by our College Data Analytics TeamWe've gathered data and other essential information about the program, such as the average salary of graduates, ethnicity of students, how many students graduated in recent times, and more. Also, learn how Northwestern ranks among other schools offering degrees in music.
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Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
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The bachelor's program at Northwestern was ranked #1 on College Factual's Best Schools for music list. It is also ranked #1 in Illinois.
| Ranking Type | Rank |
|---|---|
| Best Music Schools | 1 |
| Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools | 1 |
| Best Music Graduate Degree Schools | 1 |
| Best Music Master’s Degree Schools | 1 |
| Best Music Doctor’s Degree Schools | 1 |
During the 2021-2022 academic year, Northwestern University handed out 86 bachelor's degrees in music. This is an increase of 6% over the previous year when 81 degrees were handed out.
In 2022, 58 students received their master’s degree in music from Northwestern. This makes it the #19 most popular school for music master’s degree candidates in the country.
In addition, 17 students received their doctoral degrees in music in 2022, making the school the #27 most popular school in the United States for this category of students.
Music majors who earn their bachelor's degree from Northwestern go on to jobs where they make a median salary of $34,823 a year. This is great news for graduates of the program, since this figure is higher than the national average of $26,036 for all music bachelor's degree recipients.
While getting their bachelor's degree at Northwestern, music students borrow a median amount of $67,010 in student loans. This is higher than the the typical median of $41,145 for all music majors across the country.
During the 2022-2023 academic year, part-time undergraduate students at Northwestern paid an average of $7,690 per credit hour. No discount was available for in-state students. The average full-time tuition and fees for undergraduates are shown in the table below.
| In State | Out of State | |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $64,887 | $64,887 |
| Fees | $1,110 | $1,110 |
| Books and Supplies | $1,686 | $1,686 |
| On Campus Room and Board | $20,334 | $20,334 |
| On Campus Other Expenses | $3,273 | $3,273 |
Learn more about Northwestern tuition and fees.
Of the 86 music students who graduated with a bachelor's degree in 2021-2022 from Northwestern, about 51% were men and 49% were women.
The majority of the students with this major are white. About 59% of 2022 graduates were in this category.
The following table and chart show the ethnic background for students who recently graduated from Northwestern University with a bachelor's in music.
| Ethnic Background | Number of Students |
|---|---|
| Asian | 18 |
| Black or African American | 1 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 5 |
| White | 51 |
| Non-Resident Aliens | 4 |
| Other Races | 7 |
Northwestern does not offer an online option for its music bachelor’s degree program at this time. To see if the school offers distance learning options in other areas, visit the Northwestern Online Learning page.
Music majors graduating with a master's degree from Northwestern make a median salary of $21,290 a year. This is less than what their typical peers from other schools make. Their median salary is $29,974.
Of the 62 students who graduated with a Master’s in music from Northwestern in 2022, 50% were men and 50% were women.
The majority of master's degree recipients in this major at Northwestern are white. In the most recent graduating class for which data is available, 66% of students fell into this category.
The following table and chart show the ethnic background for students who recently graduated from Northwestern University with a master's in music.
| Ethnic Background | Number of Students |
|---|---|
| Asian | 7 |
| Black or African American | 0 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1 |
| White | 41 |
| Non-Resident Aliens | 5 |
| Other Races | 8 |
Take a look at the following statistics related to the make-up of the music majors at Northwestern University.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Drama & Theater Arts | 118 |
| Arts & Media Management | 87 |
| Fine & Studio Arts | 24 |
| Film, Video & Photographic Arts | 14 |
| Dance | 5 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
