Music Degree in Erie, PA — Salary & ROI 2026
Music degree analysis for Erie, PA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$48K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$66K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
24.8 yrs
in Erie
Cost of Living
120
index (100 = avg)
Music in Erie, PA Overview
While Erie has a smaller college scene with 4 institutions, Music students benefit from the close-knit academic community. Room and board averages $21,896/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 Erie is approximately $48,000.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
4
Public Tuition
$15,346/yr
Private Tuition
$35,160/yr
Room & Board
$21,896/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$15,237/yr
Unemployment
4.5%
Graduation Rate
63%
Music Salary in Erie (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Erie's cost of living index of 120 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Music salary: $40,000 starting, $55,000 mid-career, $68,000 senior level.Erie adjustment factor: 1.20x based on the local cost of living index.
Music ROI Calculator for Erie
Estimate your return on investment for a Music degree using local Erie tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $15,346 | Private avg: $35,160
Erie avg aid: $15,237/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$148,968
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$6,000
vs HS diploma in Erie
ROI Payback Period
24.8 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Erie
$-28,968
Lifetime earnings premium ($120,000) minus total education cost ($148,968)
Student Loan Payoff for Music in Erie
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Erie for Music
Gannon University
private
$35,160/yr
$140,640 total
Penn State Behrend
public
$15,346/yr
$61,384 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Erie Community College
$5,070/yr
Top Employers for Music in Erie
Erie offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Music graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Erie Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Music Job Titles
Music in Nearby Pennsylvania Cities
Philadelphia, PA
$60K starting · COL 150
42 colleges
Pittsburgh, PA
$46K starting · COL 115
12 colleges
Allentown, PA
$45K starting · COL 113
5 colleges
Reading, PA
$47K starting · COL 118
3 colleges
Upper Darby, PA
$38K starting · COL 94.5
4 colleges
Scranton, PA
$48K starting · COL 120
8 colleges
Bethlehem, PA
$50K starting · COL 125
7 colleges
Lower Merion, PA
$37K starting · COL 91.4
3 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Erie
Chinese Studies
$66K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$60K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$53K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$60K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$50K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$53K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$60K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$50K starting · 5 yr ROI
Music Degree in Erie — 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 Erie.