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Music at Northwestern University

What traits are you looking for in a school for Music, you may want to check out the program at Northwestern University. We’ve gathered the following information to help you decide.

Northwestern University is located in Evanston, IL.

During the most recent reporting year, 164 music graduations were recorded at Northwestern University.

Online & Distance Learning at Northwestern University

Online coursework is an option at Northwestern University. Among 23,856 students, 781 (3%) studied exclusively online and 1,509 (6%) took at least some classes online.

Music Rankings at Northwestern University

These rankings give you a sense of how Northwestern University’s Music program against other schools offering the same major.

Master’s-Level Rankings

Ranking	Scope	Rank
Best Schools (Quality)	Illinois	#1 of 14
Best Schools (Quality)	Great Lakes (Region)	#2 of 53
Best Schools (Quality)	Nationwide	#10 of 423
Best Value	Illinois	#13 of 14
Best Value	Great Lakes (Region)	#44 of 53
Best Value	Nationwide	#340 of 421

Doctoral-Level Rankings

Ranking	Scope	Rank
Best Schools (Quality)	Illinois	#1 of 14
Best Schools (Quality)	Great Lakes (Region)	#2 of 53
Best Schools (Quality)	Nationwide	#10 of 423
Best Value	Illinois	#13 of 14
Best Value	Great Lakes (Region)	#44 of 53
Best Value	Nationwide	#340 of 421

Earnings for Music Graduates from Northwestern University

Students who complete Northwestern University’s Music program report the following median earnings (per the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard):

Years After Graduation	Median Earnings
1 year	$32,239
2 years	$24,055
3 years	$32,413
4 years	$38,768
5 years	$44,481

Is this above or below average for the school? Four years out, Music graduates from Northwestern University earn a median of $38,768, compared with $111,206 for all Northwestern University graduates — about 65% lower than the school-wide median.

Median Debt at Graduation

Typical debt at graduation for Music graduates from Northwestern University stands at $18,166.

Student Demographics & Diversity

Below you’ll find the diversity of Music graduates at Northwestern University, by degree type.

Looking at the program as a whole, Music graduates at Northwestern University are 46% women (75) and 54% men (89).

Music Bachelor’s Program at Northwestern University

Of the 99 bachelor’s music degrees awarded at Northwestern University, 48% were women (48) and 52% were men (51).

The following table and chart show the race/ethnicity of Music bachelor’s degree recipients at Northwestern University.

Race / Ethnicity	Number of Graduates
White	47
Hispanic / Latino	12
Black / African American	1
Asian	28
Two or More Races	5
International (Nonresident)	1
Unknown	5

Racial-ethnic minorities make up 46% of Music bachelor’s degree recipients at Northwestern University, above the national average of 34%.*

Music Master’s Program at Northwestern University

Among the 54 master’s music degrees awarded at Northwestern University, 44% were women (24) and 56% were men (30).

The following table and chart show the race/ethnicity of Music master’s degree recipients at Northwestern University.

Race / Ethnicity	Number of Graduates
White	28
Hispanic / Latino	3
Black / African American	1
Asian	2
Two or More Races	6
International (Nonresident)	6
Unknown	8

Minority students account for 22% of Music master’s degree recipients at Northwestern University, below the national average of 23%.*

Music Doctoral Program at Northwestern University

Among the 11 doctoral music degrees awarded at Northwestern University, 27% were women (3) and 73% were men (8).

The following table and chart show the race/ethnicity of Music doctoral degree recipients at Northwestern University.

Race / Ethnicity	Number of Graduates
White	6
Two or More Races	1
International (Nonresident)	2
Unknown	2

Minority students account for 9% of Music doctoral degree recipients at Northwestern University, below the national average of 17%.*

*The racial-ethnic minorities figure is the total number of graduates minus White, international (nonresident), and unknown-race graduates.

More Specific Music Concentrations at Northwestern University

The Music program at Northwestern University offers more specialized concentrations:

Concentration	Graduates
General Music	38
Music Performance	52
Music Theory & Composition	3
Musicology & Ethnomusicology	4
Conducting	6
Keyboard Instruments	11
Voice Performance	24
Jazz Studies	1
Stringed Instruments	25

Highest-Paying Careers for Music Graduates

Graduates of the Music program at Northwestern University go on to a range of careers. Here are the top-paying careers for Music majors, ordered by median annual salary:

Occupation	Nationwide Median Wage
Musicians and Singers	$96,571
Disc Jockeys, Except Radio	$87,328
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education	$77,927
Music Directors and Composers	$66,915
Sound Engineering Technicians	$66,427
Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary	$46,983

References

• IPEDS — Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System
• U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard
• O*NET Online (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
• National Center for Education Statistics

More about our data sources and methodologies.