The Worst Colleges for Bachelor’s Degree Payoff, Ranked

Boston’s New England Conservatory is one of the country’s historic music schools, founded in 1867 by Eben Tourjée. It was built around serious conservatory training and remains focused on high-level music education, including performance, composition, jazz, contemporary improvisation, and other advanced musical paths.

At -$22,000, the early payoff reflects how long music careers can take to stabilize. Graduates may spend years auditioning, freelancing, teaching, performing, or pursuing further study. The number could improve for musicians who land orchestra jobs, faculty positions, recording work, or steady arts-administration roles.