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 61% 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 $90,300. 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 USC, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About USC
- Acceptance rate: 10% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 92% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $92,498
- Full cost breakdown · all 89 majors · overview
Related majors at USC
- Theatre$40,415
- Studio Art$72,428
- Arts and Entertainment Management$63,353
USC Music questions
How much do USC Music graduates earn?
Music graduates of University of Southern California earn a median $34,124 four years after graduating and $12,947 one year after. The U.S. median for Music graduates across 263 colleges is $43,753.
How much debt do USC Music graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Music graduates of University of Southern California is $20,976, about 61% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $26,000.
Where does USC rank for Music in California?
Of 23 California colleges reporting Music graduate earnings, University of Southern California ranks 21st. 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 $100,960 in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, 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: “University of Southern California Music: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-southern-california/majors/music (College Scorecard and BLS data).