Best colleges for Music in New Jersey
Ranked by graduate earnings
Rutgers University - New Brunswick, Rowan University and Montclair State University are the top bachelor's Music programs in New Jersey by graduate earnings. Rutgers University - New Brunswick leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $36,707, College Scorecard. Montclair State University, Rutgers University - New Brunswick and Rowan University award the most Music degrees in New Jersey: 99, 97 and 86 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 20 New Jersey colleges offer Music and award 586 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 9 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 | Rutgers University - New Brunswick New Brunswick Public · Bachelor's degree | $36,707 | 97 | 84% | — | $26,000 |
| 2 | Rowan University Glassboro Public · Bachelor's degree | $32,781 | 86 | 67% | — | $26,500 |
| 3 | Montclair State University Montclair Public · Bachelor's degree | $27,977 | 99 | 65% | — | $27,000 |
| 4 | William Paterson University of New Jersey Wayne Public · Bachelor's degree | $26,621 | 40 | 44% | — | $26,875 |
| 5 | Ramapo College of New Jersey Mahwah Public · Bachelor's degree | $23,127 | 36 | 70% | — | $23,541 |
| 6 | Stevens Institute of Technology Hoboken Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $21,623 | 24 | 87% | $34,827 | $27,000 |
| 7 | Rider University Lawrenceville Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $20,727 | 70 | 61% | $23,844 | $27,000 |
| 8 | New Jersey City University Jersey City Public · Bachelor's degree | $18,544 | 29 | 34% | — | $22,500 |
| 9 | Monmouth University West Long Branch Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree Small program | $24,563 | 15 | 72% | $28,514 | $26,411 |
Colleges awarding the most Music degrees in New Jersey
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 | Montclair State University Montclair Public | 99 | $27,977 |
| 2 | Rutgers University - New Brunswick New Brunswick Public | 97 | $36,707 |
| 3 | Rowan University Glassboro Public | 86 | $32,781 |
| 4 | Rider University Lawrenceville Private not-for-profit | 70 | $20,727 |
| 5 | William Paterson University of New Jersey Wayne Public | 40 | $26,621 |
| 6 | Ramapo College of New Jersey Mahwah Public | 36 | $23,127 |
| 7 | New Jersey City University Jersey City Public | 29 | $18,544 |
| 8 | Stevens Institute of Technology Hoboken Private not-for-profit | 24 | $21,623 |
| 9 | Princeton University Princeton Private not-for-profit | 22 | Not reported |
| 10 | Monmouth University West Long Branch Private not-for-profit | 15 | $24,563 |
ShowHide the other 10 New Jersey colleges offering Music
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| County College of Morris | Randolph | Public | 14 |
| Brookdale Community College | Lincroft | Public | 13 |
| The College of New Jersey | Ewing | Public | 13 |
| Raritan Valley Community College | Branchburg | Public | 6 |
| Drew University | Madison | Private not-for-profit | 5 |
| Essex County College | Newark | Public | 5 |
| Kean University | Union | Public | 4 |
| Rutgers University - Newark | Newark | Public | 3 |
| Seton Hall University | South Orange | Private not-for-profit | 3 |
| Rutgers University - Camden | Camden | Public | 2 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Musicians and Singers (SOC 27-2042).
Top skills
What Musicians and Singers earn in New Jersey
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Music programs in New Jersey.
Which New Jersey colleges award the most Music degrees?+
Montclair State University (99 graduates a year), Rutgers University - New Brunswick (97 graduates a year) and Rowan University (86 graduates a year) award the most Music degrees in New Jersey, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 20 New Jersey colleges offer Music.
What is the best college for Music in New Jersey?+
By graduate earnings, Rutgers University - New Brunswick leads among bachelor's Music programs in New Jersey, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $36,707, College Scorecard. Rowan University and Montclair State University follow. By degrees awarded, Montclair State University is the largest, with 99 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Music program in New Jersey has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Rutgers University - New Brunswick tops the list at $36,707. 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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