Music Degree in Fayetteville, NC — Salary & ROI 2026
Music degree analysis for Fayetteville, NC. 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
14.6 yrs
in Fayetteville
Cost of Living
90
index (100 = avg)
Music in Fayetteville, NC Overview
Fayetteville, North Carolina (pop. 208,501) has 15 colleges offering Music programs. The local cost of living index of 90 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $877/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 Fayetteville is approximately $36,000.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
15
Public Tuition
$5,925/yr
Private Tuition
$37,000/yr
Room & Board
$10,494/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$14,488/yr
Unemployment
4%
Graduation Rate
46%
Music Salary in Fayetteville (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Fayetteville's cost of living index of 90 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Music salary: $40,000 starting, $55,000 mid-career, $68,000 senior level.Fayetteville adjustment factor: 0.90x based on the local cost of living index.
Music ROI Calculator for Fayetteville
Estimate your return on investment for a Music degree using local Fayetteville tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $5,925 | Private avg: $37,000
Fayetteville avg aid: $14,488/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$65,676
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$4,500
vs HS diploma in Fayetteville
ROI Payback Period
14.6 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Fayetteville
$24,324
Lifetime earnings premium ($90,000) minus total education cost ($65,676)
Student Loan Payoff for Music in Fayetteville
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Fayetteville for Music
Fayetteville State University
public
$5,925/yr
$23,700 total
Methodist University
private
$37,000/yr
$148,000 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Fayetteville Technical Community College
$2,864/yr
Top Employers for Music in Fayetteville
Fayetteville offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Music graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Fayetteville Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Music Job Titles
Music in Nearby North Carolina Cities
Charlotte, NC
$36K starting · COL 89
39 colleges
Raleigh, NC
$33K starting · COL 83
21 colleges
Greensboro, NC
$36K starting · COL 91
17 colleges
Durham, NC
$44K starting · COL 109
25 colleges
Winston-Salem, NC
$42K starting · COL 106
26 colleges
Cary, NC
$43K starting · COL 108.5
7 colleges
Wilmington, NC
$38K starting · COL 95
5 colleges
High Point, NC
$34K starting · COL 84.5
5 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Fayetteville
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 Fayetteville — 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 Fayetteville.