Music at University of Missouri-Kansas City

UMKC's music program produces graduates earning $31,819 four years out—substantially below Missouri's median of $33,078 for music degrees. More concerning, this ranks in just the 10th percentile among Missouri music programs, meaning 90% of similar in-state programs deliver better earnings outcomes. When your child could attend Mizzou Columbia or St. Louis and earn roughly $4,000 more annually with the same degree type, the value proposition becomes harder to justify.

The debt load of $23,089 is manageable at face value, creating a near-1:1 ratio with first-year earnings. That initial $22,315 salary does climb 43% to reach the year-four figure, which shows decent earnings trajectory. But starting that far behind peer programs means playing catch-up for years—and this growth still doesn't close the gap with stronger Missouri alternatives.

The small sample size here (under 30 graduates tracked) adds uncertainty to these figures, but the pattern is clear enough: if your student is committed to studying music in Missouri, other flagship options consistently outperform UMKC by meaningful margins. Unless there's a specific faculty member or program element that makes UMKC uniquely suited to your child's goals, the state's data suggests looking at Columbia or St. Louis first.