Music at The University of Texas at Tyler

UT Tyler's music program produces first-year earnings of $37,104—well above the national median of $26,036 but significantly trailing other Texas music programs. While this puts graduates in the 87th percentile nationally, they rank just 25th percentile within Texas, where the state median sits at $47,010. Top programs like Sam Houston State and UT El Paso see their graduates earning $56,000+, suggesting regional market conditions can support much stronger outcomes for music majors.

The estimated debt of $26,121, based on comparable programs at UT Tyler, creates a manageable 0.70 debt-to-earnings ratio—meaning graduates would owe roughly 8 months of their first-year salary. This is reasonable by music major standards, where debt levels tend to run high relative to early earnings. However, that calculation assumes the estimate holds for this specific program, and the relatively small graduate cohort (which triggered the data suppression) raises questions about program size and support infrastructure.

The tension here is real: your child could earn respectable money by national music standards while carrying workable debt, but they'd still be making $10,000-20,000 less than peers at other Texas public universities. If staying in Texas for work, that gap matters. The accessible admission profile (92% acceptance rate) suggests UT Tyler serves students well, but for a music major planning a Texas career, stronger-earning programs exist at similarly accessible state schools.