What is The Cost of Music?

A colleague sent me a survey this week entitled, “Music Degrees: Are They Worth It?” which piqued my interest. As a former Vocal Performance major who has switched to Musicological studies at The Ohio State University, I am certainly a member of the targeted demographic for this survey. To better inform my opinion on the matter, I did the unthinkable: I began researching how much these degrees cost, and what likelihood there is for a recent music graduate to find a job. Hold on to your hats, folks. Let’s start close to home. -The Ohio State University has a tuition of $11,666 for a general, non-music student with residence on campus. Add to that the cost of an accompanist, $200-$400 per semester, dress attire for ensembles, $30-$200 per semester, and the cost of attending any off-campus musical events to see professionals on stage, $10-$100, and you have a hefty sum. (According to ProjectOnStudentDebt.org, the average Ohio State student leaves with a debt of $ 26,472.) -Nearby, Capital University, ranked #36 in the 2015 edition of Best Colleges in the Midwest by US News, costs a whopping $31,990 each year for a non-music specific student. -Otterbein University asks $41,084 per year for a general student to live on campus. - The Columbus State Community College, which does have a music program that includes adjunct professors shared by The Ohio State University, costs $1,631.16 for in-state students. -A full-time student at the prestigious Oberlin College is charged $48,682 plus additional fees for programs such as music. Clearly this is not chump change. Although many schools offer privately-funded scholarships for merit, many students and families are left with record-high tuition loans from the federal government as well as private loan agencies. So what do we have in our prospective futures to encourage us up this slippery slope? If you take a quick look at the Occupational Employment and Wages data from the United States Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, it is easy to see that there is not a large employment rate for musicians in this country. In fact, there are an estimated 167,400 total jobs in music-related fields in the entire nation, with a measly 5% job-increase for 2012-2022 expected. Under the header, 'Job Prospects' the Department of Labor gives the following dismal overview: "There will be tough competition for jobs because of the large number of workers who are interested in becoming musicians and singers. In particular, there will likely be considerable competition for full-time positions. Musicians and singers with exceptional musical talent and dedication should have the best opportunities. Many musicians and singers experience periods of unemployment." While I won’t weigh in on whether a degree in music is ‘worth it’, since that is ultimately up to the individual, I will say this: as a country and as citizens of the Arts, hopefully we can continue to support musicians. In fact, let’s hope that the music industry in the United States can diversify and grow as quickly as our loans do. For more information on how to support your local collegiate musicians, check the Alumni and Friends pages of Columbus's Colleges and Universities, or check a nearby school's events calendar to show support and appreciation for the arts in person. Links for University Giving Programs: The Ohio State School of Music Capital University Columbus State Community College Otterbein University