Music Degree in Arlington, VA — Salary & ROI 2026
Music degree analysis for Arlington, VA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$57K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$78K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
17.1 yrs
in Arlington
Cost of Living
142.5
index (100 = avg)
Music in Arlington, VA Overview
Arlington, Virginia (pop. 238,643) has 9 colleges offering Music programs. The local cost of living index of 142.5 is higher than average, so budget accordingly, with average rent near campus at $2,040/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 $57,000.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
9
Public Tuition
$14,200/yr
Private Tuition
$38,000/yr
Room & Board
$16,293/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$10,637/yr
Unemployment
2.2%
Graduation Rate
60%
Music Salary in Arlington (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Arlington's cost of living index of 142.5 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Music salary: $40,000 starting, $55,000 mid-career, $68,000 senior level.Arlington adjustment factor: 1.43x 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: $14,200 | Private avg: $38,000
Arlington avg aid: $10,637/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$121,972
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$7,125
vs HS diploma in Arlington
ROI Payback Period
17.1 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Arlington
$20,528
Lifetime earnings premium ($142,500) minus total education cost ($121,972)
Student Loan Payoff for Music in Arlington
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Arlington for Music
Arlington State University
public
$14,920/yr
$59,680 total
University of Arlington
public
$14,115/yr
$56,460 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Arlington Community College
$6,397/yr
Virginia Technical College - Arlington
$5,927/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 Virginia Cities
Virginia Beach, VA
$35K starting · COL 88
13 colleges
Chesapeake, VA
$36K starting · COL 91
12 colleges
Norfolk, VA
$37K starting · COL 93
16 colleges
Richmond, VA
$40K starting · COL 100
11 colleges
Newport News, VA
$37K starting · COL 92.5
7 colleges
Alexandria, VA
$41K starting · COL 102
8 colleges
Hampton, VA
$39K starting · COL 97
7 colleges
Roanoke, VA
$35K starting · COL 88.5
4 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Arlington
Chinese Studies
$78K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$71K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$63K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$71K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$60K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$63K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$71K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$60K 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.