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Berklee College of Music
About 44 in 100 applicants get into Berklee College of Music — solidly within reach for students near the ranges below.
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Berklee College of Music sits in Boston proper — a private campus woven into the city rather than walled off from it. International students are a visible presence here — 31.9% of undergraduates come from outside the U.S.
Its highest-earning path is Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management, where graduates median $59,703 four years out. Faculty pay averages $130,044 a year here — a rough proxy for what the school spends on the teaching itself. Most of its 7,468 undergraduates commute — campus empties by evening — yet 88.6% of first-years return, which says something about what daytime here is worth.
Berklee College of Music won't look at test scores — here the GPA calculator is the tool that matters. Bring your saved semester numbers and see what they average.
Admissions
Berklee College of Music does not use test scores in admissions at all: the 43.5% who got into Berklee College of Music did it on GPA, coursework and application alone. No score range exists to publish.
In the Fall 2023 cycle, Berklee College of Music received 7,167 applications and admitted 3,577 (49.9%), with 1,502 enrolling.
How Berklee College of Music compares
| Berklee College of Music | Massachusetts median | National median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 43.5% | 70.7% | 77.2% |
| Tuition (in-state) | $52,040 | $46,700 | $19,591 |
| Median earnings (10 yr) | $33,647 | $62,832 | $53,781 |
Ten years out, Berklee College of Music's median earnings are $33,647 — below the Massachusetts benchmark of $62,832. Weigh that against the $52,040 price above; the by-major table shows majors drive much of this gap.
Cost, size & completion
Berklee College of Music lists tuition at $52,040 for everyone — private schools don't do residency pricing. Berklee College of Music's sticker and net price can differ sharply after aid; treat $52,040 as the ceiling, not the bill.
Berklee College of Music enrolls 7,468 undergraduates — mid-sized, with the trade-offs Berklee College of Music's scale implies: more programs than a small college, more anonymity too.
67.3% graduate within six years. Roughly 33% don't — ask a Berklee College of Music tour guide what happens to them and watch the answer carefully.
Top majors by earnings at Berklee College of Music
| Bachelor's program | Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion |
|---|---|
| Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management | $59,703 |
| Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians, Other | $48,069 |
| Computer Software and Media Applications | $40,186 |
| Music | $38,617 |
| Visual and Performing Arts, Other | $37,117 |
| Dance | $35,702 |
Median earnings for these 6 Berklee College of Music programs come from a different federal cohort than the campus-wide $33,647 above — compare rows to each other, not to that 10-year figure. 3 additional Berklee College of Music programs have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules.
Frequently asked questions
What GPA and test scores do you need for Berklee College of Music?
Berklee College of Music doesn't look at test scores; its 43.5% admission rate turned on transcripts, coursework rigor and the application itself.
What is Berklee College of Music's acceptance rate?
49.9% in the Fall 2023 cycle — 3,577 admitted from 7,167 applicants.
How much does Berklee College of Music cost?
At Berklee College of Music, published tuition is $52,040 — net price after aid usually comes in lower. That number is Berklee College of Music's ceiling, not a quote.
What do Berklee College of Music graduates earn?
Federal data puts median earnings at $33,647 ten years after enrolling. The table above breaks this down by major.
Similar colleges in Massachusetts
- Bentley University — 45.1% admitted
- Anna Maria College — 50.3% admitted
- Brandeis University — 40.5% admitted
- Laboure College of Healthcare — 50% admitted
Run your own numbers
Data: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (Jun 2026), IPEDS ADM2023/HD2024. Retrieved 2026-09-01. Figures reflect the latest federal cohorts, which lag the current admissions cycle.