Axe ’Em, Jacks!
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The college and university review guide GradReports has ranked Stephen F. Austin State University as No. 5 in the nation in its 25 Best Music Schools 2020 report.
The 25 schools on the list offer the top bachelor's degrees in music, based on median salary one year out of college. GradReports uses alumni earnings data from the government and real student reviews to help people make decisions about their education and career.
The high ranking came as no surprise to Dr. Gary Wurtz, director of the SFA School of Music, but information like this continues to inform the rest of the nation of what SFA has to offer.
“The report reinforces what the music faculty, administrators and students already know - SFA offers an affordable, quality education that equips its graduates to not only be competitive and successful in professional music circles but also earn top wages among their peers,” Wurtz said.
The recent rankings were based on data published by the U.S. Department of Education in November 2019, with tuition data collected from the National Center for Education Statistics.
At No. 5, SFA music graduates are reported to have a median salary one year out of college of $40,600. Also of note in the report, of the top 10 schools, SFA ranks second in having the lowest annual tuition of $17,676 with a median debt of $24,325 one year out of college.
SFA continues to make student success and an affordable education a priority. At its recent meeting, the SFA Board of Regents approved new initiatives aimed at reducing student debt and increasing the opportunity for timely degree completion. Undergraduate students will now have the option to participate in a fixed-rate tuition and fee plan, allowing them to take up to 21 credit hours at the cost of 12 hours with no additional charge. Tuition and fee rates are variable for students who enroll in one to 11 semester credit hours, but transition to a flat rate at 12 semester credit hours.
The plan is a part of an emphasis the university is placing on its “15-to-finish” program. Additionally, students entering SFA in the fall have access to a guaranteed price plan that freezes tuition and mandatory fee costs for a period of four years.
Other Texas institutions honored on the national list include the University of Houston, the University of Texas at San Antonio and the University of North Texas.