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Berklee College of Music

Berklee College of Music

Boston, MA · City · 7,468 students
WebsiteScorecard
Application deadlines: Check the admissions site
$49,465
Average net priceYour net price
2023-24
<30
30–48
48–75
75–110
110+
By household income — tap a bar
67%
Graduation rate
Entered fall 2017 & 2018
54% typical
$33,647
Earnings 10 years on
Measured 2020 & 2021
$55,177 typical
44%
Acceptance rate
Applied for fall 2024
82% typical · not scored
Accredited by New England Commission on Higher Education
About

Berklee College of Music in Boston is world-renowned as the premier institution for contemporary music and performing arts education, offering celebrated programs in music production and engineering, film scoring, songwriting, and music business. Following its merger with the Boston Conservatory, the college uniquely bridges contemporary and commercial music with classical performance, musical theater, and dance. Set in Boston’s vibrant Back Bay neighborhood, the campus culture is intensely creative, collaborative, and gig-focused, immersing students in state-of-the-art recording facilities and an unmatched industry pipeline that boasts hundreds of Grammy-winning alumni.


Wikipedia:Berklee College of Music is a private music college in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern American music, it also offers college-level courses in a wide range of contemporary and historic styles, including rock, hip hop, reggae, salsa, heavy metal and bluegrass.

Location
Boston, MA, 02215 · City campus
✈
Nearest airport from college
BOS · Boston
4 mi away
Cost & aid
Cost of attendance
YoursEveryone
Tuition & fees$52,040
Housing & food (on campus)$19,930
Books & supplies$1,085
Cost of attendance$85,817
Average net price$49,465
Same price for all students
Tuition & fees$52,040
Housing & food (on campus)$19,930
Books & supplies$1,085
Cost of attendance$85,817
Average net price$49,465
Source: U.S. College Scorecard · published total: www.berklee.edu
How it’s made up · 2026-27
Berklee College of Music’s own figures for 2026–2027, newer than the 2024-25 federal figures above, so the amounts differ.
Tuition$54,020
Fees$1,600
Housing$21,300
Books & supplies$1,260
Personal expenses$1,460
Transportation$1,180
Total published by the school$85,817
Net price by family income · 2023-24
$0–30k
$42,734
$30–48k
$37,987
$48–75k
$47,799
$75–110k
$46,801
$110k+
$54,676
Merit aid · 2024-25
Awarded without financial need. Students with financial need can get merit awards too; they're counted as need-based aid.
Average award$21,810
First-years who got one547
Source: Berklee College of Music's Common Data Set — the school's own yearly report of its admissions and aid figures (PDF).
Outcomes
Completion
Within 6 yrs
67%
Entered 2017–18
Within 4 yrs
50%
Back for yr 2
89%
Transferred
9%
8 yrs after starting · first-time, full-time students
68% graduated · 11% transferred · 21% left or unknown · none still enrolled
Earnings · measured 2020 & 2021
6 yrs after entry$26,462
10 yrs after entry$33,647
Debt
Median at graduation$25,000
Monthly payment$265
Middle 50% owe$5.5k–$26k
90th percentile$31,000
Green marks a figure above the typical Master's (larger programs): 54% graduate within 6 yrs.
Admissions
Getting in · applied for fall 2024
Admit rate
44%
Test policy
Not required
Per College Scorecard

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Essay prompts
How much essays count at Berklee College of Music: Considered (one of four levels: very important · important · considered · not considered)
Source: Berklee College of Music's Common Data Set for 2025-26 — the school's own yearly report of its admissions and aid figures (PDF).

If Berklee College of Music asks for supplemental essays, the prompts are in the school's application.

Student Body
Gender
Men 55%Women 45%
Who enrolls
Faculty ratio
9 : 1
Pell grant
16%
First-gen
21%
Family income
$50,454
Independent
33%
Age at entry
24.0
Part-time
20%
Race & ethnicity
White
37%
Hispanic
13%
Black
6%
Asian
6%
Two or more
5%
Non-resident
32%
Unknown
2%
Varsity sports

No data. This school isn't in the U.S. Department of Education's athletics (EADA) file, so we can't list its teams. That doesn't mean it has none.

Programs & Earnings
Bachelor's degrees by annual completions · 4yr national median earnings
Median earnings, all programs · measured 2020 & 2021
After 6 yrs
$26,462
After 10 yrs
$33,647
Music625
Computer Software and Media Applications440
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians, Other215
Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management154
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft69
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions46
Dance36
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas12
Type your major above to highlight and detail relevant programs.
Institutional
Resources
Endowment
$426M
Full-time faculty
34%
Faculty salary
$10,837/mo
Teaching spend
$20,700
per student
Federal loans
34%
Classification
Carnegie type
Master's (larger programs)
Undergraduate profile
Four-year, selective admissions

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