Best institutions to study Stringed Instruments
A program that prepares individual to master a stringed instrument and performing arts as solo, ensemble and/or accompanist performers.
29 U.S. institutions graduated 583 Stringed Instruments students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 50.0911, a specialization of Music (CIP 50.09), and leads most directly to the Musicians and Singers occupation (BLS SOC 27-2042).
About Stringed Instruments programs
A program that prepares individual to master a stringed instrument and performing arts as solo, ensemble and/or accompanist performers. Includes instruction in playing and personal style development.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The Stringed Instruments program, a specialized branch of Music, is designed for individuals aspiring to master stringed instruments such as the violin, viola, double bass, guitar, banjo, and harp. This program focuses on developing performance skills for solo, ensemble, and accompaniment settings, catering to both beginners and advanced musicians alike. Students will engage in comprehensive instruction that enhances their playing technique and personal style, preparing them for a variety of performance opportunities. With 29 colleges offering this program across the U.S., aspiring musicians can find a suitable institution to cultivate their passion for stringed instruments.
Core coursework in the Stringed Instruments program includes instruction in performance techniques, personal style development, and music interpretation. Students will also acquire essential skills such as active listening, critical thinking, and effective communication, all vital for successful performances and collaborations.
Credentials awarded
What Stringed Instruments graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Master's degree284 graduates / yr · 16 institutions49%
- Bachelor's degree204 graduates / yr · 22 institutions35%
- Postbaccalaureate certificate51 graduates / yr · 8 institutions8.7%
- Post-master's certificate27 graduates / yr · 4 institutions4.6%
- Doctor's degree - research/scholarship13 graduates / yr · 7 institutions2.2%
- Doctor's degree - other3 graduates / yr · 1 institution0.5%
- Award of at least 2 but less than 4 academic years1 graduates / yr · 1 institution0.2%
Graduates over time
Stringed Instruments completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 523 |
| 2013 | 508 |
| 2014 | 476 |
| 2015 | 492 |
| 2016 | 539 |
| 2017 | 542 |
| 2018 | 558 |
| 2019 | 519 |
| 2020 | 544 |
| 2021 | 506 |
| 2022 | 553 |
| 2023 | 623 |
| 2024 | 583 |
| 2025 | 583 |
Top 29 institutions for Stringed Instruments, ranked by graduates
Graduates (IPEDS completions), 2024–25. Award levels show which credentials each institution confers in this specialization.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Field earnings* (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Juilliard School New York, NYPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sBachelor'sMaster'sPost-degree cert. | 98 | 93% | $29,763 | — |
| 2 | The New England Conservatory of Music Boston, MAPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sBachelor'sPost-degree cert.Doctoral | 80 | 73% | $38,781 | — |
| 3 | Manhattan School of Music New York, NYPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 68 | 78% | $53,742 | — |
| 4 | Yale University New Haven, CTPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 44 | 96% | $27,025 | — |
| 5 | San Francisco Conservatory of Music San Francisco, CAPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sBachelor'sMaster's | 42 | 74% | $39,487 | $26,916 |
| 6 | Northwestern University Evanston, ILPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 38 | 95% | $14,799 | $34,823 |
| 7 | Rice University Houston, TXPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sBachelor'sDoctoral | 38 | 95% | $13,264 | — |
| 8 | Indiana University - Bloomington Bloomington, INPublicPost-degree cert. | 34 | 80% | — | $15,911 |
| 9 | University of Southern California Los Angeles, CAPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sBachelor'sDoctoral | 19 | 92% | $26,873 | $12,947 |
| 10 | Vanderbilt University Nashville, TNPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 16 | 94% | $14,854 | — |
| 11 | Roosevelt University Chicago, ILPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sBachelor'sPost-degree cert. | 14 | 35% | $21,085 | — |
| 12 | Longy School of Music of Bard College Cambridge, MAPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sAward of at least 2 but less than 4 academic yearsPost-degree cert. | 14 | 78% | $43,291 | — |
| 13 | University of Hartford West Hartford, CTPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sDoctoralBachelor'sPost-degree cert.Master's | 13 | 54% | $28,311 | $24,511 |
| 14 | Los Angeles College of Music Pasadena, CAPrivate for-profitBachelor'sMaster's | 10 | 41% | $41,257 | $24,059 |
| 15 | Brigham Young University Provo, UTPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 9 | 81% | $13,712 | $22,625 |
| 16 | Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PAPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sBachelor's | 8 | 94% | $23,803 | — |
| 17 | Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music San Juan, PRPublicBachelor'sPost-degree cert. | 7 | 67% | — | $5,005 |
| 18 | West Chester University of Pennsylvania West Chester, PAPublicBachelor's | 6 | 71% | — | — |
| 19 | Texas Christian University Fort Worth, TXPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sDoctoral | 6 | 86% | $25,823 | — |
| 20 | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MIPublicMaster's | 5 | 93% | — | $22,272 |
| 21 | Chapman University Orange, CAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 3 | 82% | $42,965 | $14,538 |
| 22 | Liberty University Lynchburg, VAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 3 | 65% | $28,911 | $28,003 |
| 23 | University of Washington - Seattle Campus Seattle, WAPublicBachelor'sDoctoral | 2 | 85% | — | — |
| 24 | University of Mobile Mobile, ALPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 1 | 57% | $19,817 | — |
| 25 | University of Redlands Redlands, CAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 1 | 67% | $22,706 | — |
| 26 | Stetson University DeLand, FLPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 1 | 62% | $21,948 | $15,905 |
| 27 | The New School New York, NYPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 1 | 69% | $54,185 | $12,109 |
| 28 | University of Akron Main Campus Akron, OHPublicMaster's | 1 | 52% | — | $36,293 |
| 29 | The University of Tennessee - Knoxville Knoxville, TNPublicPost-degree cert. | 1 | 74% | — | $31,888 |
* Median earnings 1 year after graduation for the broader Music field (CIP 50.09) at these institutions; College Scorecard does not publish earnings at the 6-digit level.
Offered in 17 states & territories
Where Stringed Instruments graduates come from. Each state links to all Music programs offered there.
| State | Institutions | Graduates / yr | Top institution by graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 3 | 167 | The Juilliard School98 / yr |
| Massachusetts | 2 | 94 | The New England Conservatory of Music80 / yr |
| California | 5 | 75 | San Francisco Conservatory of Music42 / yr |
| Connecticut | 2 | 57 | Yale University44 / yr |
| Illinois | 2 | 52 | Northwestern University38 / yr |
| Texas | 2 | 44 | Rice University38 / yr |
| Indiana | 1 | 34 | Indiana University - Bloomington34 / yr |
| Tennessee | 2 | 17 | Vanderbilt University16 / yr |
| Pennsylvania | 2 | 14 | Carnegie Mellon University8 / yr |
| Utah | 1 | 9 | Brigham Young University9 / yr |
| Puerto Rico | 1 | 7 | Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music7 / yr |
| Michigan | 1 | 5 | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor5 / yr |
| Virginia | 1 | 3 | Liberty University3 / yr |
| Washington | 1 | 2 | University of Washington - Seattle Campus2 / yr |
| Alabama | 1 | 1 | University of Mobile1 / yr |
| Florida | 1 | 1 | Stetson University1 / yr |
| Ohio | 1 | 1 | University of Akron Main Campus1 / yr |
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 27-2042, Musicians and Singers, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the Stringed Instruments program often pursue careers as musicians and singers, with additional opportunities in music education. The job outlook for these roles shows little to no change, with an annual opening of approximately 19,400 positions. While formal education is not always required, many professionals hold degrees ranging from bachelor's to master's levels.
Career pathways for CIP 50.0911
The occupations the NCES crosswalk maps this 6-digit code to, with BLS pay and 10-year outlook.
| Occupation | US median pay | Growth | Openings / yr | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Musicians and Singersprimary SOC 27-2042 | — | +1.1% Little or no change | ~19,400 | No formal educational credential |
Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary SOC 25-1121 | $78,620 | +1.7% Little or no change | ~9,000 | Master's degree |
Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
- Education
- Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
- Experience
- A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
- Training
- Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Related careers
Skills & knowledge in Stringed Instruments programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this specialization most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
Abilities that matter most
Day-to-day work activities
What graduates do on the job
- Perform before live audiences in concerts, recitals, educational presentations, and other social gatherings.
- Sing a cappella or with musical accompaniment.
- Interpret or modify music, applying knowledge of harmony, melody, rhythm, and voice production to individualize presentations and maintain audience interest.
- Specialize in playing a specific family of instruments or a particular type of music.
- Sing as a soloist or as a member of a vocal group.
- Observe choral leaders or prompters for cues or directions in vocal presentation.
Tools and technology used
Other Music specializations
The 16 other 6-digit CIP codes under Music (CIP 50.09).
- MusicCIP 50.090110,232 graduates / yr976 institutions
- Music PerformanceCIP 50.09036,946 graduates / yr375 institutions
- Music TechnologyCIP 50.09132,092 graduates / yr122 institutions
- Music Theory and CompositionCIP 50.09041,282 graduates / yr145 institutions
- MusicCIP 50.09991,199 graduates / yr88 institutions
- Voice and OperaCIP 50.0908641 graduates / yr81 institutions
- Jazz/CIP 50.0910
Jazz Studies 592 graduates / yr59 institutions - Keyboard InstrumentsCIP 50.0907528 graduates / yr59 institutions
- Music PedagogyCIP 50.0912397 graduates / yr51 institutions
- Musicology and EthnomusicologyCIP 50.0905165 graduates / yr36 institutions
- ConductingCIP 50.0906159 graduates / yr53 institutions
- Woodwind InstrumentsCIP 50.0915148 graduates / yr16 institutions
- Music History, Literature, and TheoryCIP 50.0902131 graduates / yr28 institutions
- Brass InstrumentsCIP 50.0914103 graduates / yr15 institutions
- Percussion InstrumentsCIP 50.091640 graduates / yr14 institutions
- Sound ArtsCIP 50.0917partial data38 graduates / yr7 institutions
Common questions
What instruments can I learn in this program?+
You can learn various stringed instruments, including the violin, viola, double bass, guitar, banjo, and harp.
What degrees are offered in this program?+
The program offers a Master's degree, Bachelor's degree, Postbaccalaureate certificate, and Post-master's certificate.
What skills will I develop?+
You will develop skills in speaking, active listening, critical thinking, and performance techniques.
What career opportunities are available after graduation?+
Graduates can work as musicians, singers, or music educators, with many finding opportunities in live performances and teaching.
What is the CIP code for Stringed Instruments?+
Stringed Instruments is CIP 50.0911 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within Music (CIP 50.09). NCES defines it as: A program that prepares individual to master a stringed instrument and performing arts as solo, ensemble and/or accompanist performers. Includes instruction in playing and personal style development.
How many institutions offer Stringed Instruments programs?+
29 U.S. institutions reported Stringed Instruments graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 17 states & territories, awarding 583 credentials in the year. That is 2.3% of all Music graduates.
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.
Program definitions are from the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020). Skills, knowledge, abilities, work activities, tools, and job zones are from the O*NET database by the U.S. Department of Labor, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
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