Sacred Music
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Types of Degrees Sacred Music Majors Are Getting
The following table lists how many sacred music graduations there were in 2018-2019 for each degree level.
Education Level | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Bachelor’s Degree | 304 |
Master’s Degree | 114 |
Associate’s Degree | 29 |
Doctor’s Degree | 14 |
Graduate Certificate | 8 |
Undergraduate Certificate | 7 |
Basic Certificate | 1 |
What Sacred Music Majors Need to Know
O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to sacred music and asked them what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. The responses were rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most important.
Knowledge Areas for Sacred Music Majors
This major prepares you for careers in which these knowledge areas are important:

- English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Philosophy and Theology - Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
- Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
- Fine Arts - Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
- History and Archeology - Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.
Skills for Sacred Music Majors
sacred music majors are found most commonly in careers in which the following skills are important:

- Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.
- Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
- Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Abilities for Sacred Music Majors
As a sacred music major, you will find yourself needing the following abilities:

- Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
- Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
- Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
- Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
- Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
What Can You Do With a Sacred Music Major?
Below is a list of occupations associated with sacred music:
Job Title | Job Growth Rate | Median Salary |
---|---|---|
Music Directors | 5.7% | $49,630 |
Philosophy and Religion Professors | 12.3% | $71,890 |
Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Sacred Music?
Racial-Ethnic Diversity
At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of sacred music majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Asian | 5 |
Black or African American | 8 |
Hispanic or Latino | 18 |
White | 234 |
International Students | 9 |
Other Races/Ethnicities | 30 |
Geographic Diversity
Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in Sacred Music. About 3.0% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are:
- South Korea
- Brazil
- Canada
- Nigeria
- India
How Much Do Sacred Music Majors Make?
Bachelor’s Degree Starting Salary
The median starting salary of students who graduated in 2015-2017 with a bachelor’s degree in sacred music was $26,150 per year. These stats come from the U.S. Department of Education. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $25,575 (25th percentile) and $26,725 (75th percentile).

Note that some of these people may have jobs that are not directly related to a sacred music degree.
Salaries According to BLS
Sacred Music majors often go into careers where salaries can range from $59,790 to $82,420 (25th to 75th percentile). This range includes all degree levels, so you may expect those with a more advanced degree to make more while those with less advanced degrees will typically make less.
To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.
Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Sacred Music
Some degrees associated with sacred music may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.
Find out what the typical degree level is for sacred music careers below.

Education Level | Percentage of Workers |
---|---|
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED) | 0.5% |
Some College Courses | 0.1% |
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 3.2% |
Bachelor’s Degree | 14.6% |
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master. | 0.1% |
Master’s Degree | 17.2% |
Post-Master’s Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master’s degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level. | 0.3% |
Doctoral Degree | 55.4% |
Post-Doctoral Training | 6.4% |
Online Sacred Music Programs
In 2018-2019, 162 schools offered a sacred music program of some type. The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.
Degree Level | Colleges Offering Programs | Colleges Offering Online Classes |
---|---|---|
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year) | 7 | 1 |
Certificate (1-2 years) | 7 | 3 |
Certificate (2-4 Years) | 0 | 0 |
Associate’s Degree | 20 | 3 |
Bachelor’s Degree | 10 | 2 |
Post-Baccalaureate | 7 | 1 |
Master’s Degree | 37 | 3 |
Post-Master’s | 2 | 0 |
Doctor’s Degree (Research) | 9 | 2 |
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice) | 0 | 0 |
Doctor’s Degree (Other) | 0 | 0 |
Is a Degree in Sacred Music Worth It?
The median salary for a sacred music grad is $59,790 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.
This is 50% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $397,800 after 20 years!

Top Ranking Lists for Sacred Music
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Majors Related to Sacred Music
You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to sacred music.
Major | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Theological & Ministerial Studies | 19,838 |
Biblical Studies | 4,551 |
Pastoral Counseling & Specialized Ministries | 3,055 |
Religious Education | 1,497 |
Missionary Studies | 1,379 |
Theology & Religious Vocations (Other) | 1,375 |
References
*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.
- College Factual
- College Scorecard
- National Center for Education Statistics
- O*NET Online
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020
- Image Credit: By Jackerhack under License
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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