Music: Sam Houston State University vs Texas Tech University

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
Texas Tech University
Lubbock, TX
In-State
15.0x
$36,912 tuition
10.6x
$47,408 tuition
Out-of-State
7.3x
$76,080 tuition
5.1x
$97,804 tuition
$553,247 10-yr earnings · Public
$501,463 10-yr earnings · Public

Head-to-Head

Sam Houston State University Texas Tech University
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 15.0x 10.6x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 7.3x 5.1x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $36,912 $47,408
Year 1 Earnings $59,926 $49,906
10-Year Earnings $553K $501K
Median Debt $25,630 $27,000
Debt-to-Earnings Ratio 5.1 months 6.5 months
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 53/100 45/100
Acceptance Rate 85.4% 70.9%

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.

Sam Houston State University Texas Tech University
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $36,912 $47,408
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $76,080 $97,804
10-Year Projected Earnings $553K $501K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 15.0x 10.6x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 7.3x 5.1x
5-Year Salary Growth +-21% +4%

"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.

Sam Houston State University Texas Tech University
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $560K $553K $505K $502K $501K $465K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 15.2x 15.0x 13.7x 10.6x 10.6x 9.8x
DegreeWorth Score 54 53 45 46 45 36

For the full AI analysis of Music career paths, see the Sam Houston State University or Texas Tech University program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

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

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$10,496
Sam Houston State University saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$10,020/yr
Sam Houston State University grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
15.0x / 10.6x
Out-of-state: 7.3x / 5.1x

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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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Music: Sam Houston State University or Texas Tech University?
Sam Houston State University scores 53/100 while Texas Tech University scores 45/100. Sam Houston 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?
Sam Houston State University has an in-state earnings multiple of 15.0x vs Texas Tech University's 10.6x. That means Sam Houston State University grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition.
How do Sam Houston State University and Texas Tech University compare on Music earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $59,926 at Sam Houston State University vs $49,906 at Texas Tech University. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $553,247 vs $501,463 — a difference of $51,784.
How much does Music cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $36,912 at Sam Houston State University and $47,408 at Texas Tech University. Median debt at graduation is $25,630 vs $27,000. 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.