Rhode Island · Music

Best colleges for Music in Rhode Island

Ranked by graduate earnings

Brown University, University of Rhode Island and Rhode Island College award the most Music degrees and certificates in Rhode Island: 24, 22 and 7 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 6 Rhode Island colleges offer Music and award 70 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…

Institutions
6
offering CIP 50.09
States & territories
54
with a program page
Degrees / yr
70
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$34,549
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
1
College Scorecard
Median net price
$31,899
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
65%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Musicians and Singers
—
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top institution, 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.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Rhode Island College
Providence Public · Bachelor's degree Small program
$34,549748%—$14,133

Colleges awarding the most Music degrees in Rhode Island

Top 5 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.

Graduates / yr: degrees and certificates awarded in a year, IPEDS completions. Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionGraduates / yrStarting salary (1 yr)
1Brown University
Providence Private not-for-profit
24Not reported
2University of Rhode Island
Kingston Public
22Not reported
3Rhode Island College
Providence Public
7$34,549
4Roger Williams University
Bristol Private not-for-profit
6Not reported
5Salve Regina University
Newport Private not-for-profit
2Not reported
Show the other 1 Rhode Island colleges offering Music
InstitutionCityControlGraduates / yr
Community College of Rhode IslandWarwickPublic9

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Musicians and Singers (SOC 27-2042).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+1.1%
Little or no change
Openings / yr (US)
~19,400
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
—
typically No formal educational credential

Top skills

SpeakingActive ListeningMonitoringReading ComprehensionCritical ThinkingActive Learning

What Musicians and Singers earn in Rhode Island

Jobs in Rhode Island
—
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
—
annual
Best-paying metro
—

Related careers

Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary
$99,410 avg · 440 jobs
Music Directors and Composers
— avg · 150 jobs
Musicians and Singers
—
Sound Engineering Technicians
—
Disc Jockeys, Except Radio
—

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Music programs in Rhode Island.

Which Rhode Island colleges award the most Music degrees?+

Brown University (24 graduates a year), University of Rhode Island (22 graduates a year) and Rhode Island College (7 graduates a year) award the most Music degrees and certificates in Rhode Island, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 6 Rhode Island colleges offer Music.

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.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

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