Music at Columbia College Chicago
Chicago, IL · Bachelor's Degree · about 53 graduates a year
Columbia College Chicago graduates in music earn 5% less than the national median for the same major four years after graduating. Their median federal debt equals about 63% of one year’s pay at that point.
How Columbia College Chicago Compares for Music
All 268 colleges reporting music earnings at this degree level, ranked by median pay four years after graduation. “Wage-adjusted” divides pay by the square root of the state’s wage index so colleges in low-wage states aren’t penalized for local pay.
| # | College | 4 yrs after | Wage-adjusted | Adj. rank | 1 yr after |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sonoma State University Rohnert Park, CA | $65,533 | $59,631 | #8 | — |
| 2 | Christopher Newport University Newport News, VA | $63,852 | $58,143 | #10 | — |
| 3 | Stevens Institute of Technology Hoboken, NJ | $61,943 | $54,366 | #30 | $21,623 |
| 4 | University of Florida Gainesville, FL | $61,446 | $65,401 | #1 | $22,559 |
| 5 | Northeastern University Boston, MA | $60,974 | $53,694 | #38 | $21,978 |
| 6 | Northeastern University Professional Programs Boston, MA | $60,974 | $53,694 | #39 | $21,978 |
| 7 | The University of Texas at El Paso El Paso, TX | $60,172 | $61,177 | #4 | $56,062 |
| 8 | University of Redlands Redlands, CA | $59,275 | $53,936 | #35 | — |
| 9 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Edinburg, TX | $59,218 | $60,207 | #5 | $56,373 |
| 10 | Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN | $59,217 | $64,688 | #2 | — |
| … | |||||
| 171 | University of Arizona Tucson, AZ | $40,922 | $42,048 | #161 | $17,293 |
| 172 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro, NC | $40,778 | $43,761 | #136 | $15,670 |
| 173 | Morehead State University Morehead, KY | $40,768 | $46,162 | #108 | $31,088 |
| 174 | Columbia College Chicago Chicago, IL | $40,734 | $40,021 | #186 | $19,943 |
| 175 | Millersville University of Pennsylvania Millersville, PA | $40,713 | $41,405 | #169 | $26,895 |
| 176 | California State University-Northridge Northridge, CA | $40,669 | $37,006 | #212 | $18,226 |
| 177 | Utah Valley University Orem, UT | $40,597 | $38,476 | #201 | $24,952 |
Other Majors at Columbia College Chicago by Graduate Pay
| Major | 4 yrs after | 1 yr after | Rank in major |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | $66,798 | $39,794 | #61 of 178 |
| Marketing | $65,686 | $36,386 | #280 of 516 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $56,482 | $34,798 | #920 of 1176 |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | $54,357 | $24,191 | #53 of 158 |
| Journalism | $51,639 | $31,369 | #126 of 187 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management | $50,592 | $23,844 | #17 of 43 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies | $49,593 | $25,999 | #158 of 207 |
| Design and Applied Arts | $48,601 | $29,630 | #191 of 299 |
| American Sign Language | $45,619 | $33,775 | #10 of 20 |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | $44,703 | — | #90 of 103 |
| Graphic Communications | $43,970 | $26,309 | #29 of 59 |
| Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians | $43,731 | $20,927 | #16 of 19 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $42,176 | $22,765 | #194 of 423 |
| Dance | $41,842 | — | #26 of 58 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | $41,200 | $23,905 | #102 of 144 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | $39,986 | $17,929 | #130 of 255 |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | $39,751 | $25,060 | #116 of 137 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Columbia College Chicago music graduates make?
Graduates earn a median $19,943 one year after graduating and $40,734 four years after graduating. Figures are from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
How does Columbia College Chicago rank for music?
Among 268 colleges reporting earnings for music graduates, Columbia College Chicago ranks #174 by median pay four years after graduation, and #186 after adjusting for state wage levels.
Is music at Columbia College Chicago worth it?
Its graduates earn 5% less than the national median for music ($42,892), and the median federal debt at graduation is $25,625.
← All data for Columbia College Chicago · Methodology
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study data. Earnings are medians for graduates who received federal aid and were working and not enrolled; programs with few graduates are not reported. Wage adjustment uses Census ACS state median household income.