What Kind of School It Is, in Simple Terms
Berklee College of Music is a private, nonprofit institution offering programs of four years or more. The Carnegie system, which classifies the nation’s colleges and universities by what they do, places it among master’s-level universities with larger programs. It reports offering credentials up to a post-master’s certificate, although that is general institutional information: it does not mean that the specific program your child is interested in extends to that level. Confirm that by asking about the exact program.
Something important about daily life: Carnegie classifies it as “primarily nonresidential.” This means that, in the 2019-20 data used for that designation, either fewer than one in four undergraduates lived in institution-provided housing or fewer than half studied full time. The data do not say which of those two conditions applied, and this also does not mean there are no residence halls—in fact, there are, as you will see later. If your child will commute from home, what you need to measure is not the designation but the bus, the gas, and the actual hours spent traveling.
Berklee is in Boston, Massachusetts, in Suffolk County, within the Boston-Cambridge-Newton metropolitan area. It is a large city with more than 250,000 residents. If your child plans to live at home, do not rely on the map: drive the route yourself on a weekday at the exact time of your child’s classes.
One more thing for the record: Berklee has none of these three federal designations: it is not a historically Black college or university, a tribal college or university, or a land-grant institution. This says nothing about which communities it serves today or how your child will feel there. Ask about that directly by speaking with someone who already studies on campus.
The Size of the Community and Who Else Is There
Berklee had an official fall enrollment count of 8,448: 7,608 undergraduates and 840 graduate students. It is neither a small school nor an enormous one—it falls within the 5,000-to-9,999-student range—but compared with similar selective private schools, it is among the largest: no more than one in ten of those schools has a larger enrollment. Above all, this is an undergraduate institution: the vast majority of its enrollment is at the undergraduate level.
Here is a number worth keeping in mind if your family is Latino: Hispanic or Latino students account for 13 out of every 100 undergraduates. That is a small minority, although compared with similar selective private schools, Berklee ranks above the midpoint of that group. This does not take Berklee off your list, but it is information to bring into the conversation: during your visit, ask what currently exists for Latino students—a student organization, a cultural center, someone in the office who speaks Spanish. And keep in mind that this comparison does not account for where in the country the school is located, which may matter greatly depending on where your family comes from.
Also, there are more men than women among undergraduates—women account for 44 out of every 100—and students between the ages of 25 and 64 account for 17 out of every 100, so there is a real mix of ages, not only recent high school graduates.
How the Academic Year Works and Which Credits May Count
Berklee uses a semester calendar: two long terms of about 15 weeks each. The school reported that it accepts credit from AP exams as well as what IPEDS calls “credit for life experiences”—learning acquired through independent study, work, a portfolio, prior certifications, or even military training. It also enrolls high school students in college courses for credit through a formal dual-enrollment program.
Here is a hard truth the brochure will not tell you: reporting that AP credit is accepted does not mean your child will automatically receive it. We do not know what scores are required or how many credits are actually awarded. Request a written transfer-credit evaluation before enrolling. Do not budget for the savings until you have it in hand.
Regarding academic offerings: in the most recently reported year, Berklee awarded 1,442 bachelor’s degrees, and 807 of them—56 out of every 100, more than half—were in visual and performing arts. This is by far the school’s dominant field of study. Compared with similar schools, Berklee has relatively few distinct program families in its bachelor’s-level catalog. The fact that one program family accounts for nearly everything does not show whether it is the best option for your child’s specific interest. Ask about the exact program, request the curriculum, find out how many students graduated from it last year, and ask how easy it is to enroll in the required classes.
The ratio of students to instructional staff, calculated in full-time equivalents, is 10 to 1—a relatively low ratio compared with similar schools. But be careful: this does not tell you the actual size of first-year classes. It is an institution-wide average, not a promise about your child’s classroom.
The institution also reports structured opportunities such as study abroad and teacher-certification pathways. If any of these interest your child, it is worth asking admissions directly.
Getting Into Berklee: What It Requires and What It Considers
Berklee does not have open admissions. It reviews several components before saying yes. Of nine possible considerations, four are required: the high school record, high school GPA, a formal sample of the applicant’s abilities—a portfolio or skills assessment, which makes sense for a music school—and an English-proficiency exam when applicable. Other components are not required but are considered if submitted: class rank, the personal essay, letters of recommendation, work experience, and whether a family member previously attended. Your child cannot change that last factor. If it does not apply, do not spend energy on it; spend that energy on what is within your child’s control: the portfolio, the essay, and the letters.
The application fee is $150.
Now for the numbers most families look for first. In the most recent cycle, Berklee received 7,167 first-time applications and offered admission to 3,577 applicants. That is 50 out of every 100—half. Compared with similar selective private schools, Berklee is on the more demanding side: seven in ten of those schools accepted a larger percentage of their applicants. Admission is not guaranteed, but it is not a lottery either: applications are reviewed using real criteria.
| Stage | Out of every 100 applicants |
|---|---|
| Receive an offer of admission | 50 |
| Do not receive an offer | 50 |
Being admitted is not the same as enrolling. Of admitted first-time students, 42 out of every 100 ultimately enrolled at Berklee—a high percentage compared with similar schools, where a smaller share usually enrolls. This does not measure quality or prestige; it only counts how many decided to attend. When the admission letters arrive, this figure is not what will make the decision for you. Place the offers side by side and compare net price, program, and distance before the deposit deadline.
One fact eases pressure on one front: Berklee reported that it does not consider SAT or ACT scores in the admissions decision. That category does not cover scholarships or placement—ask about those separately.
Regarding transfers: if your child plans to arrive after studying at another institution, Carnegie already places Berklee among schools with high transfer-in enrollment, and the data confirm it: the transfer-in student count in the most recent fall census was 392. But this report does not say how many credits were accepted. Request that list in writing, course by course, before your child moves.
The Real Cost: The Number That Matters Most
At Berklee College of Music, the average net price was $38,537 for a group numbering 73 first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid and whose EFC records showed family income below $30,000. For the same population with EFC family income from $48,001 to $75,000, the student count was 66 and the average net price was $46,723; for those with EFC family income above $110,000, the student count was 277 and the average net price was $56,371. For dependent students, the band combines their parents’ income with their own.
The difference between the average for the lowest-income band, with a student count of 73, and the average for the highest-income band, with a student count of 277, is $17,834. These are group averages, not a prediction of your family’s price. Among first-year students who received any scholarship, the average was $48,608.
Among the 937 schools of the same type and control included in this census that reported this figure with the same time coverage, Berklee falls within the most expensive quarter for lower-income families. That does not mean you should rule it out. It means you should request the financial aid letter before deciding.
Because the price changes so much from one income band to another, correctly identifying yours comes first. The income bands in this profile describe first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid; at public institutions, they use the in-state or in-district rate. The overall average with scholarship aid, when shown, describes first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal, state, local, or institutional scholarships or grants. The financial aid letter sent to you is what matters.
Financial Aid and Loans: What to Request in Writing
Of every 100 degree-seeking students, 62 received aid that does not have to be repaid—scholarships or grants—with an average of $20,832 among recipients. Compared with similar schools, this reach falls within the lowest quarter of the group. The federal Pell Grant, for lower-income families, reached only 16 out of every 100.
$20,832 is real money, but it is not a price. What matters is what remains after aid, and that figure is not found in any overall average—it is in the letter your child receives. When it arrives, look for how much your family would have to pay out of pocket, and compare that figure across schools, not the size of the advertised discount.
Regarding federal loans: of every 100 undergraduates, 33 received them in the most recently reported year, with an average of $6,747 per student that year. Compared with similar schools, Berklee is on the low side—the majority of those schools had a larger share of students with loans. But this average covers only one year and only federal loans in the student’s name: it does not include what parents borrow separately, credit cards, or the total debt with which someone graduates. That figure is not in this report and must be calculated by adding every year together.
Berklee also reports offering an installment tuition-payment plan as an option for managing the cost.
Campus Life, Support, and What It Does Not Offer
Berklee does have its own housing, and it does not require all first-time students to live there. It also offers meal plans with a fixed number of meals per week in its largest option. The reported maximum capacity of institution-provided housing is 1,519 students. The existence of a room does not guarantee a bed for your child: request the annual rate, application deadline, and whether housing is guaranteed or your child will be placed on a waiting list, all in writing.
Berklee did not report two things: it did not indicate any ROTC opportunity, and it does not participate in intercollegiate athletics or belong to any national athletic association. Neither absence is absolute proof that nothing related exists—it only means it was not indicated in the report. If either matters to your child’s plans, ask admissions directly before ruling out the school for that reason.
It does offer distance education at the undergraduate and graduate levels: among every 100 undergraduates, 21 carried their entire course load through distance education in the most recent census, while the remainder took at least one class in person.
The library operates with paid staff and spending above the threshold tracked by the government, has physical and digital collections, and participates in interlibrary lending. Berklee also reports combined academic and career counseling, employment services for current students, specific support for veterans and military service members, and a published address for disability services. None of these reports demonstrates the quality or effectiveness of the service by itself—it only shows that the service exists and is reported. Ask about the specific details that matter to your family.
Do They Stay, and Do They Graduate? The Numbers After Enrollment
Of the cohort that entered a bachelor’s program for the first time and full time, 85 out of every 100 were still enrolled or had already graduated one year later—a high result compared with similar schools. This figure does not separate those who remained enrolled from those who had already finished, and it does not say what happened to the rest.
The six-year graduation rate is 67 out of every 100. At four years—the timeframe most families budget for—the figure falls to 50 out of every 100, a difference of 17 points. That difference matters: if your child takes one or two extra years, the total cost changes. Before signing any commitment, request written information about how long the program of interest usually takes and how its required classes are scheduled.
Looking at eight years and a broader cohort—which includes full-time and part-time students—60 out of every 100 had earned a degree or certificate from Berklee. Among Pell Grant recipients, the figure was 57 out of every 100, just three points below the rest. An unknown enrollment status is reported for 26 out of every 100: that does not mean they stopped studying, only that the report could not determine their status.
What Is Up to You and What Is Up to Your Child
You now understand one of the three pieces you need to decide: what Berklee College of Music actually is, costs, and reports. You still need to combine this with what your child wants to do with music—how clearly your child understands the program and what portfolio your child is building—and with what your family can and is willing to pay. No figure in this article tells you whether Berklee is the right school for your child. It does tell you exactly where your family stands in relation to it.
Your child is responsible for the essay, the portfolio, the academic effort, and the decision about a personal calling. You are responsible for the paperwork, the FAFSA, the financial aid letter, the deadlines, and the uncomfortable questions that an excited teenager sometimes does not think to ask. You do not walk the path for your child. You walk it together.
The information in this article comes from data reported by Berklee College of Music to the United States Department of Education’s IPEDS system, primarily from the 2022-23 and 2023-24 cycles, as indicated for each figure. Best College Aid does not represent Berklee College of Music or the United States government, and this article does not replace official information provided directly by the institution to your family.