by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 8 U.S. colleges awarded 201 degrees and certificates in Musical Instrument Fabrication & Repair. Certificates are the most popular award, at 53% of graduates. College Factual ranks 5 schools in its 2027 Best Musical Instrument Fabrication & Repair Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $47,220 one year after completing, rising to $58,456 after four years.
A degree in Musical Instrument Fabrication & Repair covers Musical Instrument Fabrication And Repair. A Program That Prepares Individuals To Apply Technical Knowledge And Skills To Make, Repair, Maintain, And Tune Acoustic And Electric Musical Instruments. Includes Instruction In Methods And Equipment For Making Musical Instruments, Electronic Instrument Amplification Systems, Techniques Of Cleaning, And Methods Of Tuning Musical Instruments.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Nationwide, musical instrument fabrication & repair is a popular field of study, with 201 degrees awarded annually. 8 colleges award musical instrument fabrication & repair degrees, an average of 25 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 63.
By level, the 201 awards include 107 certificates, 16 associate degrees and 78 master’s degrees.
Women earned 17% of musical instrument fabrication & repair degrees and certificates in the latest year (34 of 201). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (171) and Hispanic or Latino (15), and international students earned 6.
College Factual ranks 5 schools in its 2027 Best Musical Instrument Fabrication & Repair Schools ranking. It also ranks musical instrument fabrication & repair schools within 1 state. In all, 8 colleges offer musical instrument fabrication & repair programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Musical Instrument Fabrication & Repair Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common musical instrument fabrication & repair credential is the certificate: 107 of the 201 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to musical instrument fabrication & repair call most for Quality Control Analysis, Troubleshooting and Repairing, and for knowledge of Customer and Personal Service, Mechanical and Fine Arts, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Hearing Sensitivity, Near Vision and Finger Dexterity.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a musical instrument fabrication & repair degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 107 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 16 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 78 |
Postsecondary certificate is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to musical instrument fabrication & repair, at 54.5%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Postsecondary certificate | 54.5% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 18.2% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 9.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 9.1% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 4.5% |
| Some college courses | 4.5% |
Source: O*NET Online.
1 occupations are related to Musical Instrument Fabrication & Repair, with an average median salary of $34,378; the strongest outlook belongs to Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners, at 11.3% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Stringed Instrument Tuner, Instrument Builder, Fretted String Instrument Repairer and Organ Fixer.
That occupation also has the most projected jobs of any related to musical instrument fabrication & repair, at 281,478.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners | 281,478 | 11.3% |
Musical Instrument Fabrication & Repair graduates earn a median $47,220 one year after completing their program, $58,456 after four years and $44,868 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $47,220 |
| 4 years | $58,456 |
| 5 years | $44,868 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The same occupation is also the highest-paying one related to musical instrument fabrication & repair, with a median salary of $34,378.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners | $34,378 |
Musical Instrument Fabrication & Repair has 5 similar majors in the Mechanic & Repair Technologies field, which together award 3,533 degrees a year; the largest are Gunsmithing/Gunsmith (3,371), Watchmaking and Jewelrymaking (78) and Locksmithing and Safe Repair (43). Browse all Mechanic & Repair Technologies majors or the full list of college majors.
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