Music: Lamar University vs Montana State University
Head-to-Head
| Lamar University | Montana State University | |
|---|---|---|
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 14.8x | 15.1x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 7.0x | 3.9x |
| 4-Year Tuition (In-State) | $34,760 | $32,332 |
| Year 1 Earnings | $42,328 | $38,807 |
| 10-Year Earnings | $514K | $489K |
| DegreeWorth Score (In-State) | 49/100 | 48/100 |
| Acceptance Rate | 85.7% | 86.8% |
Both programs have high AI automation risk (47% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Music graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →
ROI Breakdown
How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Music graduates.
| Lamar University | Montana State University | |
|---|---|---|
| 4-Year Tuition (In-State) | $34,760 | $32,332 |
| 4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) | $73,928 | $125,348 |
| 10-Year Projected Earnings | $514K | $489K |
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 14.8x | 15.1x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 7.0x | 3.9x |
| 5-Year Salary Growth | +27% | +20% |
"Earnings Multiple" = projected 10-year earnings ÷ 4-year tuition. Higher is better. Not a discounted financial ROI.
AI Disruption Scenarios
Both schools share identical AI exposure for Music (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.
| Lamar University | Montana State University | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optim. | Base | Pessim. | Optim. | Base | Pessim. | |
| 10-Year Earnings | $517K | $514K | $475K | $488K | $489K | $455K |
| Earnings Multiple (IS) | 14.9x | 14.8x | 13.7x | 15.1x | 15.1x | 14.1x |
| DegreeWorth Score | 50 | 49 | 38 | 48 | 48 | 37 |
For the full AI analysis of Music career paths, see the Lamar University or Montana State University program pages.
Earnings Trajectory Comparison
Projected annual earnings for Music graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.
Career Paths
Music graduates from both schools map to the same career paths. Differences in earnings reflect school prestige, location, and employer networks.
| Career Path | Wage | Openings/yr | Growth | AI Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary | $80,190 | 9,000 | +1.7% | 44% |
| Sound engineering technicians | $66,430 | 1,200 | -1.7% | 43% |
| Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education | $64,580 | 66,200 | -1.6% | 33% |
| Music directors and composers | $63,670 | 4,300 | -0.3% | 71% |
| Musicians and singers | N/A | 19,400 | +1.1% | 41% |
| Disc jockeys, except radio | N/A | 1,500 | +3.8% | 53% |