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

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
Texas State University
San Marcos, TX
In-State
13.1x
$40,104 tuition
11.4x
$45,800 tuition
Out-of-State
5.8x
$90,504 tuition
5.6x
$92,840 tuition
$525,950 10-yr earnings · Public
$521,935 10-yr earnings · Public

Head-to-Head

Texas A & M University-Commerce Texas State University
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 13.1x 11.4x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 5.8x 5.6x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $40,104 $45,800
Year 1 Earnings $52,282 $51,158
10-Year Earnings $526K $522K
Median Debt $24,728 $23,250
Debt-to-Earnings Ratio 5.7 months 5.5 months
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 49/100 47/100
Acceptance Rate 92.6% 89.5%

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.

Texas A & M University-Commerce Texas State University
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $40,104 $45,800
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $90,504 $92,840
10-Year Projected Earnings $526K $522K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 13.1x 11.4x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 5.8x 5.6x
5-Year Salary Growth +-7% +-0%

"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.

Texas A & M University-Commerce Texas State University
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $530K $526K $484K $525K $522K $481K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 13.2x 13.1x 12.1x 11.5x 11.4x 10.5x
DegreeWorth Score 50 49 40 48 47 37

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

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

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

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$5,696
Texas A & M University-Commerce saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$1,124/yr
Texas A & M University-Commerce grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
13.1x / 11.4x
Out-of-state: 5.8x / 5.6x

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: Texas A & M University-Commerce or Texas State University?
Texas A & M University-Commerce scores 49/100 while Texas State University scores 47/100. 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?
Texas A & M University-Commerce has an in-state earnings multiple of 13.1x vs Texas State University's 11.4x. That means Texas A & M University-Commerce grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition.
How do Texas A & M University-Commerce and Texas State University compare on Music earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $52,282 at Texas A & M University-Commerce vs $51,158 at Texas State University. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $525,950 vs $521,935 — a difference of $4,015.
How much does Music cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $40,104 at Texas A & M University-Commerce and $45,800 at Texas State University. Median debt at graduation is $24,728 vs $23,250. 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.