You’d like to land a high-paying job in music, and you’re willing to do what it takes to make that happen. You’re thinking about getting a music degree, but you wonder if the expense and time are really necessary. After all, Kanye West didn’t finish college. Neither did Ice Cube, Lady Gaga, Roger Waters, or David Bowie. For every Kanye West, though, there are hundreds of failed musicians who couldn’t quite make it big. Behind every Kanye West, there are producers, composers, arrangers, managers, and studio musicians who all help to make the magic happen. Do you want to learn the range of skills necessary to work with anyone — and to earn consistent, reliable money — in music? Music degrees give you the best possible chance to get hired.
Table of contents
- List of Music Degrees
- What to Consider When Choosing a Music Degree
- What Are Dual, or Double, Degrees?
- 6 Best Music Degrees
- List of Music Industry Degrees
- Schools You Can Consider
- Who Are Some Famous People With Music Degrees?
List of Music Degrees
Here are some of the music degrees that can offer you a basic knowledge of many music styles and a good foundation in music theory:
What to Consider When Choosing a Music Degree
These are some of the most important things that you should consider before you begin earning a music degree.
- What degree should you earn? We list many of the most popular music degrees below. Generally, your best bet is to choose the degree program that most closely matches the career you’d like to have.
- What school should you choose? When considering a school, examine the quality of the faculty and the access you’ll have to job-related equipment. Does the school have a high job placement rate for graduates? Does the school offer a career advisor who can help you land a position?
- How much can you pay? Many schools offer financial aid, but it’s likely that you’ll still need a student loan to earn a degree. How much debt can you handle?
- Should you have a fallback option? It may be wise to attend a school with excellent academic programs in case you decide that earning a music degree isn’t right for you.
What Are Dual, or Double, Degrees?
In a double degree program, you’ll work to earn two degrees — usually from two different schools — simultaneously. For example, Harvard College offers a double degree program in which you can earn a Bachelor of Arts from Harvard and a master’s degree from Berklee or the New England Conservatory. The two degrees take five years to earn.
The benefit of completing a double degree program is that you’ll leave college with an academic degree and a music degree. If there’s another field that you enjoy as much as music, having two degrees makes you marketable and ensures that you’ll have a wide variety of career options. If you are wanting to start your own music-related business, it is extremely helpful to double major in business or marketing just so you get that expertise to run your company successfully.
The drawback of a double degree program is that completing it is difficult and expensive. You’ll have to gain acceptance into the double degree program, and you’ll also have to gain acceptance into both schools separately. You’ll have to pay tuition for both schools. You’ll spend more time in classes than most of your friends. Sometimes, you’ll even have two classes scheduled at the same time and will have to choose which one to attend. Double Degree programs are only for extremely dedicated students who can’t choose between academics and music. Also, pay attention to any options when it comes to how fast you are to complete the degree. Many universities will offer a fast track and a slower track. The slower track may take longer but it will make it less stressful and more easily achieved.
6 Best Music degrees
Music Performance
To earn a music performance degree, you’ll attend a conservatory to hone your craft in a single instrument or family of instruments. Generally, you will also be required to have a secondary (which is usually piano if that is not your primary). Playing an instrument professionally isn’t just a matter of having the ability to wow a crowd with a great solo. A true craftsman knows how to sight read music. You’ll need basic knowledge of many musical styles, and you’ll need a solid foundation in music theory. A music performance degree is a good choice if you’d like to play in an orchestra or work as a backing or studio musician.
Music Education
Many universities expect music education students to meet the same standards as performance students. You most likely will also need to receive a teaching certification as part of the degree program. Many music education students go on to become band or orchestra directors. Others become private instructors. After earning a music degree from Five Towns College, Joe Satriani became a private guitar instructor before finding success as a solo artist. His students included Steve Vai and Kirk Hammett.
Music Therapy
If you’re considering getting a music degree, it’s likely that you want a career in music because you feel that being a musician has made your life better in some way. With a music therapy degree, you’ll use your skills to better others’ lives. Music therapists use music to aid in the treatment of conditions ranging from dementia to post-traumatic stress disorder.
Music Composition
If you’d like a career as a composer or songwriter, a degree in music composition is ideal for you. As a composer, you could write a hit song or compose the score for a film or video game. Composers also earn money from writing music for advertisements and television programs.
Sound Design
Movies, television programs, and video games all require sound effects ranging from squeaking door hinges to blood-curdling screams. As a sound designer, you may spend time in the field with a microphone trying to capture the perfect sound effect for a film. You’ll also spend time creating and manipulating sounds with computers.
Audio Engineering
A great album doesn’t just happen because of an artist’s talent or songwriting ability. A great song can only become a great recording if someone is there to capture the nuances of the performance. As an audio engineer, you’ll specialize in fields such as microphone selection and placement, acoustics, mixing board operation, and digital recording technique. One of the best phrases out there to keep in mind is to “Fix it in pre.” This means getting the right sound right off the bat.
List of Music Industry Degrees
These degrees don’t necessarily have to do directly with music, but they are related to music in many different ways.
- Music Business
- Entertainment Business
- Show Production
- Media Design
- Media Communications
- Music Technology
- Music History
Music Business
Streaming services and rampant piracy have reduced the value of recorded music and made it more difficult than ever for musicians to earn money. Artists and record companies need smart business people who can lead the music industry down a new path. Earning a music business degree could help you become one of those people. Many music lawyers take their love for music that they could never play and apply it to the legal side to help musicians and creatives keep creating.
Entertainment Business
Do you have the ability to identify a musician with the potential for mass appeal? Would you like to learn the marketing strategies necessary to help a musician find his or her audience? The top managers in the music industry earn millions of dollars per year. While earning an entertainment business degree, you’ll learn the techniques of the masters. Working with a record label or even starting your own is a great way to push musicians to their potential all while making money.
Show Production
From Pink Floyd’s inflatable pig to Skrillex’s Spaceship stage rig, props and special effects have enhanced live music performances as long as the music industry has existed. With a degree in show production, you could become one of the behind-the-scenes professionals who design stage props, light shows, and pyrotechnic displays. The reason some of the best shows are considered the best shows is because of the stage and lighting crew that put in countless hours to enhance what everyone sees.
Media Design
Musicians don’t become successful by accident. For an album or concert tour to sell, someone has to write the commercials, create the online ads, and design the posters. As you earn a degree in media design, you’ll learn the skills necessary to conceptualize and execute marketing campaigns for the music industry.
Media Communications
Text content is the fuel that powers newspapers, magazines, and websites — and many of the world’s most popular publications are about music. With a degree in Media Communications, you could one day land a position as a writer for Rolling Stone or Guitar World. You may also learn the skills necessary to start your own popular website.
Music Technology
Technology drives many of the great innovations in the music industry. Where would popular music be today without technologies such as multi-track recording, electronic synthesizers, and sampling? Professionals in a wide variety of technology fields can influence the music industry. As a computer programmer, you could create the next great digital compression technology or recording software. As an electrical engineer, you could design microphones or effect pedals.
Music History
How does modern thrash metal draw from the contrapuntal techniques pioneered during the Renaissance? Did Johann Sebastian Bach intend for his cello suites to become performance pieces, or did he actually think of them as learning tools for young students? Music is one of humanity’s purest forms of expression. As a music historian, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of how music relates to the human condition. You may one day become a professor at an esteemed university.
Schools You Can Consider
If you are looking to work toward a degree path in music, choosing the appropriate school is crucial towards advancing your career. Depending on your level of experience, your financial situation, and what you are looking to major in, each school offers something a bit different.
We took a look at over 250 music schools around the US, including some that offer completely online degrees, and found that there is a wide range of degree paths.
Some of the schools you may want to consider are:
- Indiana University Jacobs School of Music – Ranked #1 in our research and survey.
- Berklee College of Music – Ranked in the top 10 in our music school ranking, and also produces online courses for those needing flexibility.
- Full Sail University – In the top 25 of our ranking, and offers flexible online degree paths at a faster pace.
Who Are Some Famous People With Music Degrees?
James May
James May attended Lancaster University and graduated in 1985 receiving a bachelor’s degree in music. The two instruments he studied were the piano and the flute. That instrument choice is surprising for a television car enthusiast. His career has taken him everywhere from a successful tv career to a becoming widespread journalist.
Carrie Underwood
Carrie Underwood earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in mass communication from Northeastern State University — receiving the magna cum laude distinction — in 2006. Shortly before completing her degree, Underwood withdrew from school to win the 2005 “American Idol” competition. That’s a productive sabbatical!
Jamie Foxx
Jamie Foxx earned a Bachelor of Music Arts degree in music composition from United States International University. Foxx’s career highlights include winning the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his portrayal of Ray Charles in the 2004 film “Ray.”
Ludacris
Ludacris earned a Bachelor of Science degree in music management from Georgia State University in 1999. Although Ludacris has recorded several successful rap albums, he is perhaps most famous for his recurring role as Tej Parker in the “Fast and Furious” film series.
Sheryl Crow
Sheryl Crow earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in music performance, composition and education from the University of Missouri in 1984. After years as a teacher, songwriter, and backing vocalist, Crow found success as a solo artist with the release of her album “Tuesday Night Music Club” in 1993. The album sold more than 7 million copies and established Crow as a superstar.
Philip had the founding vision for Audio Assemble, previously known as Pro Tools Tutorial. In 2008 Philip began recording and producing songs and had a hard time finding free and accurate information on Pro Tools software. From there the website was born. Philip currently works as a Software Engineer for Amazon and handles the editorial strategy as well as much of the technical aspects of Audio Assemble’s website.