Best colleges for Music in Texas
Ranked by graduate earnings
Sam Houston State University, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and Texas A&M University - Kingsville are the top bachelor's Music programs in Texas by graduate earnings. Sam Houston State University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $59,926, College Scorecard. University of North Texas, The University of Texas at Austin and Texas Tech University award the most Music degrees in Texas: 299, 151 and 102 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 85 Texas colleges offer Music and award 2,090 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 | Sam Houston State University Huntsville Public · Bachelor's degree | $59,926 | 67 | 55% | — | $28,000 |
| 2 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Edinburg Public · Bachelor's degree | $56,373 | 43 | 51% | — | $20,920 |
| 3 | Texas A&M University - Kingsville Kingsville Public · Bachelor's degree | $56,072 | 42 | 42% | — | $31,000 |
| 4 | The University of Texas at El Paso El Paso Public · Bachelor's degree | $56,062 | 51 | 50% | — | $14,612 |
| 5 | University of Houston Houston Public · Bachelor's degree | $52,799 | 91 | 65% | — | $26,000 |
| 6 | East Texas A&M University Commerce Public · Bachelor's degree | $52,282 | 56 | 43% | — | $27,101 |
| 7 | Texas State University San Marcos Public · Bachelor's degree | $51,158 | 92 | 55% | — | $26,241 |
| 8 | West Texas A & M University Canyon Public · Bachelor's degree | $50,881 | 30 | 55% | — | $24,750 |
| 9 | Texas Tech University Lubbock Public · Bachelor's degree | $49,906 | 102 | 69% | — | $27,816 |
| 10 | Stephen F Austin State University Nacogdoches Public · Bachelor's degree | $47,318 | 93 | 53% | — | $27,000 |
Top certificate or associate program
Shorter credentials, ranked separately so they are not compared with four-year degrees. Ranked by median earnings one year after completion (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | American InterContinental University - Houston Houston Private for-profit · Certificate Small program | $22,690 | 9 | 5% | $18,264 | $9,500 |
Colleges awarding the most Music degrees in Texas
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 North Texas Denton Public | 299 | $31,450 |
| 2 | The University of Texas at Austin Austin Public | 151 | $39,564 |
| 3 | Texas Tech University Lubbock Public | 102 | $49,906 |
| 4 | Stephen F Austin State University Nacogdoches Public | 93 | $47,318 |
| 5 | Texas State University San Marcos Public | 92 | $51,158 |
| 6 | University of Houston Houston Public | 91 | $52,799 |
| 7 | Rice University Houston Private not-for-profit | 85 | Not reported |
| 8 | Southern Methodist University Dallas Private not-for-profit | 74 | $23,159 |
| 9 | Baylor University Waco Private not-for-profit | 73 | $10,210 |
| 10 | Sam Houston State University Huntsville Public | 67 | $59,926 |
ShowHide the other 75 Texas colleges offering Music
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Musicians and Singers (SOC 27-2042).
Top skills
What Musicians and Singers earn in Texas
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Music programs in Texas.
Which Texas colleges award the most Music degrees?+
University of North Texas (299 graduates a year), The University of Texas at Austin (151 graduates a year) and Texas Tech University (102 graduates a year) award the most Music degrees in Texas, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 85 Texas colleges offer Music.
What is the best college for Music in Texas?+
By graduate earnings, Sam Houston State University leads among bachelor's Music programs in Texas, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $59,926, College Scorecard. The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and Texas A&M University - Kingsville follow. By degrees awarded, University of North Texas is the largest, with 299 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Music program in Texas has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Sam Houston State University tops the list at $59,926. 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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