Music Career Outlook
A program that focuses on the introductory study and appreciation of music and the performing arts. Includes instruction in music, dance, and other performing arts media. A degree in music can qualify individuals for a variety of occupations as well as further study in a graduate or professional program in law, education, or social work to name a few.
To find out more about your major including potential areas and employers, required skills, job outlook, and median pay, please access the Occupational Outlook Handbook or the O*Net website.
Career Outlook
Explore the subsections below to learn more about the potential skills a student with a music major can develop as well as the potential positions, areas, and employers that hire students with this degree. Please note that these are not exhaustive lists and should be used as a starting point.
Skills
As a music major, students may develop or advance skills including analytical, communication, research, critical thinking, social perception, writing, cross-cultural awareness, judgment, performance, performance review, decision making, advocacy and improvisation.
Positions
Graduates with a degree in music can work as arts administrators, band directors, music composers and arrangers, music producers, music therapists, music critics/reviewers, musicians, and singers.
Areas
Graduates with a degree in music can work within the following areas: education, broadcasting, journalism, human services, recording industry, publishing.
Employers
Graduates with a degree in music can work for conservatories, schools, colleges and universities, studios, orchestras -- philharmonic, symphony, chamber; clubs and restaurants, cruise lines, opera companies, musical theater companies, motion picture and television, music libraries.
Helpful Resources
Use the employment opportunity resources below to kickstart your preprofessional and or professional experience search. You may also identify a professional or student organization to join and network with individuals in your major and field. Please note that these are not exhaustive lists and should be used as a starting point.
- BMI
- Chicago Chamber Choir
- Chicago Symphony Orchestra
- Entertainment Careers and Internships
- Gravity Studios
- Landau Music
- Lyric Opera of Chicago
- Music Conservatory at Roosevelt University
- National Association for Music Education
- Sony Music
- Entertainment Careers Net
- ’ Hypbot’s Music Industry Jobs
- musicjobs
- Universal Music Group
- ViacomCBS
- Yamaha
- American Association of Community Theatre
- American Federation of Musicians
- American Music Therapy Association
- Entertainment Industry Associations, Guilds and Unions
- Music and Entertainment Industry Educators Association
- National Association for Music Education
- National Association of Record Industry Professionals
- Society for Ethnomusicology
- Women in Music