Best colleges for Music in Tennessee
Ranked by graduate earnings
Tennessee Technological University, Austin Peay State University and The University of Tennessee-Knoxville are the top bachelor's Music programs in Tennessee by graduate earnings. Tennessee Technological University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $44,635, College Scorecard. Belmont University, Middle Tennessee State University and The University of Tennessee-Knoxville award the most Music degrees in Tennessee: 164, 158 and 81 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 30 Tennessee colleges offer Music and award 800 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 | Tennessee Technological University Cookeville Public · Bachelor's degree | $44,635 | 21 | 58% | — | $17,500 |
| 2 | Austin Peay State University Clarksville Public · Bachelor's degree | $39,008 | 28 | 40% | — | $31,000 |
| 3 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Knoxville Public · Bachelor's degree | $31,888 | 81 | 74% | — | $23,453 |
| 4 | East Tennessee State University Johnson City Public · Bachelor's degree | $30,004 | 30 | 53% | — | $23,000 |
| 5 | Middle Tennessee State University Murfreesboro Public · Bachelor's degree | $27,586 | 158 | 54% | — | $22,608 |
| 6 | University of Memphis Memphis Public · Bachelor's degree | $27,353 | 71 | 51% | — | $22,060 |
| 7 | Belmont University Nashville Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $24,016 | 164 | 71% | $29,246 | $25,988 |
| 8 | Lipscomb University Nashville Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $19,352 | 30 | 72% | $24,309 | — |
| 9 | Visible Music College Memphis Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $25,929 | 23 | 23% | $26,266 | $27,000 |
| 10 | Tennessee State University Nashville Public · Bachelor's degree Small program | $23,868 | 16 | 34% | — | — |
Colleges awarding the most Music degrees in Tennessee
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 | Belmont University Nashville Private not-for-profit | 164 | $24,016 |
| 2 | Middle Tennessee State University Murfreesboro Public | 158 | $27,586 |
| 3 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Knoxville Public | 81 | $31,888 |
| 4 | University of Memphis Memphis Public | 71 | $27,353 |
| 5 | Vanderbilt University Nashville Private not-for-profit | 49 | Not reported |
| 6 | Lipscomb University Nashville Private not-for-profit | 30 | $19,352 |
| 7 | East Tennessee State University Johnson City Public | 30 | $30,004 |
| 8 | Austin Peay State University Clarksville Public | 28 | $39,008 |
| 9 | Lee University Cleveland Private not-for-profit | 25 | Not reported |
| 10 | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga Chattanooga Public | 24 | Not reported |
ShowHide the other 20 Tennessee colleges offering Music
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visible Music College | Memphis | Private not-for-profit | 23 |
| Tennessee Technological University | Cookeville | Public | 21 |
| Tennessee State University | Nashville | Public | 16 |
| The University of Tennessee-Martin | Martin | Public | 12 |
| Nashville State Community College | Nashville | Public | 11 |
| Trevecca Nazarene University | Nashville | Private not-for-profit | 9 |
| Carson-Newman University | Jefferson City | Private not-for-profit | 8 |
| The University of the South | Sewanee | Private not-for-profit | 7 |
| Union University | Jackson | Private not-for-profit | 6 |
| Rhodes College | Memphis | Private not-for-profit | 5 |
| Southern Adventist University | Collegedale | Private not-for-profit | 5 |
| Lane College | Jackson | Private not-for-profit | 4 |
| Cumberland University | Lebanon | Private not-for-profit | 3 |
| Freed-Hardeman University | Henderson | Private not-for-profit | 3 |
| Bryan College - Dayton | Dayton | Private not-for-profit | 2 |
| Welch College | Gallatin | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
| Le Moyne-Owen College | Memphis | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
| Maryville College | Maryville | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
| Volunteer State Community College | Gallatin | Public | 1 |
| Milligan University | Milligan | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Musicians and Singers (SOC 27-2042).
Top skills
What Musicians and Singers earn in Tennessee
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Music programs in Tennessee.
Which Tennessee colleges award the most Music degrees?+
Belmont University (164 graduates a year), Middle Tennessee State University (158 graduates a year) and The University of Tennessee-Knoxville (81 graduates a year) award the most Music degrees in Tennessee, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 30 Tennessee colleges offer Music.
What is the best college for Music in Tennessee?+
By graduate earnings, Tennessee Technological University leads among bachelor's Music programs in Tennessee, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $44,635, College Scorecard. Austin Peay State University and The University of Tennessee-Knoxville follow. By degrees awarded, Belmont University is the largest, with 164 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Music program in Tennessee has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Tennessee Technological University tops the list at $44,635. 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.
Explore every U.S. college in one conversation
Clema turns plain-language questions into sourced answers across every U.S. institution — earnings, aid, acceptance, graduation, safety, and athletics from IPEDS, College Scorecard, and 10+ federal datasets, built in.
Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card