The Worst Colleges for Bachelor’s Degree Payoff, Ranked

Manhattan School of Music began as a small community music school before growing into a major New York conservatory. Its identity is built around serious training in classical music, jazz, musical theater, opera, composition, conducting, and performance for students pursuing competitive professional music careers.

A payoff of -$134,000 shows how steep the early financial climb can be for elite music students. New York costs, advanced training, auditions, freelance work, and slow-building performance careers can all affect the number. Graduates who land stable orchestra, theater, teaching, or recording work may see improvement later.