majors · overview
Related majors at San Diego State University
- Theatre$41,812
- Studio Art$35,416
San Diego State University Music questions
How much do San Diego State University Music graduates earn?
Music graduates of San Diego State University earn a median $42,090 four years after graduating and $20,440 one year after. The U.S. median for Music graduates across 263 colleges is $43,753.
How much debt do San Diego State University Music graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Music graduates of San Diego State University is $15,131, about 36% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $26,000.
Where does San Diego State University rank for Music in California?
Of 23 California colleges reporting Music graduate earnings, San Diego State University ranks 13th. The highest is Sonoma State University at $65,533.
What jobs do Music graduates get?
A common career is secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education, with a median wage of $102,810 in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA 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: “San Diego State University Music: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/san-diego-state-university/majors/music (College Scorecard and BLS data).