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Music History

Types of Degrees Music History Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Music History have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	118
Master’s Degree	42
Doctor’s Degree	6

What Music History Majors Need to Know

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

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Music History emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Fine Arts — Importance 4.9 / 5; level 6.5 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 4.7 / 5; level 6.1 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 5.3 / 7.
• Communications and Media — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• History and Archeology — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

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

Skills

Skills emphasized by a Music History program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Speaking — Importance 4.6 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Instructing — Importance 4.4 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Learning Strategies — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Active Learning — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

Abilities

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

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4 / 5; level 5 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Music History graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Thinking Creatively	4.9 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	4.7 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.7 / 7
Coaching and Developing Others	4.5 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.5 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.3 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.2 / 7
Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates	4.0 / 7
Getting Information	4.0 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.0 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Music History professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Blackboard software	Computer based training software	—
Adobe Acrobat	Document management software	—
MySQL	Data base management system software	—
Pure Data PD	Music or sound editing software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	—
Apple Final Cut Pro	Video creation and editing software	—
Apple DVD Studio Pro	Video creation and editing software	—
Desire2Learn LMS software	Computer based training software	—
The Foundry Nuke	Video creation and editing software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Adobe Dreamweaver	Web page creation and editing software	—
Sonic Studio audio software	Music or sound editing software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Music History graduates include:

• Woodshop Instructor
• Dramatic Art Teacher
• Music Educator
• Guitar Teacher
• Adjunct Instructor
• Ballet Teacher
• Art Instructor
• Drama Professor
• Adjunct Music Instructor
• Scene Design Lecturer
• Voice Professor
• Visual Arts Instructor
• Organ Teacher
• Music Lecturer
• Dance Professor

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
Master’s degree	50.7%
Doctoral degree	31.7%
Bachelor’s degree	13.9%
Post-master’s certificate	1.6%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	1.4%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	0.7%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Music History?

Gender Distribution

This field has a relatively balanced gender distribution: 54.8% women and 45.2% men among Music History graduates.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	91	54.8%
Men	75	45.2%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	104	62.7%
Asian	10	6.0%
Hispanic or Latino	16	9.6%
Black or African American	10	6.0%
Two or More Races	6	3.6%
Race Unknown	3	1.8%
International Students	17	10.2%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Music History Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Music History 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 Music History Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Music History 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
Jazz/Jazz Studies	50.0910
Keyboard Instruments	50.0907
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.