Music Degree in Jersey City, NJ — Salary & ROI 2026
Music degree analysis for Jersey City, NJ. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$51K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$70K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
21.7 yrs
in Jersey City
Cost of Living
127
index (100 = avg)
Music in Jersey City, NJ Overview
Jersey City is one of New Jersey's top college towns, with 23 institutions and a student population of 26,694. Public tuition averages $12,750/year here — near the national average for public universities. 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 Jersey City is approximately $50,800.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
23
Public Tuition
$12,750/yr
Private Tuition
$40,360/yr
Room & Board
$21,714/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$10,349/yr
Unemployment
3.5%
Graduation Rate
50%
Music Salary in Jersey City (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Jersey City's cost of living index of 127 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Music salary: $40,000 starting, $55,000 mid-career, $68,000 senior level.Jersey City adjustment factor: 1.27x based on the local cost of living index.
Music ROI Calculator for Jersey City
Estimate your return on investment for a Music degree using local Jersey City tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $12,750 | Private avg: $40,360
Jersey City avg aid: $10,349/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$137,856
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$6,350
vs HS diploma in Jersey City
ROI Payback Period
21.7 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Jersey City
$-10,856
Lifetime earnings premium ($127,000) minus total education cost ($137,856)
Student Loan Payoff for Music in Jersey City
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Jersey City for Music
Saint Peter's University
private
$40,360/yr
$161,440 total
New Jersey City University
public
$12,750/yr
$51,000 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Hudson County Community College
$5,040/yr
Top Employers for Music in Jersey City
Jersey City offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Music graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Jersey City Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Music Job Titles
Music in Nearby New Jersey Cities
Newark, NJ
$54K starting · COL 135
14 colleges
Paterson, NJ
$52K starting · COL 129
5 colleges
Elizabeth, NJ
$46K starting · COL 115.5
6 colleges
Edison, NJ
$47K starting · COL 118.2
5 colleges
Lakewood, NJ
$52K starting · COL 128.8
5 colleges
Woodbridge, NJ
$45K starting · COL 112.5
4 colleges
Toms River, NJ
$47K starting · COL 117.7
4 colleges
Trenton, NJ
$54K starting · COL 134
8 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Jersey City
Chinese Studies
$70K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$64K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$56K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$64K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$53K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$56K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classical Studies
$57K starting · 6 yr ROI
Classics
$64K starting · 8 yr ROI
Music Degree in Jersey City — 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 Jersey City.