Music at University of California-Riverside

UC Riverside's music program yields first-year earnings of $20,408 against $26,651 in debt—a concerning 1.31 ratio that puts graduates in a difficult financial position right out of school. With a small sample size (under 30 graduates), these numbers should be interpreted carefully, but they paint a picture that warrants serious consideration. While the program performs near California's median for music degrees, it still lags significantly behind top state programs: San Francisco State and The Master's University both deliver 50% higher first-year earnings.

The 22nd percentile national ranking is particularly telling. Even accounting for the fact that music degrees rarely lead to high immediate earnings, this program underperforms three-quarters of similar programs nationwide. The debt burden, while close to national norms, becomes problematic when paired with below-average earnings. For a family considering this investment at a UC campus, the financial reality deserves frank discussion—especially when nearly half of students receive Pell grants, suggesting many families are already managing limited resources.

If your child is passionate about music and set on UC Riverside, understand they'll likely need additional income sources or family support in those critical first years after graduation. The small sample size offers some hope that outcomes could vary significantly from these figures, but plan for a challenging post-graduation financial period rather than assuming an exception.