Music at Virginia Commonwealth University

VCU's music program costs about what you'd expect ($27,000 in debt), but graduates earn notably less than their Virginia peers—landing in just the 25th percentile statewide. While starting pay of $28,989 beats the national average for music majors, it falls short of Virginia's $34,611 median by nearly $6,000. That gap matters when you're comparing this program to in-state alternatives like James Madison or Radford, where music graduates consistently earn $7,000-$10,000 more right out of school.

The positive angle here is that earnings grow steadily, climbing 16% to $33,538 by year four. The debt load is manageable—less than one year's starting salary—which gives graduates breathing room while building their careers. Nationally, this program performs solidly, ranking in the 59th percentile. But that state ranking reveals the real challenge: most Virginia families have access to stronger-performing music programs without paying significantly more or leaving the state.

For a family evaluating VCU specifically for music, the question becomes whether location in Richmond or other program-specific factors justify choosing a lower-earning path. The numbers suggest shopping around among Virginia's public universities, where several programs deliver substantially better early-career outcomes at similar debt levels.