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CIP 50.0999 Visual and Performing Arts

Music, Other

IPEDS Completions, US Department of Education · 2025

Total graduates

1,185

2025 · 78 schools

International share

13.1%

155 international students

Bachelor's degrees

917

9.9% international

Master's degrees

189

30.2% international

Overview

The field of "Music, Other" encompasses a variety of specialized areas within the broader discipline of music that do not necessarily fit into conventional categories like performance, composition, or music education. This program often allows students to explore unique aspects of music that reflect their individual interests and career goals.

Students pursuing a degree in Music, Other might engage in interdisciplinary studies that combine music with technology, music therapy, ethnomusicology, or even music business. This flexibility encourages creativity and innovation, as students can tailor their education to include courses in areas such as sound design, music production, cultural studies of music, and digital media.

The curriculum typically emphasizes both theoretical and practical skills, enabling students to analyze music critically while also creating and producing their own works. This program may also provide opportunities for collaboration with peers from diverse musical backgrounds, fostering a rich learning environment.

Graduates of Music, Other are well-prepared for a wide range of careers in the music industry, including roles in music supervision, audio engineering, arts administration, and community music initiatives. Additionally, the skills developed in this program—such as creativity, critical thinking, and effective communication—are highly transferable and valued in many other fields. Overall, Music, Other represents a dynamic and evolving area of study that reflects the diverse nature of contemporary music and its impact on society.

Graduates by year

Graduates by degree level (first and second majors)

AssociateBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral

From 2002 to 2025, graduates fell 42% and the international share went from 9.3% to 13.1%.

International share (%)
Graduates by group, 2025
White
52.2%
Asian
4.1%
Hispanic
11.7%
Black
7.8%
Other
11.1%
Intl.
13.1%

Colleges that award this degree

In 2025, 78 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.

RankSchoolStateGraduatesInternational
#9 Johns Hopkins University Maryland 5 1
#12 Dartmouth College New Hampshire 3 1
#16 Vanderbilt University Tennessee 1 0
#27 University of Southern California California 30 13
#31 New York University New York 32 21
#34 University of California-Irvine California 2 1
#34 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Illinois 8 0
#44 Case Western Reserve University Ohio 3 0
#55 University of Miami Florida 39 1
#73 Indiana University-Bloomington Indiana 28 1
#80 University of California-Riverside California 6 0
#100 Elon University North Carolina 3 0
#116 University of Oregon Oregon 1 0
#116 Brigham Young University-Provo Utah 11 0
#121 University of South Carolina-Columbia South Carolina 5 2
#121 George Mason University Virginia 6 3
#148 Mercer University Georgia 6 2
#156 Oregon State University Oregon 1 0
#156 Duquesne University Pennsylvania 12 0
#169 DePaul University Illinois 19 0
#169 Butler University Indiana 4 0
#208 Belmont University Tennessee 118 0
#227 Ball State University Indiana 7 0
#236 University of Colorado Denver Colorado 6 0
#236 Stetson University Florida 11 0
#250 Lipscomb University Tennessee 22 0
#288 Biola University California 16 3
#288 University of Memphis Tennessee 11 0
#299 Saint Mary's University of Minnesota Minnesota 1 1
#317 University of Mary North Dakota 2 0
#342 Concordia University -- Irvine California 14 2
#353 Plymouth State University New Hampshire 3 0
#353 Trevecca Nazarene University Tennessee 5 1
#365 The University of Montana Montana 29 0
#365 Liberty University Virginia 54 1
#382 University of Colorado--Colorado Springs Colorado 8 0
#382 Palm Beach Atlantic University Florida 1 0
#382 Saint Leo University Florida 1 0
#382 Regent University Virginia 3 0
LAC #14 Wesleyan University Connecticut 17 5
LAC #22 Colby College Maine 1 1
LAC #57 Wheaton College (IL) Illinois 7 1
LAC #59 Oberlin College Ohio 16 0
LAC #142 Houghton University New York 7 0
— Berklee College of Music Massachusetts 292 53
— California State University-Northridge California 38 0
— Long Island University New York 30 0
— Capital University Ohio 23 0
— Honolulu Community College Hawaii 17 0
— Columbia College Chicago Illinois 17 9
— Musicians Institute California 16 12
— County College of Morris New Jersey 14 0
— John C Calhoun State Community College Alabama 13 0
— Brookdale Community College New Jersey 13 1
— University of North Georgia Georgia 13 1
— California State University-Chico California 11 0
— The Juilliard School New York 9 5
— Henry Ford College Michigan 6 0
— Tiffin University Ohio 5 0
— Vermont State University Vermont 5 0
— Western Kentucky University Kentucky 4 0
— Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Missouri 4 0
— Grace College and Theological Seminary Indiana 3 0
— Concordia College at Moorhead Minnesota 3 0
— Messiah University Pennsylvania 3 0
— Seton Hill University Pennsylvania 3 0
— Lee University Tennessee 3 0
— The University of Tennessee-Martin Tennessee 3 0
— Alverno College Wisconsin 3 0
— Judson University Illinois 2 2
— Bethel College-North Newton Kansas 2 0
— Cornerstone University Michigan 2 1
— Northwest University Washington 2 0
— Northwest Nazarene University Idaho 1 0

Purple: international students are 25% or more of the school's graduates.

Related jobs and pay

OccupationUS employmentMean hourly wageMean annual wage
Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary 93,560 — $94,700
Musicians and Singers 36,180 $60.46 —
Music Directors and Composers 12,540 $43.50 $90,470

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.

Graduate counts: IPEDS Completions, US Department of Education, 2002–2025. Rankings: 2027 U.S. News.