Music at University of California-Davis

UC Davis's music program produces graduates who beat 60% of California music programs in earnings—a meaningful distinction in a state where many programs leave graduates earning under $22,000. The $24,630 first-year salary sits below the national median but comfortably above what most California music grads make, and the manageable $17,500 debt load is notably lower than both state and national averages. While you won't see your child matching the earnings of San Francisco State or CSU Monterey Bay graduates initially, they're also taking on significantly less debt in the process.

The 0.71 debt-to-earnings ratio means your child would owe less than a year's salary—a reasonable starting point for a field where early-career earnings rarely break $30,000. However, the sample size here is small (under 30 graduates), so these numbers could swing considerably with different cohorts. Music is inherently an unpredictable career path, and even strong programs can't guarantee stable outcomes.

For a family weighing a UC Davis music degree, the key advantage is that your child gets the prestige and resources of a top-tier UC campus while graduating with less debt than the typical music major. That financial flexibility matters when launching a music career often means piecing together gigs, teaching, and other income streams before finding stable footing.