Music Degree in Huntington Beach, CA — Salary & ROI 2026
Music degree analysis for Huntington Beach, CA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$67K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$93K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
15 yrs
in Huntington Beach
Cost of Living
168.5
index (100 = avg)
Music in Huntington Beach, CA Overview
Huntington Beach, California (pop. 198,711) has 8 colleges offering Music programs. The local cost of living index of 168.5 is higher than average, so budget accordingly, with average rent near campus at $2,880/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 Huntington Beach is approximately $67,400.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
8
Public Tuition
$14,500/yr
Private Tuition
$42,000/yr
Room & Board
$17,049/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$8,141/yr
Unemployment
5.4%
Graduation Rate
73%
Music Salary in Huntington Beach (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Huntington Beach's cost of living index of 168.5 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Music salary: $40,000 starting, $55,000 mid-career, $68,000 senior level.Huntington Beach adjustment factor: 1.69x based on the local cost of living index.
Music ROI Calculator for Huntington Beach
Estimate your return on investment for a Music degree using local Huntington Beach tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $14,500 | Private avg: $42,000
Huntington Beach avg aid: $8,141/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$126,196
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$8,425
vs HS diploma in Huntington Beach
ROI Payback Period
15 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Huntington Beach
$42,304
Lifetime earnings premium ($168,500) minus total education cost ($126,196)
Student Loan Payoff for Music in Huntington Beach
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Huntington Beach for Music
Huntington Beach State University
public
$13,570/yr
$54,280 total
University of Huntington Beach
public
$16,348/yr
$65,392 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Huntington Beach Community College
$7,272/yr
Top Employers for Music in Huntington Beach
Huntington Beach offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Music graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Huntington Beach Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Music Job Titles
Music in Nearby California Cities
Los Angeles, CA
$56K starting · COL 141
69 colleges
San Diego, CA
$56K starting · COL 140
68 colleges
San Jose, CA
$52K starting · COL 129
95 colleges
San Francisco, CA
$46K starting · COL 114
22 colleges
Fresno, CA
$47K starting · COL 118
37 colleges
Sacramento, CA
$45K starting · COL 112
38 colleges
Long Beach, CA
$46K starting · COL 116
14 colleges
Oakland, CA
$53K starting · COL 132
13 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Huntington Beach
Chinese Studies
$93K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$84K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$74K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$84K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$71K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$74K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classical Studies
$76K starting · 6 yr ROI
Classics
$84K starting · 8 yr ROI
Music Degree in Huntington Beach — 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 Huntington Beach.