Music Degree in Franklin, TN — Salary & ROI 2026
Music degree analysis for Franklin, TN. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$47K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$65K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
17.5 yrs
in Franklin
Cost of Living
118.5
index (100 = avg)
Music in Franklin, TN Overview
While Franklin has a smaller college scene with 4 institutions, Music students benefit from lower tuition costs. Room and board averages $15,807/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 Franklin is approximately $47,400.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
4
Public Tuition
$10,100/yr
Private Tuition
$32,000/yr
Room & Board
$15,807/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$15,962/yr
Unemployment
3.6%
Graduation Rate
56%
Music Salary in Franklin (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Franklin's cost of living index of 118.5 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Music salary: $40,000 starting, $55,000 mid-career, $68,000 senior level.Franklin adjustment factor: 1.19x based on the local cost of living index.
Music ROI Calculator for Franklin
Estimate your return on investment for a Music degree using local Franklin tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $10,100 | Private avg: $32,000
Franklin avg aid: $15,962/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$103,628
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$5,925
vs HS diploma in Franklin
ROI Payback Period
17.5 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Franklin
$14,872
Lifetime earnings premium ($118,500) minus total education cost ($103,628)
Student Loan Payoff for Music in Franklin
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Franklin for Music
Franklin State University
public
$10,603/yr
$42,412 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Franklin Community College
$5,615/yr
Top Employers for Music in Franklin
Franklin offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Music graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Franklin Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Music Job Titles
Music in Nearby Tennessee Cities
Nashville, TN
$37K starting · COL 92
35 colleges
Memphis, TN
$37K starting · COL 93
22 colleges
Knoxville, TN
$34K starting · COL 85
5 colleges
Chattanooga, TN
$32K starting · COL 80
5 colleges
Clarksville, TN
$36K starting · COL 90
9 colleges
Murfreesboro, TN
$36K starting · COL 91
10 colleges
Jackson, TN
$33K starting · COL 82.5
3 colleges
Johnson City, TN
$42K starting · COL 105
6 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Franklin
Chinese Studies
$65K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$59K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$52K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$59K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$50K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$52K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$59K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$50K starting · 5 yr ROI
Music Degree in Franklin — 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 Franklin.