Music at University of California-San Diego

UCSD's music program leaves graduates earning just $21,592 in their first year—barely above the state median but well below the $26,036 national average. What's striking here is the gap between UCSD's selectivity (only 1 in 4 applicants gets in) and these outcomes. Several Cal State campuses—less selective schools with lower tuition—send their music graduates into the workforce earning 30-50% more.

The debt picture offers some relief: at $18,938, it's notably lower than both state and national medians, likely reflecting UCSD's strong financial aid for a UC campus. Still, with first-year earnings this low, even modest debt translates to a ratio of 0.88, meaning graduates owe nearly a full year's salary. Music careers notoriously start slow, but these numbers suggest UCSD graduates may be pursuing performance or artistic paths rather than the music education or production roles that typically pay better early on.

For a family paying UC tuition and banking on UCSD's prestige, these outcomes deserve scrutiny. The degree positions graduates roughly at California's median for music programs—acceptable, but not the return you'd expect from a highly selective university. If your student is set on performance or composition, UCSD's reputation and connections may justify the investment. But if steady early earnings matter, San Francisco State delivers significantly better results at lower cost.