Music Degree in Greensboro, NC — Salary & ROI 2026
Music degree analysis for Greensboro, 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
15.9 yrs
in Greensboro
Cost of Living
91
index (100 = avg)
Music in Greensboro, NC Overview
Greensboro, North Carolina (pop. 299,035) has 17 colleges offering Music programs. The local cost of living index of 91 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $945/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 Greensboro is approximately $36,400.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
17
Public Tuition
$7,000/yr
Private Tuition
$35,007/yr
Room & Board
$11,140/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$14,503/yr
Unemployment
4.9%
Graduation Rate
71%
Music Salary in Greensboro (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Greensboro's cost of living index of 91 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Music salary: $40,000 starting, $55,000 mid-career, $68,000 senior level.Greensboro adjustment factor: 0.91x based on the local cost of living index.
Music ROI Calculator for Greensboro
Estimate your return on investment for a Music degree using local Greensboro tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $7,000 | Private avg: $35,007
Greensboro avg aid: $14,503/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$72,560
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$4,550
vs HS diploma in Greensboro
ROI Payback Period
15.9 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Greensboro
$18,440
Lifetime earnings premium ($91,000) minus total education cost ($72,560)
Student Loan Payoff for Music in Greensboro
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Greensboro for Music
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
public
$7,337/yr
$29,348 total
North Carolina A&T State University
public
$6,662/yr
$26,648 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Guilford Technical Community College
$2,864/yr
Top Employers for Music in Greensboro
Greensboro offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Music graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Greensboro 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
Durham, NC
$44K starting · COL 109
25 colleges
Winston-Salem, NC
$42K starting · COL 106
26 colleges
Fayetteville, NC
$36K starting · COL 90
15 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 Greensboro
Chinese Studies
$50K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$46K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$40K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$46K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$38K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$40K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$46K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$38K starting · 5 yr ROI
Music Degree in Greensboro — 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 Greensboro.