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Manhattan School of Music — ROI, Cost & Payback

Private nonprofit · New York, NY · 539 students

The verdict

Manhattan School of Music charges a net price of $51,754/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $207,016. Median earnings ten years after entry are $26,878, 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.)

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On institution-wide earnings, Manhattan School of Music does not clear its cost — it ranks #201 of 203 New York colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.

$51,754
Net price / yr
Scorecard, 2026
$26,878
Median earnings, 10 yrs
Scorecard, 2026
Payback
Our math, 2026
41%
Admission rate
Scorecard, 2026
Manhattan School of Music: cost, earnings and payback
MeasureValueSource
Net price (after aid)$51,754/yrScorecard, 2026
Total net cost (4 yrs)$207,016our math
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry$26,878Scorecard, 2026
Earnings premium over HS baseline-$21,482/yrour math
Median debt (completers)$26,994Scorecard, 2026
Paybackdoes not clearour math
20-year net return-$636,656our math

College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.

The arithmetic, on Manhattan School of Music's own numbers. Net price $51,754 × 4 years = $207,016 total. Median earnings $26,878 fall $21,482 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 $207,016 bill in about 20.7 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.

How much debt do Manhattan School of Music students graduate with?

A median $26,994 in federal loans among completers, or 100% of the $26,878 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.

What share of Manhattan School of Music students graduate?

78% finish their degree. Spread the $207,016 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $265,405 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.

Is Manhattan School of Music expensive compared with other New York colleges?

Its $51,754 net price runs $32,841 above the $18,913 median across the 203 New York colleges we profile, or $131,364 more across the full degree.

Manhattan School of Music: frequently asked questions

Is Manhattan School of Music worth the cost?
On institution-wide earnings, the degree does not clear its cost: graduates earn a median $26,878, at or below the $48,360 high-school baseline. The field you study matters far more here than the school average — a high-paying major can flip the math.
How long does a Manhattan School of Music degree take to pay off?
On institution-wide earnings it does not pay back, because median earnings sit at or below the $48,360 high-school baseline. A specific high-ROI program can still pay off.
How much does Manhattan School of Music cost after financial aid?
The median net price is $51,754/yr — about $207,016 over 4 years. That is what the typical aided student actually pays after grants and scholarships, not the published sticker price.
How does Manhattan School of Music compare to other New York colleges?
It ranks #201 of 203 New York colleges we track by payback. Its $26,878 median earnings trail the national median of $43,549, and its $51,754 net price is above the national median of $16,902.