U.S. median for this major: $43,753.
College Scorecard field of study; 95 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 77% 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 $85,962. College Scorecard.
University of Rochester 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 University of Rochester'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 | $9,678 | $39,680 | more than 20 years |
| $30–48k | $12,185 | $49,958 | more than 20 years |
| $48–75k | $21,087 | $86,457 | more than 20 years |
| $75–110k | $27,883 | $114,320 | more than 20 years |
| $110k+ | $46,801 | $191,884 | more than 20 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.1 years, the average time graduates took (77% 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 ($34,888) minus $34,633 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NY (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $255 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 York colleges
Every New York 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 | Hofstra University | $56,847 | $26,500 | $34,176 | 69% |
| 2 | New York University | $52,841 | $25,000 | $37,050 | 88% |
| 3 | Ithaca College | $51,338 | $27,000 | $33,926 | 76% |
| 4 | SUNY at Fredonia | $45,794 | $27,000 | $15,897 | 50% |
| 5 | CUNY City College | $44,058 | $20,000 | $3,776 | 57% |
| 6 | SUNY at Purchase College | $41,926 | $22,179 | $18,913 | 63% |
| 7 | State University of New York at Oswego | $41,122 | — | $16,236 | 60% |
| 8 | CUNY Hunter College | $39,600 | — | $2,984 | 57% |
| 9 | SUNY College at Potsdam | $36,677 | $27,000 | $13,624 | 45% |
| 10 | University of Rochester | $34,888 | $26,769 | $29,278 | 85% |
| 11 | The New School | $32,930 | $24,000 | $58,741 | 69% |
| 12 | The Juilliard School | $32,842 | $25,000 | $43,571 | 93% |
| 13 | Manhattan School of Music | $27,952 | $27,000 | $51,754 | 78% |
46 more New York 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 University of Rochester, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About University of Rochester
- Acceptance rate: 40% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 85% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $79,042
- Full cost breakdown · all 57 majors · overview
Related majors at University of Rochester
- Studio Art—
University of Rochester Music questions
How much do University of Rochester Music graduates earn?
Music graduates of University of Rochester earn a median $34,888 four years after graduating and $14,310 one year after. The U.S. median for Music graduates across 263 colleges is $43,753.
How much debt do University of Rochester Music graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Music graduates of University of Rochester is $26,769, about 77% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $26,000.
Is University of Rochester a good school for Music in New York?
On pay, Music graduates of University of Rochester earn $34,888 four years out, $6,234 below the median for the same major across 13 New York colleges ($41,122) and $8,865 below the U.S. median ($43,753). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does University of Rochester rank for Music in New York?
Of 13 New York colleges reporting Music graduate earnings, University of Rochester ranks 10th. The highest is Hofstra University at $56,847.
What jobs do Music graduates get?
A common career is secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education, with a median wage of $76,190 in the Rochester, NY 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: “University of Rochester Music: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-rochester/majors/music (College Scorecard and BLS data).