Music: Lamar University vs Tennessee Technological University

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
Lamar University
Beaumont, TX
In-State
14.8x
$34,760 tuition
12.4x
$40,336 tuition
Out-of-State
7.0x
$73,928 tuition
6.2x
$80,464 tuition
$514,152 10-yr earnings · Public
$498,641 10-yr earnings · Public

Head-to-Head

Lamar University Tennessee Technological University
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 14.8x 12.4x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 7.0x 6.2x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $34,760 $40,336
Year 1 Earnings $42,328 $44,635
10-Year Earnings $514K $499K
Median Debt $20,768 $15,250
Debt-to-Earnings Ratio 5.9 months 4.1 months
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 49/100 46/100
Acceptance Rate 85.7% 83.2%

Both programs have high AI automation risk (47% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Music graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →

ROI Breakdown

How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Music graduates.

Lamar University Tennessee Technological University
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $34,760 $40,336
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $73,928 $80,464
10-Year Projected Earnings $514K $499K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 14.8x 12.4x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 7.0x 6.2x

"Earnings Multiple" = projected 10-year earnings ÷ 4-year tuition. Higher is better. Not a discounted financial ROI.

AI Disruption Scenarios

Both schools share identical AI exposure for Music (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.

Lamar University Tennessee Technological University
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $517K $514K $475K $499K $499K $463K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 14.9x 14.8x 13.7x 12.4x 12.4x 11.5x
DegreeWorth Score 50 49 38 47 46 36

For the full AI analysis of Music career paths, see the Lamar University or Tennessee Technological University program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

Projected annual earnings for Music graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$5,576
Lamar University saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$2,307/yr
Tennessee Technological University grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
14.8x / 12.4x
Out-of-state: 7.0x / 6.2x

Career Paths

Music graduates from both schools map to the same career paths. Differences in earnings reflect school prestige, location, and employer networks.

Career Path Wage Openings/yr Growth AI Risk
Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary $80,190 9,000 +1.7% 44%
Sound engineering technicians $66,430 1,200 -1.7% 43%
Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education $64,580 66,200 -1.6% 33%
Music directors and composers $63,670 4,300 -0.3% 71%
Musicians and singers N/A 19,400 +1.1% 41%
Disc jockeys, except radio N/A 1,500 +3.8% 53%
Want to compare different schools or majors? Try the freeform comparison tool →

Explore Each Program

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Music Overview

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Music: Lamar University or Tennessee Technological University?
Lamar University scores 49/100 while Tennessee Technological University scores 46/100. Lamar University has significantly lower tuition, which drives its higher ROI. The best choice depends on whether you prioritize raw earnings or return on investment.
Which school has better ROI for Music?
Lamar University has an in-state earnings multiple of 14.8x vs Tennessee Technological University's 12.4x. That means Lamar University grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition.
How do Lamar University and Tennessee Technological University compare on Music earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $42,328 at Lamar University vs $44,635 at Tennessee Technological University. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $514,152 vs $498,641 — a difference of $15,511.
How much does Music cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $34,760 at Lamar University and $40,336 at Tennessee Technological University. Median debt at graduation is $20,768 vs $15,250. Both programs lead to the same Music career paths — the cost difference is the main factor in ROI.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034 (employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE. Scenarios use a continuous weighting function combining AI exposure and BLS job growth projections. "Earnings Multiple" is total 10-year projected earnings divided by tuition — not a discounted financial ROI. Last updated 2025.