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Conducting

Types of Degrees Conducting Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Conducting have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	4
Master’s Degree	129
Doctor’s Degree	47

What Conducting Majors Need to Know

Studies in Conducting build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Conducting graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Conducting emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Fine Arts — Importance 4.9 / 5; level 6.5 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 4.5 / 5; level 5.8 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.2 / 7.
• Communications and Media — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Psychology — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills built by a Conducting program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Speaking — Importance 4.5 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Instructing — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Learning Strategies — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Conducting careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Conducting graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Thinking Creatively	4.8 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.6 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	4.5 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.5 / 7
Coaching and Developing Others	4.3 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.2 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.2 / 7
Getting Information	4.0 / 7
Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates	3.9 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Conducting professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
Apple Final Cut Pro	Video creation and editing software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Propellerhead Software Reason	Music or sound editing software	—
Edmodo	Desktop communications software	—
Adobe Audition	Music or sound editing software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Microsoft Visual Studio	Development environment software	—
Adobe Illustrator	Graphics or photo imaging software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Conducting graduates include:

• College Professor
• Graphic Design Professor
• Guitar Teacher
• Piano Teacher
• Studio Instructor
• Drama Teacher
• College Faculty Member
• Ballet Professor
• Stagecraft Professor
• Photography Teacher
• Piano Pedagogy Professor
• Woodshop Instructor
• Baton Teacher
• Adjunct Music Instructor
• Choral Teacher

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Conducting graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Master’s degree	47.4%
Doctoral degree	30.0%
Bachelor’s degree	15.4%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	2.4%
Post-master’s certificate	1.7%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	0.9%
Some college courses	0.9%
Less than a high school diploma	0.8%
High school diploma or equivalent	0.6%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Conducting?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 68.9% of Conducting degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	56	31.1%
Men	124	68.9%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Conducting graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	100	55.6%
Asian	9	5.0%
Hispanic or Latino	14	7.8%
Black or African American	9	5.0%
Two or More Races	10	5.6%
Race Unknown	4	2.2%
International Students	34	18.9%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Conducting Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Conducting graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$29,248
4 years	$35,586
5 years	$40,828

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $40,828 — roughly 40% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Conducting Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Conducting graduates earn a median of $35,586 four years after completion — about 6% below the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000). On earnings alone, this program does not show an income premium over the baseline; non-financial outcomes (career interests, certification requirements, advancement potential) are typically the stronger argument for fields in this range.

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Music	50.09
Brass Instruments	50.0914
Jazz/Jazz Studies	50.0910
Keyboard Instruments	50.0907
Music History, Literature, and Theory	50.0902
Music Pedagogy	50.0912
Music Performance, General	50.0903
Music Technology	50.0913
Music Theory and Composition	50.0904
Music, General	50.0901
Music, Other	50.0999
Musicology and Ethnomusicology	50.0905

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.