Music: Montana State University vs The University of Texas at El Paso

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
In-State
15.1x
$32,332 tuition
13.8x
$38,976 tuition
Out-of-State
3.9x
$125,348 tuition
5.3x
$102,048 tuition
$488,547 10-yr earnings · Public
$539,449 10-yr earnings · Public

Head-to-Head

Montana State University The University of Texas at El Paso
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 15.1x 13.8x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 3.9x 5.3x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $32,332 $38,976
Year 1 Earnings $38,807 $56,062
10-Year Earnings $489K $539K
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 48/100 51/100
Acceptance Rate 86.8% 99.9%

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.

Montana State University The University of Texas at El Paso
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $32,332 $38,976
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $125,348 $102,048
10-Year Projected Earnings $489K $539K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 15.1x 13.8x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 3.9x 5.3x

"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.

Montana State University The University of Texas at El Paso
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $488K $489K $455K $545K $539K $495K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 15.1x 15.1x 14.1x 14.0x 13.8x 12.7x
DegreeWorth Score 48 48 37 52 51 42

For the full AI analysis of Music career paths, see the Montana State University or The University of Texas at El Paso program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

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

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$6,644
Montana State University saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$17,255/yr
The University of Texas at El Paso grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
15.1x / 13.8x
Out-of-state: 3.9x / 5.3x

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

More Music Comparisons

Music Overview

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Music: Montana State University or The University of Texas at El Paso?
Montana State University scores 48/100 while The University of Texas at El Paso scores 51/100. Montana State 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?
Montana State University has an in-state earnings multiple of 15.1x vs The University of Texas at El Paso's 13.8x. That means Montana State University grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition.
How do Montana State University and The University of Texas at El Paso compare on Music earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $38,807 at Montana State University vs $56,062 at The University of Texas at El Paso. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $488,547 vs $539,449 — a difference of $50,902.
How much does Music cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $32,332 at Montana State University and $38,976 at The University of Texas at El Paso. 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.