Music Degree in Wilmington, NC — Salary & ROI 2026
Music degree analysis for Wilmington, NC. 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
14.4 yrs
in Wilmington
Cost of Living
95
index (100 = avg)
Music in Wilmington, NC Overview
While Wilmington has a smaller college scene with 5 institutions, Music students benefit from lower tuition costs. Room and board averages $9,779/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 Wilmington is approximately $38,000.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
5
Public Tuition
$7,287/yr
Private Tuition
$34,393/yr
Room & Board
$9,779/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$13,831/yr
Unemployment
6.8%
Graduation Rate
48%
Music Salary in Wilmington (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Wilmington's cost of living index of 95 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Music salary: $40,000 starting, $55,000 mid-career, $68,000 senior level.Wilmington adjustment factor: 0.95x based on the local cost of living index.
Music ROI Calculator for Wilmington
Estimate your return on investment for a Music degree using local Wilmington tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $7,287 | Private avg: $34,393
Wilmington avg aid: $13,831/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$68,264
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$4,750
vs HS diploma in Wilmington
ROI Payback Period
14.4 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Wilmington
$26,736
Lifetime earnings premium ($95,000) minus total education cost ($68,264)
Student Loan Payoff for Music in Wilmington
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Wilmington for Music
University of North Carolina Wilmington
public
$7,287/yr
$29,148 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Cape Fear Community College
$2,864/yr
Top Employers for Music in Wilmington
Wilmington offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Music graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Wilmington Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Music Job Titles
Music in Nearby North Carolina Cities
Charlotte, NC
$36K starting · COL 89
39 colleges
Raleigh, NC
$33K starting · COL 83
21 colleges
Greensboro, NC
$36K starting · COL 91
17 colleges
Durham, NC
$44K starting · COL 109
25 colleges
Winston-Salem, NC
$42K starting · COL 106
26 colleges
Fayetteville, NC
$36K starting · COL 90
15 colleges
Cary, NC
$43K starting · COL 108.5
7 colleges
High Point, NC
$34K starting · COL 84.5
5 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Wilmington
Chinese Studies
$52K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$48K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$42K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$48K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$40K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$42K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$48K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$40K starting · 5 yr ROI
Music Degree in Wilmington — 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 Wilmington.