Program Analysis
First-year earnings of $28,009 track close to the $28,116 national median for Music programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.
Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 14.8x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Music programs nationally.
Some AI exposure exists in Music's typical career paths, with 47% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 4% gap from the optimistic case.
Median debt of $17,250 represents roughly 7 months of the $28,009 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.
At #80 of 240 Music programs, California State University-Monterey Bay scores above the median — competitive but not a standout.