The Worst Colleges for Bachelor’s Degree Payoff, Ranked

Los Angeles College of Music is based in Pasadena and built around contemporary music training. Its programs have focused on performance, songwriting, production, composing, and music business, placing students close to Los Angeles’s recording, film, television, and entertainment industries.

The -$58,000 payoff reflects how unpredictable music careers can be early on. Even in Los Angeles, graduates may spend years freelancing, producing, teaching, networking, or taking side jobs while trying to break into the industry. Earnings may improve for those who land steady studio, touring, sync, production, or education work.