Music at Cornish College of the Arts

Cornish College of the Arts graduates earn roughly $18,500 in their first year—about 30% below Washington's median for music programs and in the bottom quarter nationally. While the $27,000 debt load isn't unusually high for arts programs, it still represents nearly 18 months of first-year earnings. For context, Northwest University music graduates in the same state start at $31,000, and even public options like Central Washington match the state median around $25,000.

The small sample size (under 30 graduates tracked) makes these figures less reliable than larger programs, and music careers often follow unconventional paths where traditional salary data misses freelance and project-based income. Still, the 12% earnings growth to just over $20,000 by year four suggests graduates aren't quickly breaking into higher-paying performance or production roles. In a city like Seattle with its steep cost of living, these starting salaries will likely require substantial outside support or additional income sources.

If your child is absolutely committed to this conservatory experience and understands they'll likely need financial help for several years post-graduation, Cornish offers intensive training in a major arts market. But purely as a financial investment, the numbers lag behind both state universities and peer private institutions, even accounting for the data's limitations.