Music Degree in Newark, NJ — Salary & ROI 2026
Music degree analysis for Newark, NJ. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$54K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$74K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
18.7 yrs
in Newark
Cost of Living
135
index (100 = avg)
Music in Newark, NJ Overview
Newark, New Jersey (pop. 311,549) has 14 colleges offering Music programs. The local cost of living index of 135 is higher than average, so budget accordingly, with average rent near campus at $1,595/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 Newark is approximately $54,000.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
14
Public Tuition
$16,507/yr
Private Tuition
$47,742/yr
Room & Board
$15,130/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$8,623/yr
Unemployment
3.6%
Graduation Rate
74%
Music Salary in Newark (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Newark's cost of living index of 135 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Music salary: $40,000 starting, $55,000 mid-career, $68,000 senior level.Newark adjustment factor: 1.35x based on the local cost of living index.
Music ROI Calculator for Newark
Estimate your return on investment for a Music degree using local Newark tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $16,507 | Private avg: $47,742
Newark avg aid: $8,623/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$126,548
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$6,750
vs HS diploma in Newark
ROI Payback Period
18.7 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Newark
$8,452
Lifetime earnings premium ($135,000) minus total education cost ($126,548)
Student Loan Payoff for Music in Newark
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Newark for Music
Rutgers University-Newark
public
$14,974/yr
$59,896 total
New Jersey Institute of Technology
public
$18,040/yr
$72,160 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Essex County College
$5,040/yr
Top Employers for Music in Newark
Newark offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Music graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Newark Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Music Job Titles
Music in Nearby New Jersey Cities
Jersey City, NJ
$51K starting · COL 127
23 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 Newark
Chinese Studies
$74K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$68K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$59K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$68K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$57K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$59K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classical Studies
$61K starting · 6 yr ROI
Classics
$68K starting · 8 yr ROI
Music Degree in Newark — 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 Newark.