Music: Stephen F Austin 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
12.3x
$42,400 tuition
13.1x
$40,104 tuition
Out-of-State
6.3x
$82,720 tuition
5.8x
$90,504 tuition
$523,320 10-yr earnings · Public
$525,950 10-yr earnings · Public

Head-to-Head

Stephen F Austin State University Texas A & M University-Commerce
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 12.3x 13.1x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 6.3x 5.8x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $42,400 $40,104
Year 1 Earnings $47,318 $52,282
10-Year Earnings $523K $526K
Median Debt $26,000 $24,728
Debt-to-Earnings Ratio 6.6 months 5.7 months
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 47/100 49/100
Acceptance Rate 88.2% 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.

Stephen F Austin State University Texas A & M University-Commerce
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $42,400 $40,104
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $82,720 $90,504
10-Year Projected Earnings $523K $526K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 12.3x 13.1x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 6.3x 5.8x
5-Year Salary Growth +21% +-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.

Stephen F Austin State University Texas A & M University-Commerce
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $527K $523K $482K $530K $526K $484K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 12.4x 12.3x 11.4x 13.2x 13.1x 12.1x
DegreeWorth Score 48 47 37 50 49 40

For the full AI analysis of Music career paths, see the Stephen F Austin 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)
$2,296
Texas A & M University-Commerce saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$4,964/yr
Texas A & M University-Commerce grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
12.3x / 13.1x
Out-of-state: 6.3x / 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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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Music: Stephen F Austin State University or Texas A & M University-Commerce?
Stephen F Austin State University scores 47/100 while Texas A & M University-Commerce scores 49/100. Texas A & M University-Commerce 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?
Stephen F Austin State University has an in-state earnings multiple of 12.3x vs Texas A & M University-Commerce's 13.1x. That means Texas A & M University-Commerce grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition.
How do Stephen F Austin State University and Texas A & M University-Commerce compare on Music earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $47,318 at Stephen F Austin State University vs $52,282 at Texas A & M University-Commerce. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $523,320 vs $525,950 — a difference of $2,630.
How much does Music cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $42,400 at Stephen F Austin State University and $40,104 at Texas A & M University-Commerce. Median debt at graduation is $26,000 vs $24,728. 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.