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Music at San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA · Public · Bachelor's Degree

DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $31,621/yr (12% vs median)

AI Risk High (47% exposed)

Job Market Very Large (101,600 openings/yr)

ROI 15.2x earnings multiple (5.9x out-of-state)

Ranked #91 of 240 Music programs Top 50%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Music graduates.

	Optimistic No Disruption	Base Case Gradual AI	Pessimistic Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings	$447K	$452K	$427K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	15.1x	15.2x	14.4x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	5.8x	5.9x	5.5x
Probability of Field Employment	35%	31%	24%
DegreeOutlook Score	32	32	22

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)

$29,696

Out-of-state: $77,216 (5.9x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$51,528

-74% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$15,500

5.9 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$30,461

Small cohort — data may not reflect typical outcomes

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $31,621 at San Francisco State University come in 12% above the national median of $28,116 for Music programs.

The 15.2x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.

AI risk is moderate — 47% task exposure — and the 5% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

With first-year pay of $31,621 far exceeding the $15,500 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.

Ranked #91 out of 240 programs, San Francisco State University's Music offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.

About San Francisco State University

San Francisco State University accepts 96% of applicants — an open-access institution by design, one of the larger campuses at 20,033 students in San Francisco, CA. 41% of students receive Pell Grants, indicating strong socioeconomic diversity.

See all programs and financial aid at San Francisco State University →

Top Career Paths

Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary $80,190/yr

Sound engineering technicians $66,430/yr

Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education $64,580/yr

View all 6 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Music at Other Schools

Other Majors at San Francisco State University

Is a Trade Program a Better Fit?

For students who prefer applied learning, trade programs can deliver strong earnings with significantly less debt and shorter time to employment.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does San Francisco State University's Music program score?

This program scores 32/100 — on the lower end for Music. Prospective students should carefully weigh costs against likely earnings.

How vulnerable is Music to AI automation?

AI won't 'replace' Music careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 47% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.

Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →