CIP 50.0903 Visual and Performing Arts

Music Performance, General

IPEDS Completions, US Department of Education · 2025

中文

Total graduates

6,684

2025 · 367 schools

International share

17.6%

1,176 international students

Bachelor's degrees

3,848

9.4% international

Master's degrees

2,162

28.5% international

Overview

Music Performance, General is a vibrant and dynamic field of study that focuses on the art of performing music in various styles and settings. This program is designed for students who aspire to develop their skills as musicians, whether as soloists, ensemble members, or in other performance contexts. The curriculum typically includes a combination of practical performance training, music theory, music history, and ear training, providing a comprehensive foundation for aspiring musicians.

Students in this program usually receive individual instruction on their primary instrument or voice, allowing them to refine their technical skills and artistic expression. Additionally, they may have opportunities to participate in ensembles, orchestras, and chamber groups, which enhance their collaborative skills and experience in live performance settings.

Moreover, Music Performance, General often emphasizes the importance of engaging with a wide variety of musical genres, including classical, jazz, contemporary, and world music. This diversity allows students to expand their musical repertoire and adaptability as performers.

In addition to performance skills, students may also explore topics such as stage presence, improvisation, and music composition, preparing them for a range of career paths in the music industry. Graduates can pursue careers as professional musicians, music educators, or other roles within the arts, such as conducting, arranging, or even music therapy.

Overall, a degree in Music Performance, General equips students with the essential skills and knowledge to thrive in the competitive world of music, fostering creativity, technical prowess, and a deep appreciation for the art form.

Graduates by year

Graduates by degree level (first and second majors)

5,969 02

5,981 03

6,139 04

6,405 05

6,731 06

6,683 07

7,206 08

7,401 09

7,629 10

7,515 11

7,645 12

7,789 13

7,718 14

7,569 15

7,712 16

7,186 17

7,251 18

7,299 19

7,348 20

6,913 21

6,815 22

6,784 23

6,743 24

6,684 25

AssociateBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral

From 2002 to 2025, graduates grew 12% and the international share went from 14.8% to 17.6%.

International share (%)

15 02

15 03

14 04

12 05

13 06

13 07

14 08

14 09

13 10

15 11

14 12

15 13

15 14

16 15

16 16

15 17

16 18

15 19

16 20

15 21

14 22

16 23

17 24

18 25

Graduates by group, 2025

White

50.7%

Asian

7.1%

Hispanic

12.4%

Black

5.2%

Other

7.0%

Intl.

17.6%

Colleges that award this degree

In 2025, 367 schools awarded this degree as a first major. The table lists those in the 2027 U.S. News National or Liberal Arts rankings, plus the unranked schools with the most graduates.

Rank	School	State	Graduates	International
#3	Harvard University	Massachusetts	7	3
#4	Yale University	Connecticut	25	3
#9	Northwestern University	Illinois	44	2
#9	Johns Hopkins University	Maryland	183	68
#14	Carnegie Mellon University	Pennsylvania	28	7
#20	University of California-Los Angeles	California	38	0
#25	University of Michigan-Ann Arbor	Michigan	158	25
#27	University of Southern California	California	31	3
#27	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	North Carolina	10	0
#29	University of California-San Diego	California	8	1
#31	New York University	New York	134	29
#34	University of California-Irvine	California	14	3
#34	University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign	Illinois	15	0
#34	Boston University	Massachusetts	109	47
#34	Wake Forest University	North Carolina	1	0
#34	The University of Texas at Austin	Texas	28	2
#34	University of Wisconsin-Madison	Wisconsin	36	5
#44	Rutgers University-New Brunswick	New Jersey	92	13
#44	Ohio State University-Main Campus	Ohio	10	0
#49	University of Maryland-College Park	Maryland	26	1
#49	University of Rochester	New York	156	39
#49	University of Washington-Seattle Campus	Washington	1	0
#52	University of Georgia	Georgia	16	0
#55	University of Miami	Florida	28	2
#55	The Pennsylvania State University	Pennsylvania	18	2
#59	Florida State University	Florida	109	13
#59	University of Massachusetts-Amherst	Massachusetts	18	1
#59	Stony Brook University	New York	46	14
#69	Michigan State University	Michigan	72	22
#72	Syracuse University	New York	7	3
#73	University of Connecticut	Connecticut	4	1
#73	Indiana University-Bloomington	Indiana	309	93
#73	Binghamton University	New York	10	4
#85	University of Delaware	Delaware	4	0
#85	University at Buffalo	New York	6	0
#85	Southern Methodist University	Texas	22	1
#90	Baylor University	Texas	48	10
#90	Texas Christian University	Texas	10	2
#90	Gonzaga University	Washington	1	0
#95	University of Illinois at Chicago	Illinois	1	0
#100	Chapman University	California	2	0
#100	University of South Florida-Main Campus	Florida	41	10
#100	Elon University	North Carolina	2	0
#109	University of California-Santa Cruz	California	15	1
#109	University of Colorado Boulder	Colorado	104	3
#109	Temple University	Pennsylvania	41	12
#116	University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus	Oklahoma	19	6
#116	University of Oregon	Oregon	28	9
#116	Brigham Young University-Provo	Utah	19	0
#121	Arizona State University-Tempe	Arizona	81	11
#121	University of Arizona	Arizona	13	0
#121	University of the Pacific	California	6	0
#121	University of Denver	Colorado	12	1
#121	University of Central Florida	Florida	41	1
#121	University of South Carolina-Columbia	South Carolina	30	12
#121	George Mason University	Virginia	45	1
#133	Miami University-Oxford	Ohio	14	3
#137	California State University--Long Beach	California	82	2
#137	San Diego State University	California	57	3
#137	San Jose State University	California	35	0
#137	University of Maryland-Baltimore County	Maryland	7	0
#137	University of Houston	Texas	12	0
#137	James Madison University	Virginia	68	0
#148	California State University-Los Angeles	California	38	3
#148	Catholic University of America	D.C.	12	0
#148	Mercer University	Georgia	2	0
#148	University of Kentucky	Kentucky	20	2
#148	University of Massachusetts-Lowell	Massachusetts	4	0
#156	California State University-Fullerton	California	42	4
#156	University of St Thomas (MN)	Minnesota	2	0
#156	Montclair State University	New Jersey	19	1
#156	Oregon State University	Oregon	9	1
#156	Duquesne University	Pennsylvania	27	4
#156	Virginia Commonwealth University	Virginia	34	0
#169	DePaul University	Illinois	59	4
#169	Butler University	Indiana	10	1
#169	University of North Carolina at Charlotte	North Carolina	14	0
#179	CUNY Hunter College	New York	14	0
#179	University of Cincinnati-Main Campus	Ohio	147	51
#186	Texas Tech University	Texas	1	0
#191	University of Arkansas	Arkansas	32	0
#191	Georgia State University	Georgia	62	4
#191	Drake University	Iowa	5	0
#191	Rowan University	New Jersey	3	1
#191	Washington State University	Washington	2	0
#202	Sacred Heart University	Connecticut	1	0
#202	Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College	Louisiana	68	8
#202	Ohio University-Main Campus	Ohio	24	8
#208	California State University--Fresno	California	21	0
#208	California State University-Sacramento	California	46	0
#208	University of Idaho	Idaho	6	0
#208	Mississippi State University	Mississippi	2	0
#208	University of North Carolina at Greensboro	North Carolina	75	12
#208	Xavier University	Ohio	1	0
#208	Belmont University	Tennessee	18	1
#208	University of North Texas	Texas	127	38
#219	Illinois State University	Illinois	16	0
#219	University of Nevada-Reno	Nevada	5	0
#227	San Francisco State University	California	20	0
#227	Ball State University	Indiana	7	0
#227	The New School	New York	66	35
#227	University of North Dakota	North Dakota	2	0
#227	West Chester University of Pennsylvania	Pennsylvania	10	3
#236	University of North Florida	Florida	27	3
#236	Stetson University	Florida	12	2
#236	Bethel University	Minnesota	2	0
#236	University of New Mexico-Main Campus	New Mexico	39	8
#236	Kent State University at Kent	Ohio	7	4
#236	Portland State University	Oregon	11	0
#236	Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania	Pennsylvania	2	0
#236	University of Texas-Arlington	Texas	11	1
#250	University of Missouri--Kansas City	Missouri	56	19
#250	New Mexico State University-Main Campus	New Mexico	11	2
#250	Lipscomb University	Tennessee	1	0
#250	University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley	Texas	6	0
#250	University of Wyoming	Wyoming	3	0
#262	University of Maine	Maine	4	1
#262	Andrews University	Michigan	8	2
#262	Central Michigan University	Michigan	10	6
#262	University of South Dakota	South Dakota	4	1
#276	Northern Arizona University	Arizona	15	0
#276	Harding University	Arkansas	1	0
#276	California Baptist University	California	3	0
#276	Western Michigan University	Michigan	23	7
#276	Bowling Green State University-Main Campus	Ohio	53	14
#288	Biola University	California	6	1
#288	University of Indianapolis	Indiana	3	0
#288	Wichita State University	Kansas	18	2
#288	Texas State University	Texas	15	0
#288	Shenandoah University	Virginia	49	8
#299	Boise State University	Idaho	6	0
#299	University of Nebraska--Omaha	Nebraska	7	0
#299	University of Toledo	Ohio	4	0
#308	Northern Illinois University	Illinois	56	5
#308	Oakland University	Michigan	3	0
#308	University of Southern Mississippi	Mississippi	13	1
#317	Xavier University of Louisiana	Louisiana	1	0
#317	University of Mary	North Dakota	1	0
#317	Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus	Pennsylvania	4	0
#317	Emory & Henry University	Virginia	1	0
#317	Augusta University	Georgia	2	0
#328	Old Dominion University	Virginia	21	0
#332	Jacksonville University	Florida	11	1
#342	Missouri State University	Missouri	9	0
#342	University of Akron	Ohio	17	1
#342	Kennesaw State University	Georgia	25	1
#353	Arkansas State University	Arkansas	5	0
#353	University of Louisiana--Lafayette	Louisiana	21	0
#353	University of Michigan--Flint	Michigan	1	0
#353	Youngstown State University	Ohio	14	2
#353	Trevecca Nazarene University	Tennessee	3	0
#365	University of Central Arkansas	Arkansas	24	5
#365	University of Louisiana--Monroe	Louisiana	4	0
#365	Jackson State University	Mississippi	2	0
#365	William Carey University	Mississippi	5	1
#365	Liberty University	Virginia	5	0
#376	Belhaven University	Mississippi	1	0
#382	University of Alaska Fairbanks	Alaska	2	0
#382	Columbus State University	Georgia	39	11
#382	Valdosta State University	Georgia	10	2
#382	Idaho State University	Idaho	4	0
#382	Roosevelt University	Illinois	3	1
#382	University of New Orleans	Louisiana	5	1
#382	Southern University and A&M College	Louisiana	7	0
#382	University of Southern Maine	Maine	16	0
#382	Wright State University-Main Campus	Ohio	10	1
#382	Northeastern State University	Oklahoma	1	0
#382	Dallas Baptist University	Texas	2	0
#382	East Texas A&M University	Texas	5	0
#382	Tarleton State University	Texas	3	0
#382	Inter American University of Puerto Rico, Metropolitan Campus	Puerto Rico	14	0
LAC #38	Trinity University	Texas	1	0
LAC #49	DePauw University	Indiana	5	0
LAC #49	St. Olaf College	Minnesota	8	0
LAC #54	Gettysburg College	Pennsylvania	3	0
LAC #57	Wheaton College (IL)	Illinois	7	0
LAC #57	Furman University	South Carolina	10	0
LAC #59	Oberlin College	Ohio	88	16
LAC #68	Lawrence University	Wisconsin	42	1
LAC #72	Bard College	New York	55	22
LAC #85	Susquehanna University	Pennsylvania	1	0
LAC #91	College of Wooster	Ohio	1	0
LAC #91	Southwestern University	Texas	1	0
LAC #100	University of Puget Sound	Washington	6	0
LAC #106	Transylvania University	Kentucky	1	0
LAC #119	Coe College	Iowa	1	0
LAC #119	Albion College	Michigan	3	0
LAC #119	Meredith College	North Carolina	6	0
LAC #119	Christopher Newport University	Virginia	7	0
LAC #119	California State University-Channel Islands	California	1	0
LAC #128	Cornell College	Iowa	1	0
LAC #128	SUNY at Purchase College	New York	11	0
LAC #138	Truman State University	Missouri	3	1
LAC #140	Alcorn State University	Mississippi	9	0
LAC #142	Houghton University	New York	4	0
LAC #146	Gordon College	Massachusetts	4	1
LAC #160	Salem College	North Carolina	1	0
LAC #172	Brigham Young University-Idaho	Idaho	30	1
LAC #184	Utah Tech University	Utah	4	0
LAC #184	Glenville State University	West Virginia	3	0
LAC #184	West Virginia State University	West Virginia	2	0
—	Berklee College of Music	Massachusetts	347	126
—	Musicians Institute	California	90	48
—	Cleveland Institute of Music	Ohio	84	22
—	California State University-Northridge	California	78	11
—	Oklahoma City University	Oklahoma	49	4
—	University of North Carolina School of the Arts	North Carolina	47	8
—	SUNY at Fredonia	New York	35	3
—	Messiah University	Pennsylvania	32	2
—	Lynn University	Florida	29	10
—	Western Carolina University	North Carolina	26	0
—	Northwestern State University of Louisiana	Louisiana	25	8
—	University of Redlands	California	24	0
—	Ithaca College	New York	24	0
—	Western Illinois University	Illinois	22	1
—	Appalachian State University	North Carolina	22	0
—	CUNY Queens College	New York	21	2
—	Visible Music College	Tennessee	21	0
—	Curtis Institute of Music	Pennsylvania	20	10
—	Southeastern Louisiana University	Louisiana	18	1
—	Glendale Community College	Arizona	15	0
—	Five Towns College	New York	15	0
—	University of West Florida	Florida	14	0
—	Pittsburg State University	Kansas	14	1
—	Virginia State University	Virginia	14	0
—	Western Kentucky University	Kentucky	13	0
—	Lebanon Valley College	Pennsylvania	13	0
—	Florida Gulf Coast University	Florida	13	0
—	Longy School of Music of Bard College	Massachusetts	12	8
—	Onondaga Community College	New York	12	0
—	University of Central Oklahoma	Oklahoma	12	2