Music at University of South Alabama

With only a small cohort of graduates, take these numbers as directional rather than definitive, but the pattern they suggest is concerning: music graduates from South Alabama earn roughly $6,000 less than their peers at other Alabama programs. Ranking in just the 25th percentile statewide means three-quarters of Alabama music programs deliver better first-year outcomes, including regional competitors like University of North Alabama ($35,600) and Jacksonville State ($32,900). The $27,050 starting salary barely edges above the national median for music majors, despite Alabama's lower cost of living.

The debt load of $22,625 is actually reasonable—below both state and national medians—and the 0.84 debt-to-earnings ratio suggests graduates can manage repayment on typical income-driven plans. That's the silver lining here. But music is already one of the lower-earning majors, and starting near the bottom of Alabama's range within this field leaves little margin for financial security early in a career.

If your child is committed to studying music in Alabama and South Alabama offers specific faculty or performance opportunities they can't find elsewhere, the manageable debt makes this feasible. But purely from an earnings standpoint, other Alabama programs appear to better position music graduates for their first professional years. The small sample size means next year's data could tell a different story, but right now, the state comparison suggests looking closely at alternatives.