Home › California State University-Long Beach › Music

Music at California State University-Long Beach

Long Beach, CA · Public · Bachelor's Degree

DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $18,352/yr (-35% vs median)

AI Risk High (47% exposed)

Job Market Very Large (101,600 openings/yr)

ROI 14.4x earnings multiple (5.4x out-of-state)

Ranked #144 of 240 Music programs

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Music graduates.

	Optimistic No Disruption	Base Case Gradual AI	Pessimistic Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings	$395K	$405K	$390K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	14.1x	14.4x	13.9x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	5.2x	5.4x	5.2x
Probability of Field Employment	35%	31%	24%
DegreeOutlook Score	26	26	22

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)

$28,032

Out-of-state: $75,552 (5.4x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$35,724

-27% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$21,050

13.8 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (4 Year)

$28,306

54% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

California State University-Long Beach's Music graduates start at $18,352/yr, trailing the $28,116 national average by 35%. The program's value hinges on affordability.

Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 14.4x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Music programs nationally.

Some AI exposure exists in Music's typical career paths, with 47% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 1% gap from the optimistic case.

Median debt of $21,050 against $18,352/yr in first-year earnings means roughly 1.1 years of salary goes to loan repayment. That's a heavy but not crushing debt load.

Ranked #144 of 240 Music programs, California State University-Long Beach falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.

About California State University-Long Beach

California State University-Long Beach's 47% acceptance rate reflects moderate selectivity, one of the larger campuses at 34,131 students in Long Beach, CA. With 49% of students on Pell Grants, the campus draws from a broad economic spectrum.

See all programs and financial aid at California State University-Long Beach →

Top Career Paths

Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary $80,190/yr

Sound engineering technicians $66,430/yr

Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education $64,580/yr

View all 6 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Music at Other Schools

Other Majors at California State University-Long Beach

Consider the Trade Route?

Trade programs often mean less time in school, lower student debt, and hands-on career paths that tend to be more resilient to AI disruption.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Music at California State University-Long Beach?

A score of 26/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Music. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.

Is Music at California State University-Long Beach worth the student debt?

Median debt of $21,050 against $18,352/yr starting salary means roughly 1.1 years of earnings go to repayment. That's above average — financial aid and loan terms matter here.

Will AI replace Music careers?

With 47% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $390,461 in decade earnings vs $394,615 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.

Can you still earn well with Music from California State University-Long Beach?

First-year earnings trail the national median, but starting salary isn't the full picture. Regional cost of living, career trajectory, and tuition cost all factor in. Check the five-year earnings data when available.

Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →