Music: Montana State University vs Texas State University

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
Texas State University
San Marcos, TX
In-State
15.1x
$32,332 tuition
11.4x
$45,800 tuition
Out-of-State
3.9x
$125,348 tuition
5.6x
$92,840 tuition
$488,547 10-yr earnings · Public
$521,935 10-yr earnings · Public

Head-to-Head

Montana State University Texas State University
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 15.1x 11.4x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 3.9x 5.6x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $32,332 $45,800
Year 1 Earnings $38,807 $51,158
10-Year Earnings $489K $522K
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 48/100 47/100
Acceptance Rate 86.8% 89.5%

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.

Montana State University Texas State University
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $32,332 $45,800
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $125,348 $92,840
10-Year Projected Earnings $489K $522K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 15.1x 11.4x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 3.9x 5.6x
5-Year Salary Growth +20% +-0%

"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.

Montana State University Texas State University
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $488K $489K $455K $525K $522K $481K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 15.1x 15.1x 14.1x 11.5x 11.4x 10.5x
DegreeWorth Score 48 48 37 48 47 37

For the full AI analysis of Music career paths, see the Montana State University or Texas State University program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

Projected annual earnings for Music graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$13,468
Montana State University saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$12,351/yr
Texas State University grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
15.1x / 11.4x
Out-of-state: 3.9x / 5.6x

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%
Want to compare different schools or majors? Try the freeform comparison tool →

Explore Each Program

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Music Overview

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Music: Montana State University or Texas State University?
Montana State University scores 48/100 while Texas State University scores 47/100. Montana State University has significantly lower tuition, which drives its higher ROI. The best choice depends on whether you prioritize raw earnings or return on investment.
Which school has better ROI for Music?
Montana State University has an in-state earnings multiple of 15.1x vs Texas State University's 11.4x. That means Montana State University grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition.
How do Montana State University and Texas State University compare on Music earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $38,807 at Montana State University vs $51,158 at Texas State University. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $488,547 vs $521,935 — a difference of $33,388.
How much does Music cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $32,332 at Montana State University and $45,800 at Texas State University. Both programs lead to the same Music career paths — the cost difference is the main factor in ROI.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034 (employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE. Scenarios use a continuous weighting function combining AI exposure and BLS job growth projections. "Earnings Multiple" is total 10-year projected earnings divided by tuition — not a discounted financial ROI. Last updated 2025.