Music Degree in Richmond, VA — Salary & ROI 2026
Music degree analysis for Richmond, VA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$40K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$55K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
20.5 yrs
in Richmond
Cost of Living
100
index (100 = avg)
Music in Richmond, VA Overview
Richmond, Virginia (pop. 226,610) has 11 colleges offering Music programs. The local cost of living index of 100 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $737/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 Richmond is approximately $40,000.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
11
Public Tuition
$14,676/yr
Private Tuition
$58,570/yr
Room & Board
$10,932/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$9,068/yr
Unemployment
5.7%
Graduation Rate
65%
Music Salary in Richmond (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Richmond's cost of living index of 100 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Music salary: $40,000 starting, $55,000 mid-career, $68,000 senior level.Richmond adjustment factor: 1.00x based on the local cost of living index.
Music ROI Calculator for Richmond
Estimate your return on investment for a Music degree using local Richmond tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $14,676 | Private avg: $58,570
Richmond avg aid: $9,068/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$102,432
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$5,000
vs HS diploma in Richmond
ROI Payback Period
20.5 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Richmond
$-2,432
Lifetime earnings premium ($100,000) minus total education cost ($102,432)
Student Loan Payoff for Music in Richmond
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Richmond for Music
Virginia Commonwealth University
public
$14,676/yr
$58,704 total
University of Richmond
private
$58,570/yr
$234,280 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Reynolds Community College
$5,340/yr
Top Employers for Music in Richmond
Richmond offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Music graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Richmond Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Music Job Titles
Music in Nearby Virginia Cities
Virginia Beach, VA
$35K starting · COL 88
13 colleges
Chesapeake, VA
$36K starting · COL 91
12 colleges
Arlington, VA
$57K starting · COL 142.5
9 colleges
Norfolk, VA
$37K starting · COL 93
16 colleges
Newport News, VA
$37K starting · COL 92.5
7 colleges
Alexandria, VA
$41K starting · COL 102
8 colleges
Hampton, VA
$39K starting · COL 97
7 colleges
Roanoke, VA
$35K starting · COL 88.5
4 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Richmond
Chinese Studies
$55K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$50K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$44K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$50K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$42K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$44K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$50K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$42K starting · 5 yr ROI
Music Degree in Richmond — 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 Richmond.