by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 7 U.S. colleges awarded 39 degrees and certificates in Sound Arts. Bachelor’s degrees are the most popular award, at 85% of graduates. College Factual ranks 2 schools in its 2027 Best Sound Arts Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $29,221 one year after completing, rising to $45,008 after four years.
A major in Sound Arts involves the study of A Program That Focuses On Sound As A Form Of Cultural Expression, And Its Relationship To Other Disciplines Such As Computer Programming, Performance, And Video. Includes Instruction In Acoustics; Arranging, Composing, And Editing Music; Music Theory; Musicology; Orchestration And Scoring; And Sound Design.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Across the country, sound arts is a widely-pursued major, with 39 degrees awarded annually. 7 colleges award sound arts degrees, an average of 6 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 14.
By level, the 39 awards include 5 associate degrees, 33 bachelor’s degrees and 1 master’s degrees.
Women earned 26% of sound arts degrees and certificates in the latest year (10 of 39). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (30) and Hispanic or Latino (4).
College Factual ranks 2 schools in its 2027 Best Sound Arts Schools ranking, including 2 for bachelor’s degrees. It also ranks sound arts schools within 2 states. In all, 7 colleges offer sound arts programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Sound Arts Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common sound arts credential is the bachelor’s degree: 33 of the 39 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to sound arts call most for Speaking, Instructing and Active Listening, and for knowledge of Fine Arts, Education and Training and English Language, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Expression, Written Comprehension and Written Expression.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
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How long a sound arts degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 5 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 33 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 1 |
Master’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to sound arts, at 47.4%.
| Level of Education | Percentage 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: O*NET Online.
2 occupations are related to Sound Arts, with an average median salary of $56,949; the strongest outlook belongs to Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary, at 9.1% projected job growth. Typical job titles include College Faculty Member, Baton Teacher, Scene Design Lecturer and Studio Instructor.
That occupation also has the most projected jobs of any related to sound arts, at 1,074,154.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,074,154 | 9.1% |
| Music Directors and Composers | 180,947 | 6.4% |
Sound Arts graduates earn a median $29,221 one year after completing their program, $45,008 after four years and $40,994 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $29,221 |
| 4 years | $45,008 |
| 5 years | $40,994 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to sound arts is Music Directors and Composers, with a median salary of $66,915.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Music Directors and Composers | $66,915 |
| Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary | $46,983 |
Sound Arts has 16 similar majors in the Visual & Performing Arts field, which together award 26,230 degrees a year; the largest are Music, General (10,882), Music Performance, General (7,138) and Music Technology (2,097). Browse all Visual & Performing Arts majors or the full list of college majors.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Music, General | 10,882 |
| Music Performance, General | 7,138 |
| Music Technology | 2,097 |
| Music Theory and Composition | 1,337 |
| Music, Other | 1,235 |
| Voice and Opera | 651 |
| Jazz/Jazz Studies | 598 |
| Stringed Instruments | 585 |
| Keyboard Instruments | 536 |
| Music Pedagogy | 402 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
