Music graduates from Berklee College of Music earn $55,467 median salary — above the national average for this program. Median debt: $41,000.
Music at Berklee College of Music
Boston, Massachusetts • Master's
What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Music at Berklee College of Music
This page combines two federal data products: IPEDS institutional characteristics for Berklee College of Music and the College Scorecard field-of-study (FOS) file for Music at the master's credential level. The FOS file is keyed by CIP (Classification of Instructional Programs) code, which means earnings and debt figures here reflect only graduates of this specific program — not the school as a whole. IPEDS reports 124 completers in the most recent cohort for this program at Berklee College of Music, the denominator behind the median earnings figure.
Median graduate earnings of $55,467 represent Treasury-verified wages approximately one year after program completion, drawn from Social Security Administration records linked to federal financial aid applicants. Compared to the national mean of $44,926 across all institutions offering Music, graduates here earn above the national average for this program. Across all programs at Berklee College of Music, the mean median-earnings figure is $38,114, providing internal context for whether this specific field out-earns other options at the same institution.
Debt signals complete the ROI picture. The median cumulative federal loan debt for Music graduates at Berklee College of Music is $41,000, which translates to roughly $342 per month on a standard 10-year repayment plan. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.74 is under the 1.0 threshold the College Scorecard uses to flag favorable gainful-employment outcomes — earnings in year one already exceed cumulative borrowing. Program-level debt and earnings come from the Department of Education’s College Scorecard FOS release, updated annually.
Earnings Comparison
Program Details
Debt & ROI
Music at Other Schools
| School | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Stanford University | $122,038 | — |
| New Jersey City University | $82,054 | — |
| Central Washington University | $79,115 | $14,817 |
| Messiah University | $77,342 | $21,472 |
| Sam Houston State University | $68,888 | — |
| University of Delaware | $66,502 | — |
| CUNY Brooklyn College | $63,685 | $40,642 |
| Michigan State University | $62,193 | $30,158 |
| Ohio State University-Main Campus | $60,865 | — |
| California State University-Northridge | $60,697 | $41,000 |
Other Programs at Berklee College of Music
| Program | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management | $59,703 | $25,543 |
| Music (current) | $55,467 | $41,000 |
| Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians, Other | $48,069 | $24,544 |
| Computer Software and Media Applications | $40,186 | $24,250 |
| Music | $38,617 | $23,392 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management | $37,439 | $38,951 |
| Visual and Performing Arts, Other | $37,117 | $27,000 |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | $36,349 | $23,750 |
| Dance | $35,702 | $27,000 |
| Visual and Performing Arts, Other | $34,704 | — |
Other Schools with Music
Quick picks offering the same program — compare side by side
About the Data
Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard Field of Study file. Earnings are median earnings for graduates after completion, drawn from U.S. Treasury tax records linked to federal financial aid applicants. Institutional characteristics come from IPEDS. Debt figures represent the median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation.
Debt-to-earnings ratio compares cumulative debt to annual earnings. A ratio below 1.0 indicates that annual earnings exceed total debt, generally considered favorable. Estimated monthly payments assume a standard 10-year repayment plan.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.