Berklee College of Music
A good fit for students considering a private nonprofit institution in Massachusetts. no major red flags in the data. a private nonprofit school with 7,468 students.
About This School
Berklee College of Music is a private nonprofit institution located in Boston, Massachusetts with approximately 7,468 undergraduate students enrolled. The school is moderately selective, accepting approximately 44% of applicants. The average net price after financial aid is $49,465 per year. The graduation rate is 67%, and the typical graduate earns $38,300 within 10 years of enrollment.
Berklee College of Music is a private music college in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern American music, it also offers college-level courses in a wide range of contemporary and historic styles, including rock, hip hop, reggae, salsa, heavy metal and bluegrass.
The numbers tell a mixed story here: while the $15,750 median debt at graduation is refreshingly low, median earnings of $38,300 a decade out raise real questions about whether a $50,404/year net price is sustainable — especially with a 66% graduation rate meaning roughly 1 in 3 students don't finish. That said, if you're a serious, focused musician committed to contemporary styles like jazz, hip-hop, or rock, there's genuinely no larger independent music college in the world, and the Boston location and peer community are hard to replicate — just go in with a clear career plan and financial eyes wide open.
Popular Programs
Percentage of degrees awarded. Source: College Scorecard.
Notable Alumni
Source: Wikidata. Used for context only.
Admissions
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Cost & Financial Aid
Net Price by Family Income
Average annual cost after grants/scholarships, by household income. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Financial Aid
Full Cost
After Graduation
Earnings 6 Years After Enrollment, by Gender
Gap: -8% less for female graduates. National avg ~16%.
What Each Major Actually Earns
Median earnings four years after graduation, by major, next to the national median for that same major at every college. The school-wide average hides this: at most schools the spread between the best- and worst-paying majors is far wider than the gap between schools.
Berklee College of Music graduates earn most above the national rate in Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management ($59,703 vs $48,240 nationally), and most below it in Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians, Other ($48,069 vs $81,678).
| Major | Grads | Here | National | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Music | 625 | $38,617 | $42,892 | −$4,275 |
| Computer Software and Media Applications | 440 | $40,186 | $58,894 | −$18,708 |
| Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians, Other | 215 | $48,069 | $81,678 | −$33,609 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management | 154 | $59,703 | $48,240 | +$11,463 |
| Dance | 36 | $35,702 | $39,980 | −$4,278 |
U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field-of-study data. Median earnings of graduates working and not enrolled four years after completing a bachelor's degreehere. Majors with too few graduates to report are omitted for privacy, so this is not the school's full program list.
Will This School Pay Off?
Solid return. Earnings outpace debt, though major choice matters.
Earnings data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. These are means across all graduates, not specific to any major.
Student Body
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (7,468 undergraduates).
Contact & Location
Official Links
Schools Like This in Massachusetts
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Medford, MA · Private nonprofit
Harvard University
Cambridge, MA · Private nonprofit
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA · Private nonprofit
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Worcester, MA · Private nonprofit
Bentley University
Waltham, MA · Private nonprofit
Emerson College
Boston, MA · Private nonprofit
See How Colleges Compare
Berklee College of Music is one of thousands of colleges in our data studies, each built from the same U.S. Department of Education data shown on this page. Compare schools head to head:
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the acceptance rate at Berklee College of Music?
Berklee College of Music has an acceptance rate of 44%, based on the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Education.
Is Berklee College of Music hard to get into?
Berklee College of Music is moderately selective, with an acceptance rate of 44%. Solid grades and a complete application give most applicants a real shot.
How much does Berklee College of Music cost?
The average net price at Berklee College of Music is about $49,465 per year after grants and scholarships, based on federal data. Your actual cost depends on your family's finances and aid package.
What is the graduation rate at Berklee College of Music?
Berklee College of Music has a graduation rate of 67%, according to U.S. Department of Education data.
Sources & Methodology
Primary data source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Accessed via automated sync. Latest values may come from different reporting years depending on the metric.
School overview from Wikipedia. Used for context only, not as a primary data source for admissions, cost, or outcomes claims.
- Earnings figures are institution-level averages, not major-specific.
- Some metrics are based on Title IV financial aid recipients only.
- Some values may be privacy-suppressed or rolled up by the Department of Education.
- Contact the school directly for current admissions requirements and costs.
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