Boston, MA
Berklee College of Music is a private nonprofit institution specializing in music education with 7,468 undergraduate students. Located in Boston, it maintains a 9:1 student-to-faculty ratio and admits 43.5% of applicants. The college enrolls 21.2% first-generation students and 16.2% Pell grant recipients, with a 66.8% six-year graduation rate.
Berklee College of Music accepts 43.5% of applicants, making it moderately selective for a specialized music institution. With 7,468 undergraduates and a 9:1 student-to-faculty ratio, it offers accessible admission paired with strong mentorship opportunities.
| Applied | Admitted | Rate | Enrolled | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men | 3,510 | 1,890 | 53.8% | 811 |
| Women | 3,656 | 1,687 | 46.1% | 691 |
Berklee College of Music admits 43.5% of applicants — a typical similar college admits 74%.
Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.
Berklee's cost of attendance is $75,678 annually, while the average net price after aid is $49,465. The college enrolls 16.2% Pell grant recipients and holds a $426.4 million endowment.
* One or more income brackets show an unusually low net price, reflecting need-based aid that can reduce cost to near zero for families in that range.
Graduates who borrowed carry a median monthly repayment of about $265.
After aid, Berklee College of Music costs $49,465 a year — about 119% more than a typical similar college.
Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.
Berklee College of Music has a 66.8% six-year graduation rate with median earnings of $26,462 at six years and $33,647 at ten years post-enrollment. Pell grant recipients graduate at 61.4%, compared to 64.7% for non-Pell students.
| Major | Graduates |
|---|---|
| Computer Software and Media Applications,... | 365 |
| Music, Other | 254 |
| Music Theory and Composition | 205 |
| Music Performance, General | 193 |
| Music Management | 186 |
| Engineering/Engineering-Related... | 175 |
| Musical Theatre | 57 |
| Music Therapy/Therapist | 29 |
| Dance, General | 28 |
| Music Teacher Education | 15 |
Median earnings eight years after entering Berklee College of Music are $27,560, and 42% of former students earn more than $25,000 six years after entry.
Six years after entry, former Berklee College of Music students earn $26,462 — 42% less than at a typical similar college.
Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.
Berklee College of Music, located in Boston, enrolls 7,468 undergraduates in a music-focused community with a 9:1 student-to-faculty ratio. The institution prioritizes musical training over traditional athletics, reflecting its specialized mission in contemporary music education.
1,568 of 7,608 undergraduates study entirely at a distance, against 320 of 840 graduate students.
Berklee College of Music is accredited by the New England Commission on Higher Education.
Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.
Berklee College of Music is in Boston, MA, in what IPEDS classifies as a large city setting. The campus sits about 3.7 miles from the center of Boston. There are 42 other colleges within 25 miles, and Boston, MA is 3.7 miles away.
Suffolk County scores 15.0 out of 20 on the EPA National Walkability Index — above average walkable. The index is a county-wide average of block groups, so it describes the surrounding area rather than the campus itself.
Undergraduates make up about 10.3% of Boston's residents.
Every college that receives federal financial aid must publish its crime statistics each year under the Clery Act. These are the figures Berklee College of Music reported for 2024.
Read these numbers carefully. A Clery figure counts reports, not incidents. A university with active reporting channels, a large campus police force and a teaching hospital will record more offenses than one where the same events go unreported — so a higher count is not evidence of a more dangerous campus, and a low count is not evidence of a safe one. In 2024, 833 campuses with more than 1,000 students reported no offenses at all. Use these figures to ask a college questions, not to rank one against another.
Separately, Berklee College of Music reported 1 arrests and 82 disciplinary referrals for weapons, drug and liquor law violations on campus. Referrals for alcohol violations are usually the largest category at residential colleges and reflect how a school handles student conduct internally.
Common questions about Berklee College of Music admissions, costs, and outcomes.
Berklee College of Music has a 43.5% acceptance rate, making it moderately selective. Most applicants are admitted, though admission is competitive for a specialized music institution.
Berklee College of Music admits 43.5% of applicants. In the Fall 2023 cycle it received 7,167 applications and admitted 3,577 students. Contact the admissions office or visit its website for current GPA expectations.
Berklee's cost of attendance is $75,678 annually. This figure covers tuition, fees, and living expenses for undergraduate students.
Berklee's cost of attendance is $75,678 annually. Students finance education through financial aid, scholarships, and grants—16.2% of students receive Pell Grants, with the college's $426.4 million endowment supporting institutional aid.