Musicat University of Rochester
Graduates earn $14,310/yr in their first year — about 49.0% below the national Music average. Base-case 10-year earnings $484K; scenarios range from $452K to $483K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at University of Rochester
A music degree from the University of Rochester, while offering a rich academic and performance experience, reflects the challenging economic realities of artistic careers. The local Rochester labor market, while culturally vibrant, offers limited salaried roles for general music graduates outside of education. Many professional opportunities in music, especially for performers or composers, are often freelance, project-based, and highly competitive, requiring significant entrepreneurial drive and a broad network to build a sustainable career. Your initial years post-graduation will likely involve piecing together multiple income streams or pursuing further specialized training. To thrive, you'll need to actively cultivate marketable skills beyond your core discipline, perhaps blending your musical talents with business, technology, or marketing, and aggressively seek out internships and connections from your first year.
Three scenarios, ten years out
Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.
10 year projection
Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to University of Rochester's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.
Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.
Peer schools offering Music
How University of Rochester stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at University of Rochester
Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of Rochester, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Consider the trade route
Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Music offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.
Compare Music trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →Frequently asked about Music at University of Rochester
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Music at University of Rochester?
A score of 13/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Music. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.
Is Music at University of Rochester worth the student debt?
Median debt of $26,569 against $14,310/yr starting salary means roughly 1.9 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 $451,864 in decade earnings vs $483,043 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Can you still earn well with Music from University of Rochester?
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.
Is University of Rochester a hidden gem for Music?
After financial aid, the average student pays $120,992 over four years — 53% below the $257,392 sticker price. That gap makes the ROI significantly better than published tuition suggests.