Music at California State University-Monterey Bay

Cal State Monterey Bay's music program graduates earn about $28,000 in their first year—not impressive on its own, but landing in the 80th percentile among California music programs tells a different story. While the national benchmark sits at $26,000, most California music graduates earn just $21,550, making CSUMB a notably stronger performer within the state where your child would likely attend.

The real advantage here is the debt picture: $18,920 is nearly $4,000 below California's median for music programs and $7,000 below the national average. That 0.68 debt-to-earnings ratio means manageable monthly payments even on those modest first-year earnings. For a program serving 43% Pell-eligible students, this combination of above-state-average outcomes with below-average debt suggests decent value.

The catch is the small sample size—fewer than 30 graduates in the data. This means individual outcomes could vary significantly from these medians, and the program could look quite different year to year. If your child is serious about music performance or education and considering California State schools, CSUMB's combination of reasonable debt and better-than-typical earnings for the state merits a closer look. Just verify current enrollment numbers and talk to recent graduates directly before committing.