Private Nonprofit Graduate Good 62/100

Manhattan School of Music

See admissions data, costs, student outcomes, and academic programs, all verified from official US government sources.

Compare This College

New York, New York

About Manhattan School of Music

Thinking about Manhattan School of Music, a college in New York where more students graduate in Visual & Performing Arts than anything else? The four things worth knowing are what it actually costs after aid, whether you would get in, whether students finish, and what they earn after they do.

Manhattan School of Music is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in New York, New York. It enrolls 539 students (a small, tight-knit student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.

Acceptance
40.8%
Graduation
58.3%
Net Price
$51,754
Median Earnings (10yr)
$26,878
Enrollment
539
Student : Faculty
6:1

Accreditor Middle States Commission on Higher Education
Academic Calendar Semester

How It Measures Up

These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (4-Year Selective), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.

Good
62/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes 89
Value 0
Affordability 2
Selectivity 89

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

Manhattan School of Music admits 40.8% of applicants, which makes it genuinely competitive, so your application needs to be strong.

Acceptance Rate
40.8%
Selective
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Test Policy Test Optional Applicants choose whether to submit SAT or ACT scores.

5-Year Admission Trend

Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Manhattan School of Music is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.

Stable ↑ 4.4 pts since 2019
35.5%201941.6%202049%202155%202239.9%2023

Cost & Financial Aid

Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $51,754 a year on average, it sits above what private nonprofit colleges charge nationally. That is a serious number, so the earnings further down matter more here than usual. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.

The average hides a wide spread by household income, so it is worth estimating what a family at your income would actually pay before treating this as the price.

Average Net Price
$51,754
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
12%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
33%
Borrowing to attend

Full Cost Breakdown

Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.

Tuition & Fees
$57,050
Room & Board (on-campus)
$18,050
Room & Board (off-campus)
$18,050
Books & Supplies
$1,500
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$4,600
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$4,600
Total Cost of Attendance
$77,703

Application fee: $125 (one-time, due at submission)


Net Price by Family Income

Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.

  • Under $30,000
    $31,392
  • $30,001 – $48,000
    $38,143
  • $48,001 – $75,000
    $46,638
  • $75,001 – $110,000
    $48,042
  • Over $110,000
    $56,540

Debt at Graduation

Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.

$5,500
10% percentile
$10,298
25% percentile
$26,994
Median percentile
$27,000
75% percentile
$33,562
90% percentile

Median Debt by Student Type

Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.

GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $26,899 —
No Pell $19,500 ↓ $7,494
Female students $26,000 ↓ $994
Male students $23,125 ↓ $3,869
Pell recipients: 28.2% (7,601 students)No Pell: 20.4% (5,510 students)Female students: 27.2% (7,347 students)Male students: 24.2% (6,535 students)Overall Median$26,994
Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $8,625, less than completers ($26,994), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

58% of students who start here finish within six years, and 93% come back after first year. Roughly half finish on that timeline, so budget for the possibility of a longer run. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.

6-Year Graduation Rate
58%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
93%
Returning for their second year
What this means: High first-year retention. Students who arrive tend to stay.

After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes

Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $26,878 a year, below the national median. Weigh that against the cost above before taking on debt here. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$26,878
Earning > $25K
43%
10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.

$15,000$20,000$30,000$35,000$40,0006 yrs8 yrs10 yrs

Loan Repayment Progression

Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.

Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑ 5.1 pts across 6 years
68.2%1yr68.6%3yr73.2%5yr
What this signals: Strong. 73% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.

Who Studies Here

Who you would actually be sitting next to: 539 students, a small, close-knit community.

Total Enrolled
539
Part-Time
0%
First-Generation
—

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.

GroupShareStudents
White 36.9% 199
International 34.0% 183
Hispanic 11.1% 60
Asian 8.0% 43
Other 5.6% 30
Black 3.5% 19
White: 36.9% (199 students)International: 34.0% (183 students)Hispanic: 11.1% (60 students)Asian: 8.0% (43 students)Other: 5.6% (30 students)Black: 3.5% (19 students)Total539

Student Life & Campus Culture

Where students live, learn, and connect at Manhattan School of Music. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.

Setting
Large City New York, New York
Housing
Strongly residential 600 beds for 539 students
Adult Learners
3% of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIA athletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semester scheduling structure

What You Can Study

Manhattan School of Music offers a focused set of programs: 4 distinct programs across 1 major. Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings. Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.

4 Programs
  • Music $43K ($26K–$59K)
  • Music $43K ($26K–$59K)
  • Music $43K ($26K–$59K)

Faculty & Resources

There are 6 students for every instructor here: small classes, and staff who are likely to know your name.

Student : Faculty
6:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$82M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$74,972
9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

79 instructional faculty across 1 ranks. The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.

Rank Faculty Count Share Avg Salary
Instructors 79 100% $74,972

Pros & Cons of Manhattan School of Music

No college is right for everyone. Here is where Manhattan School of Music is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.

Read against a single profile these cut both ways, which is why it helps to put two colleges side by side on the same measures rather than judging one in isolation.

PROS
  • Small classes (low student-faculty ratio)
  • Tight-knit, close community feel
  • Strong first-year retention
CONS
  • High net price compared to most US colleges
  • Selective admissions, solid academic profile expected
  • Fewer clubs, activities, and social options
  • Below-average post-graduation earnings
  • Very high published cost of attendance (full-pay families pay much more than the net-price average)
Best for: Based on the data, Manhattan School of Music is a fit for students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.

Frequently Asked Questions about Manhattan School of Music

The questions families ask most about Manhattan School of Music, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.

Is Manhattan School of Music hard to get into?
Manhattan School of Music is selective but not extremely competitive. Its acceptance rate is 40.8%. Strong academic credentials and a thoughtful application materially improve your odds.
What is the acceptance rate at Manhattan School of Music?
40.8% of applicants are admitted. Around half get in, so a solid application has a real chance. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
How much does Manhattan School of Music cost?
Budget around $51,754 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Manhattan School of Music worth it?
On the numbers, yes: moderate return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $26,878 a year against a net price of $51,754, about 0.5 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Manhattan School of Music known for?
Mostly Music, Music, Music. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do Manhattan School of Music graduates earn?
About $26,878 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Manhattan School of Music accredited?
Yes. Manhattan School of Music is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
How many students attend Manhattan School of Music?
539 students. Small enough that you will recognize faces across campus, and small enough that course choice can be limited. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Manhattan School of Music?
58% finish within six years. That leaves a meaningful share who do not finish on that timeline, so budget for the possibility of a longer run. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Manhattan School of Music a public or private college?
It is Private Nonprofit. Private nonprofit, so the sticker price is higher but institutional aid is often larger too.
Where is Manhattan School of Music located?
Manhattan School of Music is located in New York, New York.
What programs does Manhattan School of Music offer?
4 different programs, most commonly Music, Music, Music. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Manhattan School of Music?
6 students per instructor. Low enough that staff are likely to know who you are. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

Continue Exploring

Browse our full directory: every college, major, program, and career we track, all built from verified government data.