Music Degree in Cleveland, OH — Salary & ROI 2026
Music degree analysis for Cleveland, OH. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$38K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$53K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
18.1 yrs
in Cleveland
Cost of Living
96
index (100 = avg)
Music in Cleveland, OH Overview
Cleveland, Ohio (pop. 372,624) has 20 colleges offering Music programs. The local cost of living index of 96 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $1,156/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 Cleveland is approximately $38,400.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
20
Public Tuition
$11,270/yr
Private Tuition
$49,395/yr
Room & Board
$10,394/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$7,310/yr
Unemployment
6%
Graduation Rate
69%
Music Salary in Cleveland (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Cleveland's cost of living index of 96 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Music salary: $40,000 starting, $55,000 mid-career, $68,000 senior level.Cleveland adjustment factor: 0.96x based on the local cost of living index.
Music ROI Calculator for Cleveland
Estimate your return on investment for a Music degree using local Cleveland tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $11,270 | Private avg: $49,395
Cleveland avg aid: $7,310/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$86,656
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$4,800
vs HS diploma in Cleveland
ROI Payback Period
18.1 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Cleveland
$9,344
Lifetime earnings premium ($96,000) minus total education cost ($86,656)
Student Loan Payoff for Music in Cleveland
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Cleveland for Music
Case Western Reserve University
private
$56,480/yr
$225,920 total
Cleveland State University
public
$11,270/yr
$45,080 total
John Carroll University
private
$42,310/yr
$169,240 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Cuyahoga Community College
$4,344/yr
Top Employers for Music in Cleveland
Cleveland offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Music graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Cleveland Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Music Job Titles
Music in Nearby Ohio Cities
Columbus, OH
$41K starting · COL 103
31 colleges
Cincinnati, OH
$41K starting · COL 102
28 colleges
Toledo, OH
$43K starting · COL 108
16 colleges
Akron, OH
$42K starting · COL 105
5 colleges
Dayton, OH
$42K starting · COL 104
9 colleges
Parma, OH
$36K starting · COL 90
4 colleges
Canton, OH
$34K starting · COL 84
4 colleges
Lorain, OH
$34K starting · COL 85.2
3 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Cleveland
Chinese Studies
$53K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$48K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$42K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$48K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$40K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$42K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$48K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$40K starting · 5 yr ROI
Music Degree in Cleveland — 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 Cleveland.