Best colleges for Music in Washington
Ranked by graduate earnings
Central Washington University, Pacific Lutheran University and Western Washington University are the top bachelor's Music programs in Washington by graduate earnings. Central Washington University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $25,532, College Scorecard. Central Washington University, University of Washington-Seattle Campus and Western Washington University award the most Music degrees in Washington: 77, 58 and 30 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 28 Washington colleges offer Music and award 417 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 6 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 | Central Washington University Ellensburg Public · Bachelor's degree | $25,532 | 77 | 54% | — | $26,000 |
| 2 | Pacific Lutheran University Tacoma Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $17,711 | 26 | 69% | $19,944 | $26,815 |
| 3 | Western Washington University Bellingham Public · Bachelor's degree | $15,834 | 30 | 65% | — | $20,055 |
| 4 | Northwest University Kirkland Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree Small program | $31,179 | 4 | 71% | $21,433 | $19,500 |
| 5 | University of Puget Sound Tacoma Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree Small program | $25,551 | 12 | 68% | $35,057 | $27,000 |
| 6 | Whitworth University Spokane Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree Small program | $25,027 | 6 | 71% | $23,510 | $26,000 |
Colleges awarding the most Music degrees in Washington
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 | Central Washington University Ellensburg Public | 77 | $25,532 |
| 2 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus Seattle Public | 58 | Not reported |
| 3 | Western Washington University Bellingham Public | 30 | $15,834 |
| 4 | Pacific Lutheran University Tacoma Private not-for-profit | 26 | $17,711 |
| 5 | Washington State University Pullman Public | 20 | Not reported |
| 6 | University of Puget Sound Tacoma Private not-for-profit | 12 | $25,551 |
| 7 | DigiPen Institute of Technology Redmond Private for-profit | 10 | Not reported |
| 8 | Eastern Washington University Cheney Public | 9 | Not reported |
| 9 | Whitman College Walla Walla Private not-for-profit | 9 | Not reported |
| 10 | Seattle Film Institute Seattle Private for-profit | 9 | Not reported |
ShowHide the other 18 Washington colleges offering Music
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shoreline College | Shoreline | Public | 99 |
| Seattle Pacific University | Seattle | Private not-for-profit | 8 |
| Clark College | Vancouver | Public | 7 |
| Pierce College District | Lakewood | Public | 6 |
| Whitworth University | Spokane | Private not-for-profit | 6 |
| Northwest University | Kirkland | Private not-for-profit | 4 |
| Saint Martin's University | Lacey | Private not-for-profit | 4 |
| Skagit Valley College | Mount Vernon | Public | 4 |
| Edmonds College | Lynnwood | Public | 3 |
| South Puget Sound Community College | Olympia | Public | 3 |
| Tacoma Community College | Tacoma | Public | 3 |
| Bellevue College | Bellevue | Public | 2 |
| Walla Walla University | College Place | Private not-for-profit | 2 |
| Whatcom Community College | Bellingham | Public | 2 |
| Gonzaga University | Spokane | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
| Grays Harbor College | Aberdeen | Public | 1 |
| Lower Columbia College | Longview | Public | 1 |
| Wenatchee Valley College | Wenatchee | Public | 1 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Musicians and Singers (SOC 27-2042).
Top skills
What Musicians and Singers earn in Washington
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Music programs in Washington.
Which Washington colleges award the most Music degrees?+
Central Washington University (77 graduates a year), University of Washington-Seattle Campus (58 graduates a year) and Western Washington University (30 graduates a year) award the most Music degrees in Washington, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 28 Washington colleges offer Music.
What is the best college for Music in Washington?+
By graduate earnings, Central Washington University leads among bachelor's Music programs in Washington, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $25,532, College Scorecard. Pacific Lutheran University and Western Washington University follow. By degrees awarded, Central Washington University is the largest, with 77 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Music program in Washington has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Central Washington University tops the list at $25,532. 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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