Music Degree in Columbia, MD — Salary & ROI 2026
Music degree analysis for Columbia, MD. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$51K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$70K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
16.3 yrs
in Columbia
Cost of Living
127.2
index (100 = avg)
Music in Columbia, MD Overview
While Columbia has a smaller college scene with 4 institutions, Music students benefit from lower tuition costs. Room and board averages $15,096/year, and the car-friendly layout shapes the student experience. 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 Columbia is approximately $50,880.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
4
Public Tuition
$10,800/yr
Private Tuition
$42,000/yr
Room & Board
$15,096/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$11,277/yr
Unemployment
3.6%
Graduation Rate
68%
Music Salary in Columbia (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Columbia's cost of living index of 127.2 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Music salary: $40,000 starting, $55,000 mid-career, $68,000 senior level.Columbia adjustment factor: 1.27x based on the local cost of living index.
Music ROI Calculator for Columbia
Estimate your return on investment for a Music degree using local Columbia tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $10,800 | Private avg: $42,000
Columbia avg aid: $11,277/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$103,584
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$6,360
vs HS diploma in Columbia
ROI Payback Period
16.3 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Columbia
$23,616
Lifetime earnings premium ($127,200) minus total education cost ($103,584)
Student Loan Payoff for Music in Columbia
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Columbia for Music
Columbia State University
public
$10,473/yr
$41,892 total
University of Columbia
public
$12,187/yr
$48,748 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Columbia Community College
$6,406/yr
Top Employers for Music in Columbia
Columbia offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Music graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Columbia Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Music Job Titles
Music in Nearby Maryland Cities
Baltimore, MD
$52K starting · COL 130
22 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 Columbia
Chinese Studies
$70K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$64K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$56K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$64K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$53K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$56K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$64K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$53K starting · 5 yr ROI
Music Degree in Columbia — 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 Columbia.