Music Degree in Dearborn, MI — Salary & ROI 2026
Music degree analysis for Dearborn, MI. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$36K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$50K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
24.7 yrs
in Dearborn
Cost of Living
90.5
index (100 = avg)
Music in Dearborn, MI Overview
While Dearborn has a smaller college scene with 5 institutions, Music students benefit from the close-knit academic community. Room and board averages $12,567/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 Dearborn is approximately $36,200.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
5
Public Tuition
$15,400/yr
Private Tuition
$32,000/yr
Room & Board
$12,567/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$8,314/yr
Unemployment
4.9%
Graduation Rate
57%
Music Salary in Dearborn (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Dearborn's cost of living index of 90.5 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Music salary: $40,000 starting, $55,000 mid-career, $68,000 senior level.Dearborn adjustment factor: 0.91x based on the local cost of living index.
Music ROI Calculator for Dearborn
Estimate your return on investment for a Music degree using local Dearborn tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $15,400 | Private avg: $32,000
Dearborn avg aid: $8,314/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$111,868
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$4,525
vs HS diploma in Dearborn
ROI Payback Period
24.7 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Dearborn
$-21,368
Lifetime earnings premium ($90,500) minus total education cost ($111,868)
Student Loan Payoff for Music in Dearborn
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Dearborn for Music
Dearborn State University
public
$14,575/yr
$58,300 total
University of Dearborn
public
$15,869/yr
$63,476 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Dearborn Community College
$5,650/yr
Top Employers for Music in Dearborn
Dearborn offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Music graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Dearborn Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Music Job Titles
Music in Nearby Michigan Cities
Detroit, MI
$35K starting · COL 87
43 colleges
Grand Rapids, MI
$35K starting · COL 88
10 colleges
Warren, MI
$35K starting · COL 88.5
6 colleges
Sterling Heights, MI
$37K starting · COL 92.8
5 colleges
Ann Arbor, MI
$34K starting · COL 85
14 colleges
Lansing, MI
$34K starting · COL 85
6 colleges
Clinton Township, MI
$38K starting · COL 96.2
4 colleges
Canton Township, MI
$37K starting · COL 93.5
4 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Dearborn
Chinese Studies
$50K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$45K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$40K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$45K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$38K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$40K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$45K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$38K starting · 5 yr ROI
Music Degree in Dearborn — 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 Dearborn.