# Berklee College of Music

Private nonprofit college in Boston, MA. IPEDS ID 164748.
Source page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/berklee-college-of-music · Data: https://educationguide.com/data/colleges/berklee-college-of-music.json · Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score

## Key numbers
- Acceptance rate: 44% (Fall 2024, College Scorecard)
- Average net price after grants: $49,465 per year (AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25)
- Graduation rate (6 years): 67%; beats 44% of MA colleges and 74% nationwide
- Median earnings 10 years after starting: $33,647; beats 1% of MA colleges and 4% nationwide
- Median debt at graduation: $15,750

## Net price by family income (per year, after grants)
| Family income | Net price |
|---|---|
| 0-30k | $42,734 |
| 30-48k | $37,987 |
| 48-75k | $47,799 |
| 75-110k | $46,801 |
| 110k+ | $54,676 |

Average after grants for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid. Negative values mean grants exceed cost.

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
Graduates took 4.29 years on average (50% finished in 4 years; Fall 2017 entrants, IPEDS). Earnings gain = $33,647 (median earnings of former students 10 years after starting college (College Scorecard)) minus $39,880 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MA (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $42,734 | $183,329 | no earnings gain |
| 30-48k | $37,987 | $162,964 | no earnings gain |
| 48-75k | $47,799 | $205,058 | no earnings gain |
| 75-110k | $46,801 | $200,776 | no earnings gain |
| 110k+ | $54,676 | $234,560 | no earnings gain |

Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#value

## Sticker price
- Cost of attendance: $72,700
- Tuition and fees: $52,040
- Housing and meals: $19,440; books: $1,085

## Admissions
- SAT reading & writing: not reported; SAT math: not reported; ACT: not reported (25th–75th percentile, Fall 2024)
- Fall 2023: 7,167 applicants, 3,577 admitted, 1,502 enrolled; test scores not considered
- Fall 2024: acceptance 44%, ACT not reported (College Scorecard)
- Fall 2023: acceptance 50%, ACT not reported (IPEDS Admissions)

### Common Data Set 2024-25 (Fall 2024)
- Very important: gpa, interview, talent; important: none; considered: rigor, class rank, essay, recommendations, extracurriculars, character, first generation
- Early decision: not reported; early action: not reported; waitlist: not reported
- Source: https://www.berklee.edu/sites/default/files/2025-02/CDS_2024-2025%20for%20print.pdf?fv=pZHDhQkT

## Majors (9 bachelor's majors)
| Major | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arts and Entertainment Management | $40,324 | $59,703 | $26,375 |
| Engineering / Engineering-Related Technologies / Technicians, Other | $26,827 | $48,069 | $26,000 |
| Software and Media Applications | $19,370 | $40,186 | $27,000 |
| Music | $18,177 | $38,617 | $24,979 |
| Visual and Performing Arts, Other | $13,771 | $37,117 | $27,000 |
| Dance | $22,993 | $35,702 | $27,000 |
| Education (Subject Teaching) | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Theatre | not reported | not reported | $27,000 |
| Rehabilitation / Therapy Sciences | $36,349 | not reported | $23,750 |

## Major to career
- Education (Subject Teaching) → High school teacher: median wage $98,850 (Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH), $95,260 (MA), $72,040 (U.S.)

## Sources and years
- Net price: AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; cost of attendance: AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; tuition: AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25
- Graduation: Fall 2018 or AcadYr 2018-19 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; earnings: Treasury AY2009-10, AY2010-11 pooled cohort measured in CY2020, CY2021, inflation adjusted to 2022 dollars; debt: NSLDS FY2020, FY2021 pooled cohorts
- Major earnings (4 yr): Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars

Free to reuse with attribution: cite "EducationGuide.com" with a link to the page URL. Most figures are U.S. government data (public domain); loan default rates and athletics come from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By 1.0, attribution required) and founding years from Wikidata (CC0).