Music at University of Denver

A music degree from the University of Denver comes with a significant warning label: the sample size here is tiny (under 30 graduates), making these numbers less reliable than programs with hundreds of data points. That said, the available data shows graduates earning about $3,700 less than the Colorado median for music programs and trailing well behind top in-state options like Colorado State ($38,277) and UC Denver ($29,483).

The financial picture is manageable but underwhelming. Starting earnings of $23,262 climb to $30,103 by year four—a decent 29% growth trajectory—but you're still looking at four years to break even on the debt load. For a selective university that draws just 15% Pell-eligible students and maintains a 1344 average SAT, these outcomes place DU's music program squarely in the middle of the pack both statewide (40th percentile) and nationally (36th percentile).

Here's the practical question: is the University of Denver's music training worth roughly $24,000 in debt when Metropolitan State offers the same degree for likely lower cost, or when Colorado State graduates earn 64% more in their first year? Unless your child has specific reasons to choose DU—faculty connections, ensemble opportunities, or a dual major that leverages the university's other strengths—the numbers alone don't make a compelling case. The small sample size means next year's data could look quite different, but that uncertainty cuts both ways.