Best colleges for Music in Ohio
Ranked by graduate earnings
University of Akron Main Campus, Ohio University and Capital University are the top bachelor's Music programs in Ohio by graduate earnings. University of Akron Main Campus leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $36,293, College Scorecard. University of Cincinnati, Oberlin College and Bowling Green State University award the most Music degrees in Ohio: 191, 137 and 101 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 38 Ohio colleges offer Music and award 1,008 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 | University of Akron Main Campus Akron Public · Bachelor's degree | $36,293 | 23 | 52% | — | $25,062 |
| 2 | Ohio University Athens Public · Bachelor's degree | $36,252 | 77 | 65% | — | $27,000 |
| 3 | Capital University Columbus Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $33,143 | 36 | 60% | $22,920 | $27,000 |
| 4 | Cleveland State University Cleveland Public · Bachelor's degree | $32,887 | 22 | 51% | — | $30,000 |
| 5 | Ohio State University Columbus Public · Bachelor's degree | $26,084 | 67 | 88% | — | $27,000 |
| 6 | Kent State University at Kent Kent Public · Bachelor's degree | $24,340 | 23 | 64% | — | $28,000 |
| 7 | Bowling Green State University Bowling Green Public · Bachelor's degree | $20,632 | 101 | 64% | — | $27,000 |
| 8 | Miami University - Oxford Oxford Public · Bachelor's degree | $19,353 | 29 | 80% | — | $27,000 |
| 9 | Oberlin College Oberlin Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $17,141 | 137 | 81% | $28,313 | $26,200 |
| 10 | University of Cincinnati Cincinnati Public · Bachelor's degree | $12,875 | 191 | 75% | — | $23,946 |
Colleges awarding the most Music degrees in Ohio
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 Cincinnati Cincinnati Public | 191 | $12,875 |
| 2 | Oberlin College Oberlin Private not-for-profit | 137 | $17,141 |
| 3 | Bowling Green State University Bowling Green Public | 101 | $20,632 |
| 4 | Cleveland Institute of Music Cleveland Private not-for-profit | 97 | Not reported |
| 5 | Ohio University Athens Public | 77 | $36,252 |
| 6 | Ohio State University Columbus Public | 67 | $26,084 |
| 7 | Capital University Columbus Private not-for-profit | 36 | $33,143 |
| 8 | Miami University - Oxford Oxford Public | 29 | $19,353 |
| 9 | University of Akron Main Campus Akron Public | 23 | $36,293 |
| 10 | Kent State University at Kent Kent Public | 23 | $24,340 |
ShowHide the other 28 Ohio colleges offering Music
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stark State College | North Canton | Public | 25 |
| Baldwin Wallace University | Berea | Private not-for-profit | 22 |
| Cleveland State University | Cleveland | Public | 22 |
| Youngstown State University | Youngstown | Public | 17 |
| Wright State University | Dayton | Public | 16 |
| Case Western Reserve University | Cleveland | Private not-for-profit | 13 |
| Cedarville University | Cedarville | Private not-for-profit | 13 |
| Kent State University at Stark | North Canton | Public | 10 |
| Otterbein University | Westerville | Private not-for-profit | 10 |
| Tiffin University | Tiffin | Private not-for-profit | 10 |
| The College of Wooster | Wooster | Private not-for-profit | 9 |
| Sinclair Community College | Dayton | Public | 8 |
| Owens Community College | Perrysburg | Public | 6 |
| Xavier University | Cincinnati | Private not-for-profit | 6 |
| Denison University | Granville | Private not-for-profit | 5 |
| University of Mount Union | Alliance | Private not-for-profit | 4 |
| Terra State Community College | Fremont | Public | 4 |
| University of Toledo | Toledo | Public | 4 |
| University of Dayton | Dayton | Private not-for-profit | 3 |
| Heidelberg University | Tiffin | Private not-for-profit | 3 |
| Mount Vernon Nazarene University | Mount Vernon | Private not-for-profit | 3 |
| Ohio Wesleyan University | Delaware | Private not-for-profit | 3 |
| Ashland University | Ashland | Private not-for-profit | 2 |
| Central State University | Wilberforce | Public | 2 |
| Ohio Christian University | Circleville | Private not-for-profit | 2 |
| Kenyon College | Gambier | Private not-for-profit | 2 |
| Muskingum University | New Concord | Private not-for-profit | 2 |
| University of Akron Wayne College | Orrville | Public | 1 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Musicians and Singers (SOC 27-2042).
Top skills
What Musicians and Singers earn in Ohio
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Music programs in Ohio.
Which Ohio colleges award the most Music degrees?+
University of Cincinnati (191 graduates a year), Oberlin College (137 graduates a year) and Bowling Green State University (101 graduates a year) award the most Music degrees in Ohio, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 38 Ohio colleges offer Music.
What is the best college for Music in Ohio?+
By graduate earnings, University of Akron Main Campus leads among bachelor's Music programs in Ohio, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $36,293, College Scorecard. Ohio University and Capital University follow. By degrees awarded, University of Cincinnati is the largest, with 191 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Music program in Ohio has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, University of Akron Main Campus tops the list at $36,293. 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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