Performance

Majoring in Music Performance is a comprehensively designed sequence of study to prepare students for a career as a professional musician, a studio teacher, or a college professor.

Music Education – Choral

Prepares students to teach general, choral, and instrumental music to grades K–12. An emphasis in Choral offers specialization in the teaching of singing and choral literature.

Music Theory

Prepares students with a strong foundation in the academic study of analytical techniques and compositional structure: for careers in teaching, composition, arranging, editing, and publishing.

Music Education – Instrumental

Prepares students to teach general, choral, and instrumental music to grades K–12. This specialization emphasizes teaching wind, string, and percussion instruments, as well as band and orchestra literature.

Music Education – General

Prepares students to teach music to grades K–12. An emphasis in General offers specialization in teaching basic musicianship tailored to the developmental levels of elementary and middle school.

Jazz Studies

Majoring in Jazz Studies provides students with in-depth performance and analytical study of this stylistic music, focusing on harmonic structure and improvisation. This major prepares students for careers in teaching, performance, recording, composition, arranging, editing, and publishing.

A student's primary area of academic focus in college, typically aligned with their intended career path. At some institutions, it may also be called a "concentration" or "field of study."

Major

4,478 different music degree program majors in the United States; 25,860 music degrees awarded in 2025; 2.28 million working musicians in America; $70,786 average annual wage for a U.S. musician; employment opportunity is 3.24% annual growth equaling 73,872 new positions opening each year; largest employer of musicians is public, charter, and private schools, followed by colleges, universities, and conservatories; largest employer of performing musicians is the U.S. military; U.S. cities with the largest number of professional musicians: Nashville, New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, and Honolulu. 4,478 different music degree program majors in the United States; 25,860 music degrees awarded in 2025; 2.28 million working musicians in America; $70,786 average annual wage for a U.S. musician; employment opportunity is 3.24% annual growth equaling 73,872 new positions opening each year; largest employer of musicians is public, charter, and private schools, followed by colleges, universities, and conservatories; largest employer of performing musicians is the U.S. military; U.S. cities with the largest number of professional musicians: Nashville, New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, and Honolulu.

Composition

Majoring in Composition provides in-depth knowledge of musical forms and compositional idioms from various periods of music history, along with essential skills for future creative expression.

Composition

Songwriting

Majoring in Songwriting prepares students to write artfully and create commercially viable songs, equipping them to pursue a career as a songwriter in today’s entertainment industry.

Songwriting

Film/Gaming Scoring

A focused composition degree blending writing, arranging, and orchestration with digital audio production. Students learn to create and mix music for visual media.

Film/Gaming Scoring

Understanding College Degrees and Majors

From BA to BM: Speak the Language of College Music Majors (and Sound Brilliant Doing It)

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Music Therapy

An immersive program that blends music, psychology, and health sciences to prepare students for clinical work. Through coursework and hands-on experience, students learn to use music to support emotional, cognitive, and physical well-being across all ages.

Music Therapy

Musical Theater

Prepares students for the professional stage and screen through focused training in voice, acting, dance, and movement. The program builds versatility, emotional authenticity, and the discipline needed for auditions, rehearsals, and live or recorded productions.

Musical Theater

Collaborative Piano

Focuses on the art of musical partnership. Students develop advanced piano skills while learning to rehearse and perform with vocalists, instrumentalists, and ensembles. This major prepares pianists for professional roles as accompanists, chamber musicians, opera coaches, and rehearsal pianists.

Collaborative Piano

MAJORS DIRECTORY

You can search by degree and state, and schools that match your criteria will be displayed.

Music

This major combines core studies in music theory, history, and performance with electives outside of music. It is ideal for students who want to double major, pursue interdisciplinary interests, or explore career paths beyond performance—such as artist management, music journalism, or performing arts administration.

Interdisciplinary Focus

Music

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Music Majors - Efficient Layout

Searchable Majors

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Arts Management Arts Administration

Church Music Sacred Music

Collaborative Piano

Commercial Music Pop Music, Contemporary Music

Composition

Conducting

Early Music Performance Practices Historical Performance, Chamber Music Performance

Electronic Music Experimental Music, Digital Music

Ethnomusicology World Music

Film and Game Scoring Media Scoring, Interactive Media Scoring, Screen Scoring

Instrument Repair

Jazz Studies

Music

Music Business Music Industry, Contemporary Music Industry, Artist Management, A&R, and Event Marketing

Music Cognition

Music Education Vocal, Instrumental, General

Music Entrepreneurship

Music History

Music Ministry Church Music Ministry, Choirmaster

Music Theory

Music Therapy

Musical Theater

Performance Vocal/Opera, Winds & Percussion, Strings, Piano, Harpsichord, Organ, Jazz Instrumental, Jazz Vocal

Piano Pedagogy

Recording Industry Sound Recording Technology, Audio Production, Audio Engineering

Scoring Orchestral Scoring, Arranging

Songwriting

Worship Arts Worship Studies, Worship Ministry, Worship Leadership

Searchable Majors

Arts Management
Arts Administration
Church Music
Sacred Music
Collaborative Piano
Commercial Music
Pop Music, Contemporary Music
Composition
Conducting
Early Music Performance Practices
Historical Performance, Chamber Music Performance
Electronic Music
Experimental Music, Digital Music
Ethnomusicology
World Music
Film and Game Scoring
Media Scoring, Interactive Media Scoring, Screen Scoring
Instrument Repair
Jazz Studies
Music
Music Business
Music Industry, Contemporary Music Industry, Artist Management, A&R, and Event Marketing
Music Cognition
Music Education
Vocal, Instrumental, General
Music Entrepreneurship
Music History
Music Ministry
Church Music Ministry, Choirmaster
Music Theory
Music Therapy
Musical Theater
Performance
Vocal/Opera, Winds & Percussion, Strings, Piano, Harpsichord, Organ, Jazz Instrumental, Jazz Vocal
Piano Pedagogy
Recording Industry
Sound Recording Technology, Audio Production, Audio Engineering
Scoring
Orchestral Scoring, Arranging
Songwriting
Worship Arts
Worship Studies, Worship Ministry, Worship Leadership

Music Business

Majoring in Music Business involves focused study on merchandising, copyright and publishing, and artist management.

Recording Industry

Majoring in Music Recording Technology is a specialized engineering degree focused on mastering all the tools in a recording studio and working with musicians to achieve their desired sound.

Music History

Majoring in Music History is an in-depth study of all types of music from all periods and places. Graduates often pursue careers in teaching, music journalism, archival research, or performance critique.

Piano Pedagogy

Focuses on the art and science of teaching piano. Students study technique, repertoire, learning theory, and instructional methods to become skilled private or group piano instructors.

Musicology

Majoring in Musicology provides a broad approach to understanding music and sound in relation to cultural, intellectual, and historical contexts.

Music Technology

Blending music and computer science: Students explore AI composition, voice cloning, game audio, instrument design, and music data analysis—preparing to shape the future of music creation and experience.

Music Ministry

A Music Ministry major combines theology, worship leadership, and choral training to prepare students for service in traditional or liturgical churches.

Worship Studies

Majoring in Worship Ministry combines theological and musical training to equip students to serve the church as skilled and passionate worship leaders, meeting the needs of today's postmodern culture.