Bachelor's+11% vs national median368 grads tracked
Music at Northern Illinois University
Ranked 42nd of 250 bachelor's programs in Music by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$36,867
middle 50%: $25,554 – $49,109
Median · 5 years out
$55,261
middle 50%: $36,437 – $66,779
Median · 10 years out
$65,986
middle 50%: $45,903 – $86,250
Salary trajectory
Median earnings vs the national median for Music (bachelor's) graduates.
This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates
Graduates of Northern Illinois University's bachelor's program in Music earn a median $36,867 one year after graduating, rising to $65,986 by year ten. Five years out, earnings run 11% above the national median of $49,659 for this field, ranking 42nd of 250 reporting programs.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau PSEO, release V4.13.0 2025Q4. Earnings are for graduates working in covered states; figures are medians in nominal dollars.
Will the degree pay for itself?
Drag the sliders — payback uses this program's actual salary curve.
Assumes a 6.5% APR loan and this program's median salary trajectory (interpolated between years 1, 5 and 10).
Paid off in
7.8 yrs
≈ $9,091 total interest
Same major at other universities
James Madison University
$57,051 · 5 yrs out
College of Staten Island/CUNY
$56,877 · 5 yrs out
Binghamton University
$56,877 · 5 yrs out
College of Saint Benedict
$56,170 · 5 yrs out
University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth
$55,746 · 5 yrs out
Randolph - Macon College
$55,464 · 5 yrs out
University of Mary Washington
$54,919 · 5 yrs out
CUNY Hunter College
$54,857 · 5 yrs out
Oregon State University
$54,857 · 5 yrs out
University of Texas at Tyler
$54,804 · 5 yrs out
Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis
$54,757 · 5 yrs out
University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
$54,672 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at Northern Illinois University
Education (Doctorate)
$119,874 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Master's)
$115,599 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Master's)
$111,551 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Master's)
$111,291 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics and Statistics (Doctorate)
$109,443 · 5 yrs out
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians (Master's)
$102,156 · 5 yrs out
Biomedical/Medical Engineering (Bachelor's)
$97,392 · 5 yrs out
Psychology (Doctorate)
$97,297 · 5 yrs out
Public Administration and Social Service Professions (Master's)
$95,329 · 5 yrs out
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's)
$95,041 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics and Statistics (Master's)
$93,400 · 5 yrs out
Social Sciences (Doctorate)
$92,787 · 5 yrs out