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Jazz Studies

Types of Degrees Jazz Studies Majors Are Earning

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

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	347
Master’s Degree	164
Doctor’s Degree	12

What Jazz Studies Majors Need to Know

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

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Jazz Studies emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Fine Arts — Importance 4.9 / 5; level 6.5 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 4.6 / 5; level 6.0 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.3 / 7.
• Communications and Media — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Psychology — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.

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

Skills

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

• Speaking — Importance 4.6 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Instructing — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Learning Strategies — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Jazz Studies 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 4.9 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Jazz Studies graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Thinking Creatively	4.8 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.7 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	4.6 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.4 / 7
Coaching and Developing Others	4.4 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.3 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.2 / 7
Getting Information	4.0 / 7
Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates	4.0 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Jazz Studies professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Pure Data PD	Music or sound editing software	—
Autodesk MotionBuilder	Video creation and editing software	—
Course management system software	Computer based training software	—
Sakai CLE	Computer based training software	—
Pixar RenderMan Studio	Video creation and editing software	—
PhoneGap	Development environment software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Jazz Studies graduates include:

• Graphic Design Professor
• College Professor
• Adjunct Instructor
• Adjunct Graphic Design Instructor
• Music Lecturer
• Adjunct Professor
• Art Educator
• Piano Professor
• Adjunct College Instructor
• Singing Teacher
• Choral Teacher
• Art Professor
• Artist Instructor
• Ceramics Teacher
• Voice Teacher

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
Master’s degree	49.3%
Doctoral degree	30.8%
Bachelor’s degree	14.5%
Post-master’s certificate	1.5%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	1.4%
Less than a high school diploma	0.8%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	0.7%
High school diploma or equivalent	0.5%
Some college courses	0.3%
Post-doctoral training	0.1%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Jazz Studies?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 80.9% of Jazz Studies degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	100	19.1%
Men	423	80.9%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	257	49.1%
Asian	20	3.8%
Hispanic or Latino	76	14.5%
Black or African American	42	8.0%
Two or More Races	28	5.4%
Race Unknown	9	1.7%
International Students	91	17.4%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Jazz Studies Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Jazz Studies 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.}

Online Jazz Studies Programs

Fully online options is reported by IPEDS for Jazz Studies. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Bachelor’s	1	2
Master’s	1	1

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Jazz Studies Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Jazz Studies 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
Conducting	50.0906
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.