Music Degree in Arlington, TX — Salary & ROI 2026
Music degree analysis for Arlington, TX. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$37K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$51K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
21.8 yrs
in Arlington
Cost of Living
93.5
index (100 = avg)
Music in Arlington, TX Overview
Arlington, Texas (pop. 394,266) has 14 colleges offering Music programs. The local cost of living index of 93.5 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $795/month. Although national enrollment in Music has been declining, graduates with skills in Performance and Music Theory remain competitive in the job market. The adjusted starting salary in Arlington is approximately $37,400.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
14
Public Tuition
$10,900/yr
Private Tuition
$36,000/yr
Room & Board
$14,627/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$14,822/yr
Unemployment
3.3%
Graduation Rate
51%
Music Salary in Arlington (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Arlington's cost of living index of 93.5 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Music salary: $40,000 starting, $55,000 mid-career, $68,000 senior level.Arlington adjustment factor: 0.94x based on the local cost of living index.
Music ROI Calculator for Arlington
Estimate your return on investment for a Music degree using local Arlington tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $10,900 | Private avg: $36,000
Arlington avg aid: $14,822/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$102,108
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$4,675
vs HS diploma in Arlington
ROI Payback Period
21.8 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Arlington
$-8,608
Lifetime earnings premium ($93,500) minus total education cost ($102,108)
Student Loan Payoff for Music in Arlington
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Arlington for Music
Arlington State University
public
$11,254/yr
$45,016 total
University of Arlington
public
$12,320/yr
$49,280 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Arlington Community College
$5,331/yr
Texas Technical College - Arlington
$5,252/yr
Top Employers for Music in Arlington
Arlington offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Music graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Arlington Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Music Job Titles
Music in Nearby Texas Cities
Houston, TX
$46K starting · COL 115
90 colleges
San Antonio, TX
$48K starting · COL 120
58 colleges
Dallas, TX
$42K starting · COL 104
82 colleges
Austin, TX
$43K starting · COL 107
30 colleges
Fort Worth, TX
$40K starting · COL 101
19 colleges
El Paso, TX
$37K starting · COL 93
38 colleges
Corpus Christi, TX
$33K starting · COL 82
22 colleges
Plano, TX
$34K starting · COL 85
9 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Arlington
Chinese Studies
$51K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$47K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$41K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$47K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$39K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$41K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$47K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$39K starting · 5 yr ROI
Music Degree in Arlington — FAQ
Data Sources: Salary data from BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Cost of living from BLS Regional Data. College data from NCES/IPEDS. Updated March 2026.
Explore More
Compare Music ROI in other cities, or explore other majors in Arlington.