Music Degree in Baltimore, MD — Salary & ROI 2026
Music degree analysis for Baltimore, MD. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$52K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$72K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
20.8 yrs
in Baltimore
Cost of Living
130
index (100 = avg)
Music in Baltimore, MD Overview
Baltimore is one of Maryland's top college towns, with 22 institutions and a student population of 30,415. Public tuition averages $12,096/year here — near the national average for public universities. 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 Baltimore is approximately $52,000.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
22
Public Tuition
$12,096/yr
Private Tuition
$56,325/yr
Room & Board
$21,745/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$8,793/yr
Unemployment
6.3%
Graduation Rate
58%
Music Salary in Baltimore (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Baltimore's cost of living index of 130 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Music salary: $40,000 starting, $55,000 mid-career, $68,000 senior level.Baltimore adjustment factor: 1.30x based on the local cost of living index.
Music ROI Calculator for Baltimore
Estimate your return on investment for a Music degree using local Baltimore tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $12,096 | Private avg: $56,325
Baltimore avg aid: $8,793/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$135,364
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$6,500
vs HS diploma in Baltimore
ROI Payback Period
20.8 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Baltimore
$-5,364
Lifetime earnings premium ($130,000) minus total education cost ($135,364)
Student Loan Payoff for Music in Baltimore
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Baltimore for Music
Johns Hopkins University
private
$60,480/yr
$241,920 total
University of Maryland, Baltimore County
public
$12,096/yr
$48,384 total
Loyola University Maryland
private
$52,170/yr
$208,680 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Baltimore City Community College
$3,768/yr
Top Employers for Music in Baltimore
Baltimore offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Music graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Baltimore Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Music Job Titles
Music in Nearby Maryland Cities
Columbia, MD
$51K starting · COL 127.2
4 colleges
Silver Spring, MD
$49K starting · COL 122.5
4 colleges
Frederick, MD
$45K starting · COL 112.5
4 colleges
Waldorf, MD
$48K starting · COL 120.7
4 colleges
Ellicott City, MD
$46K starting · COL 114.2
3 colleges
Glen Burnie, MD
$44K starting · COL 108.8
3 colleges
Rockville, MD
$51K starting · COL 128.5
3 colleges
Bethesda, MD
$47K starting · COL 116.7
3 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Baltimore
Chinese Studies
$72K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$65K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$57K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$65K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$55K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$57K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$65K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$55K starting · 5 yr ROI
Music Degree in Baltimore — 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 Baltimore.