Best colleges for Music in California
Ranked by graduate earnings
San Francisco State University, California State University - San Bernardino and San Francisco Conservatory of Music are the top bachelor's Music programs in California by graduate earnings. San Francisco State University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $31,621, College Scorecard. University of Southern California, Musicians Institute and California State University - Northridge award the most Music degrees in California: 219, 182 and 174 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 151 California colleges offer Music and award 3,600 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Music program falls under the field of Visual and Performing Arts, focusing on the study and performance of music. It caters to students interested in various aspects of music, including performance, theory, and history, allowing them…
Top 10 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco State University San Francisco Public · Bachelor's degree | $31,621 | 39 | 50% | — | $15,000 |
| 2 | California State University - San Bernardino San Bernardino Public · Bachelor's degree | $27,724 | 22 | 55% | — | — |
| 3 | San Francisco Conservatory of Music San Francisco Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $26,916 | 136 | 74% | $39,487 | $27,000 |
| 4 | California State University - Sacramento Sacramento Public · Bachelor's degree | $25,391 | 57 | 56% | — | $16,500 |
| 5 | California State University - Chico Chico Public · Bachelor's degree | $25,339 | 36 | 63% | — | $24,125 |
| 6 | University of California-Davis Davis Public · Bachelor's degree | $24,630 | 28 | 86% | — | $17,500 |
| 7 | Los Angeles College of Music Pasadena Private for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $24,059 | 66 | 41% | $41,257 | $37,296 |
| 8 | California State University - Fullerton Fullerton Public · Bachelor's degree | $23,969 | 83 | 70% | — | $20,469 |
| 9 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles Public · Bachelor's degree | $22,125 | 125 | 93% | — | $23,119 |
| 10 | University of California-San Diego La Jolla Public · Bachelor's degree | $21,592 | 27 | 86% | — | $18,938 |
Top certificate or associate program
Shorter credentials, ranked separately so they are not compared with four-year degrees. Ranked by median earnings one year after completion (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles Film School Hollywood Private for-profit · Associate degree | $21,399 | 486 | 41% | $32,792 | $22,625 |
Colleges awarding the most Music degrees in California
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Southern California Los Angeles Private not-for-profit | 219 | $12,947 |
| 2 | Musicians Institute Hollywood Private for-profit | 182 | Not reported |
| 3 | California State University - Northridge Northridge Public | 174 | $18,226 |
| 4 | San Francisco Conservatory of Music San Francisco Private not-for-profit | 136 | $26,916 |
| 5 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles Public | 125 | $22,125 |
| 6 | California State University - Long Beach Long Beach Public | 87 | $18,352 |
| 7 | California State University - Fullerton Fullerton Public | 83 | $23,969 |
| 8 | California Institute of the Arts Valencia Private not-for-profit | 72 | $18,896 |
| 9 | Santa Monica College Santa Monica Public | 67 | Not reported |
| 10 | Los Angeles College of Music Pasadena Private for-profit | 66 | $24,059 |
ShowHide the other 141 California colleges offering Music
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Musicians and Singers (SOC 27-2042).
Top skills
What Musicians and Singers earn in California
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Music programs in California.
Which California colleges award the most Music degrees?+
University of Southern California (219 graduates a year), Musicians Institute (182 graduates a year) and California State University - Northridge (174 graduates a year) award the most Music degrees in California, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 151 California colleges offer Music.
What is the best college for Music in California?+
By graduate earnings, San Francisco State University leads among bachelor's Music programs in California, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $31,621, College Scorecard. California State University - San Bernardino and San Francisco Conservatory of Music follow. By degrees awarded, University of Southern California is the largest, with 219 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Music program in California has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, San Francisco State University tops the list at $31,621. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
What is the focus of the Music program?+
The Music program falls under the field of Visual and Performing Arts, focusing on the study and performance of music. It caters to students interested in various aspects of music, including performance, theory, and history, allowing them…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop speaking, active listening, monitoring, reading comprehension, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for Musicians and Singers?+
The national job outlook is about +1.1% growth with around 19,400 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A No formal educational credential is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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