Music: Montana State University vs Texas A & M University-Commerce

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
In-State
15.1x
$32,332 tuition
13.1x
$40,104 tuition
Out-of-State
3.9x
$125,348 tuition
5.8x
$90,504 tuition
$488,547 10-yr earnings · Public
$525,950 10-yr earnings · Public

Head-to-Head

Montana State University Texas A & M University-Commerce
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 15.1x 13.1x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 3.9x 5.8x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $32,332 $40,104
Year 1 Earnings $38,807 $52,282
10-Year Earnings $489K $526K
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 48/100 49/100
Acceptance Rate 86.8% 92.6%

Both programs have high AI automation risk (47% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Music graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →

ROI Breakdown

How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Music graduates.

Montana State University Texas A & M University-Commerce
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $32,332 $40,104
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $125,348 $90,504
10-Year Projected Earnings $489K $526K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 15.1x 13.1x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 3.9x 5.8x
5-Year Salary Growth +20% +-7%

"Earnings Multiple" = projected 10-year earnings ÷ 4-year tuition. Higher is better. Not a discounted financial ROI.

AI Disruption Scenarios

Both schools share identical AI exposure for Music (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.

Montana State University Texas A & M University-Commerce
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $488K $489K $455K $530K $526K $484K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 15.1x 15.1x 14.1x 13.2x 13.1x 12.1x
DegreeWorth Score 48 48 37 50 49 40

For the full AI analysis of Music career paths, see the Montana State University or Texas A & M University-Commerce program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

Projected annual earnings for Music graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$7,772
Montana State University saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$13,475/yr
Texas A & M University-Commerce grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
15.1x / 13.1x
Out-of-state: 3.9x / 5.8x

Career Paths

Music graduates from both schools map to the same career paths. Differences in earnings reflect school prestige, location, and employer networks.

Career Path Wage Openings/yr Growth AI Risk
Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary $80,190 9,000 +1.7% 44%
Sound engineering technicians $66,430 1,200 -1.7% 43%
Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education $64,580 66,200 -1.6% 33%
Music directors and composers $63,670 4,300 -0.3% 71%
Musicians and singers N/A 19,400 +1.1% 41%
Disc jockeys, except radio N/A 1,500 +3.8% 53%
Want to compare different schools or majors? Try the freeform comparison tool →

Explore Each Program

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Music Overview

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Music: Montana State University or Texas A & M University-Commerce?
Montana State University scores 48/100 while Texas A & M University-Commerce scores 49/100. Montana State University has significantly lower tuition, which drives its higher ROI. The best choice depends on whether you prioritize raw earnings or return on investment.
Which school has better ROI for Music?
Montana State University has an in-state earnings multiple of 15.1x vs Texas A & M University-Commerce's 13.1x. That means Montana State University grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition.
How do Montana State University and Texas A & M University-Commerce compare on Music earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $38,807 at Montana State University vs $52,282 at Texas A & M University-Commerce. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $488,547 vs $525,950 — a difference of $37,403.
How much does Music cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $32,332 at Montana State University and $40,104 at Texas A & M University-Commerce. Both programs lead to the same Music career paths — the cost difference is the main factor in ROI.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034 (employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE. Scenarios use a continuous weighting function combining AI exposure and BLS job growth projections. "Earnings Multiple" is total 10-year projected earnings divided by tuition — not a discounted financial ROI. Last updated 2025.