Berklee College of Music
Boston, MA
43.5%
Acceptance Rate
$52,040
Avg Cost (In-State)
$52,040
Avg Cost (Out-of-State)
66.8%
Graduation Rate
7,468
Total Enrollment
Popular programs
Application requirements
Regular Deadline
January 15
Early Deadline
November 1 (Early Action)
Common App
Yes
Test Policy
Test Optional
Essays Required
1
Letters of Rec
1
Application Fee
$150
Interview
Available
Essays: Personal statement or Common App essay required
Note: Audition or interview required for all applicants; portfolio required for some majors (e.g. Music Production, Film Scoring); prescreening may be required for some instruments
Requirements are AI-generated from public data and may change. Always verify directly with the college.
Getting there
Graduate outcomes
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard
$26,462
Median Earnings at 6 Years
median graduate salary 6 years after starting
$33,647
Median Earnings at 10 Years
median graduate salary 10 years after starting
67%
4-Year Graduation Rate
students completing degree within 4 years
Earnings data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Figures reflect federal aid recipients only — actual median earnings may be higher at schools where many students receive grants rather than loans.
Earnings by major
Median earnings 1 year after graduation, by bachelor's program. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard FieldOfStudy data.
| Program | Median earnings (1yr) | Earnings (4yr) | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Music. | $18,177 | $38,617 | 446 |
| Computer Software and Media Applications. | $19,370 | $40,186 | 155 |
| Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians, Other. | $26,827 | $48,069 | 99 |
| Visual and Performing Arts, Other. | $13,771 | $37,117 | 42 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management. | $40,324 | $59,703 | 40 |
| Dance. | $22,993 | $35,702 | 37 |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions. | $36,349 | — | 20 |
Tracked through federal tax records. Programs with fewer than 30 graduates with reported earnings are privacy-suppressed. 4-year figure tracks the same cohort 3 years later.
What current students say
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Personalized cost estimate based on your family's finances and academic profile
Calculate Your Cost at Berklee College of Music
Get a personalized estimate of what you'd pay to attend Berklee College of Music
Tactics that apply here
Things you can do that most families don't know about.
Early Action priority deadlines unlock the biggest merit pools
~$15k valueAt many public universities, applying by the EA deadline (Nov 1) instead of regular (Feb 1) decides whether you're considered for the top merit awards.
Who it helps: Students with their applications ready by November of senior year, especially those targeting merit-rich publics.
How to use: List each target school's EA deadline (commonly Nov 1, sometimes Oct 15 or Dec 1). Submit complete applications + test scores by then. Confirm merit-scholarship deadlines separately — some require a different priority date or supplemental essay.
Source ↗File FAFSA the day it opens
~$5k valueMost schools award state and institutional aid first-come-first-served from a fixed pool. Filing FAFSA in October beats filing in February by thousands.
Who it helps: Every student applying for need-based aid, but especially families relying on state grants or institutional aid.
How to use: Set a calendar reminder for the FAFSA opening date (currently Oct 1 most years; Dec 1 in the 2024-25 transition year). Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to auto-fill tax info. Submit even if you have to estimate; corrections are easy.
Source ↗CSS Profile is required by 200+ private schools — separate from FAFSA
Most selective private colleges use the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA. It costs $25 + $16/school and reaches deeper into family finances than FAFSA does.
Who it helps: Any student applying to a private 4-year with significant institutional aid needs.
How to use: Check the CSS Profile school list for each of your target colleges. Open the app at cssprofile.collegeboard.org as soon as it opens (early Oct). Submit ahead of each school's earliest priority date — often before the FAFSA deadline.
Source ↗Scholarships
Scholarships you may qualify for.
Boston Conservatory at Berklee Wind Ensemble Talent Award
$5,000-full tuition
universityAudition-based award for Boston Conservatory wind ensemble.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗Wellesley College Need-Met Aid
100% need met (loans capped per year)
universityAll admitted Wellesley students with demonstrated need.
Deadline: CSS Profile + FAFSA + IDOC
Learn more ↗UMass Boston Chancellor's Scholarship
Full tuition + fees
universityTop UMass Boston freshmen via competitive process; need + merit considered.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗Boston University Trustee Scholarship
Full tuition (~$66,000)
universityTop ~20 BU freshmen via competitive process; strong academic + leadership.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗Boston Foundation Scholarships
$1,000-$5,000
localEastern Massachusetts students with academic merit + financial need.
Deadline: Varies
Learn more ↗Smith College Need-Met Aid
100% need met; loans replaced for first-year families under $60k
universityAll admitted Smith students with demonstrated need.
Deadline: CSS Profile + FAFSA
Learn more ↗Salem State Scholarship
$1,500-$5,000/year
universitySSU incoming freshmen via automatic merit grid.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗Mount Holyoke Need-Met Aid
100% need met for international + most domestic students
universityAdmitted Mount Holyoke students with demonstrated need.
Deadline: CSS Profile + FAFSA
Learn more ↗UMass Lowell Chancellor's Scholarship
Up to full tuition + fees
universityTop UML freshmen with 3.5+ GPA + 1300+ SAT.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗Round-by-round
Acceptance rates by application round.
The single overall 43.5% rate hides a 2–4x gap between ED and RD at most selective schools. Class of 2027 cycle.
Regular Decision
43.53%
acceptance
Bulk-imported from College Scorecard (admission_rate.overall). Deadline/notification dates are typical RD defaults; revise as needed.
Source ↗Class profile
Who actually goes here.
From the most recent Common Data Set and IPEDS.
22.0%
% Pell-eligible
Federal Pell grant recipients
22.0%
% first-generation
First in family to attend college
9.0%
% in-state
Residents of the college's home state
25.0%
% URM
Black, Hispanic/Latino, Native combined
38.0%
Yield rate
Share of admitted students who enroll
85.0%
1st-to-2nd year retention
Freshmen who return as sophomores
68.0%
6-year grad rate
Graduate within 150% normal time
Demonstrated interest
Considered
Visiting, attending info sessions and opening admissions emails meaningfully helps your chances. Track your touchpoints.
Peer colleges
Similar colleges to consider.
Similar selectivity
Texas Christian University
Fort Worth, TX
44.5% acceptance
Both admit around 45% of applicants, with 11k undergrads and a u campus — a close selectivity match.
Howard University
Washington, DC
41.3% acceptance
Both admit around 41% of applicants, with 10k undergrads and a u campus — a close selectivity match.
The University of Tampa
Tampa, FL
40.3% acceptance
Both admit around 40% of applicants, with 11k undergrads and a u campus — a close selectivity match.
Cheaper alternatives
CUNY Bernard M Baruch College
New York, NY
47.5% acceptance
Similar selectivity (48% vs 44%) but out-of-state cost runs $15k — meaningfully less than $52k.
SUNY Stony Brook
Stony Brook, NY
49% acceptance
Similar selectivity (49% vs 44%) but out-of-state cost runs $28k — meaningfully less than $52k.
Binghamton University
Vestal, NY
38.6% acceptance
Similar selectivity (39% vs 44%) but out-of-state cost runs $30k — meaningfully less than $52k.
Reaches above this college
Northeastern University
Boston, MA
5.2% acceptance
Same u setting in the Northeast, but more selective (5% vs 44%) — a stretch target if Berklee College of Music is already on your list.
Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY
4% acceptance
Same u setting in the Northeast, but more selective (4% vs 44%) — a stretch target if Berklee College of Music is already on your list.
Columbia University
New York, NY
3.9% acceptance
Same u setting in the Northeast, but more selective (4% vs 44%) — a stretch target if Berklee College of Music is already on your list.
Safer alternatives
CUNY Hunter College
New York, NY
53.8% acceptance
Same u setting in the Northeast, but higher admit rate (54% vs 44%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras
San Juan, PR
54.6% acceptance
Same u setting in the region, but higher admit rate (55% vs 44%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
CUNY Lehman College
Bronx, NY
56.6% acceptance
Same u setting in the Northeast, but higher admit rate (57% vs 44%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
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