Music Degree in Upper Darby, PA — Salary & ROI 2026
Music degree analysis for Upper Darby, PA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$38K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$52K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
25.1 yrs
in Upper Darby
Cost of Living
94.5
index (100 = avg)
Music in Upper Darby, PA Overview
While Upper Darby has a smaller college scene with 4 institutions, Music students benefit from the close-knit academic community. Room and board averages $14,171/year, and the car-friendly layout shapes the student experience. 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 Upper Darby is approximately $37,800.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
4
Public Tuition
$15,500/yr
Private Tuition
$42,000/yr
Room & Board
$14,171/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$12,595/yr
Unemployment
4.5%
Graduation Rate
70%
Music Salary in Upper Darby (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Upper Darby's cost of living index of 94.5 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Music salary: $40,000 starting, $55,000 mid-career, $68,000 senior level.Upper Darby adjustment factor: 0.94x based on the local cost of living index.
Music ROI Calculator for Upper Darby
Estimate your return on investment for a Music degree using local Upper Darby tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $15,500 | Private avg: $42,000
Upper Darby avg aid: $12,595/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$118,684
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$4,725
vs HS diploma in Upper Darby
ROI Payback Period
25.1 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Upper Darby
$-24,184
Lifetime earnings premium ($94,500) minus total education cost ($118,684)
Student Loan Payoff for Music in Upper Darby
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Upper Darby for Music
Upper Darby State University
public
$16,192/yr
$64,768 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Upper Darby Community College
$5,336/yr
Top Employers for Music in Upper Darby
Upper Darby offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Music graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Upper Darby Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Music Job Titles
Music in Nearby Pennsylvania Cities
Philadelphia, PA
$60K starting · COL 150
42 colleges
Pittsburgh, PA
$46K starting · COL 115
12 colleges
Allentown, PA
$45K starting · COL 113
5 colleges
Reading, PA
$47K starting · COL 118
3 colleges
Erie, PA
$48K starting · COL 120
4 colleges
Scranton, PA
$48K starting · COL 120
8 colleges
Bethlehem, PA
$50K starting · COL 125
7 colleges
Lower Merion, PA
$37K starting · COL 91.4
3 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Upper Darby
Chinese Studies
$52K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$47K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$42K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$47K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$40K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$42K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$47K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$40K starting · 5 yr ROI
Music Degree in Upper Darby — 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 Upper Darby.