Music Degree in Frederick, MD — Salary & ROI 2026
Music degree analysis for Frederick, MD. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$45K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$62K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
18.7 yrs
in Frederick
Cost of Living
112.5
index (100 = avg)
Music in Frederick, MD Overview
While Frederick has a smaller college scene with 4 institutions, Music students benefit from lower tuition costs. Room and board averages $15,475/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 Frederick is approximately $45,000.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
4
Public Tuition
$10,800/yr
Private Tuition
$42,000/yr
Room & Board
$15,475/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$13,491/yr
Unemployment
4.2%
Graduation Rate
66%
Music Salary in Frederick (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Frederick's cost of living index of 112.5 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Music salary: $40,000 starting, $55,000 mid-career, $68,000 senior level.Frederick adjustment factor: 1.13x based on the local cost of living index.
Music ROI Calculator for Frederick
Estimate your return on investment for a Music degree using local Frederick tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $10,800 | Private avg: $42,000
Frederick avg aid: $13,491/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$105,100
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$5,625
vs HS diploma in Frederick
ROI Payback Period
18.7 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Frederick
$7,400
Lifetime earnings premium ($112,500) minus total education cost ($105,100)
Student Loan Payoff for Music in Frederick
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Frederick for Music
Frederick State University
public
$11,147/yr
$44,588 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Frederick Community College
$6,149/yr
Top Employers for Music in Frederick
Frederick offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Music graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Frederick 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
Columbia, MD
$51K starting · COL 127.2
4 colleges
Silver Spring, MD
$49K starting · COL 122.5
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 Frederick
Chinese Studies
$62K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$56K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$50K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$56K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$47K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$50K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$56K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$47K starting · 5 yr ROI
Music Degree in Frederick — 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 Frederick.