Music: Sam Houston State University vs The University of Texas at Austin

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
In-State
15.0x
$36,912 tuition
11.0x
$46,712 tuition
Out-of-State
7.3x
$76,080 tuition
3.0x
$171,112 tuition
$553,247 10-yr earnings · Public
$513,025 10-yr earnings · Public

Head-to-Head

Sam Houston State University The University of Texas at Austin
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 15.0x 11.0x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 7.3x 3.0x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $36,912 $46,712
Year 1 Earnings $59,926 $39,564
10-Year Earnings $553K $513K
Median Debt $25,630 $24,625
Debt-to-Earnings Ratio 5.1 months 7.5 months
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 53/100 42/100
Acceptance Rate 85.4% 29.1%

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.

Sam Houston State University The University of Texas at Austin
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $36,912 $46,712
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $76,080 $171,112
10-Year Projected Earnings $553K $513K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 15.0x 11.0x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 7.3x 3.0x
5-Year Salary Growth +-21% +33%

"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.

Sam Houston State University The University of Texas at Austin
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $560K $553K $505K $515K $513K $474K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 15.2x 15.0x 13.7x 11.0x 11.0x 10.2x
DegreeWorth Score 54 53 45 43 42 32

For the full AI analysis of Music career paths, see the Sam Houston State University or The University of Texas at Austin program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

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

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$9,800
Sam Houston State University saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$20,362/yr
Sam Houston State University grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
15.0x / 11.0x
Out-of-state: 7.3x / 3.0x

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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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Music: Sam Houston State University or The University of Texas at Austin?
Sam Houston State University scores 53/100 while The University of Texas at Austin scores 42/100. Sam Houston 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?
Sam Houston State University has an in-state earnings multiple of 15.0x vs The University of Texas at Austin's 11.0x. That means Sam Houston State University grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition.
How do Sam Houston State University and The University of Texas at Austin compare on Music earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $59,926 at Sam Houston State University vs $39,564 at The University of Texas at Austin. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $553,247 vs $513,025 — a difference of $40,222.
How much does Music cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $36,912 at Sam Houston State University and $46,712 at The University of Texas at Austin. Median debt at graduation is $25,630 vs $24,625. 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.