Berklee College of Music — ROI, Cost & Payback
Berklee College of Music charges a net price of $49,465/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $197,860. Median earnings ten years after entry are $33,647, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, Berklee College of Music does not clear its cost — it ranks #84 of 85 Massachusetts colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $49,465/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $197,860 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $33,647 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$14,713/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $25,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$492,120 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Berklee College of Music's own numbers. Net price $49,465 × 4 years = $197,860 total. Median earnings $33,647 fall $14,713 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $197,860 bill in about 19.8 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Berklee College of Music students graduate with?
A median $25,000 in federal loans among completers, or 74% of the $33,647 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Berklee College of Music students graduate?
67% finish their degree — 33% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $197,860 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $295,313 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Berklee College of Music expensive compared with other Massachusetts colleges?
Its $49,465 net price runs $24,582 above the $24,883 median across the 85 Massachusetts colleges we profile, or $98,328 more across the full degree.