Look what you
can do with a
music degree!
Survey of alumni in the arts
Messiah College recently participated in the Strategic National Arts Alumni Project (SNAAP) survey of alumni in the arts. This survey has compiled data on the jobs, income and artistic life of more than 150,000 arts alumni nationwide. Our participation in this survey has given us not only information about our alumni, but has also allowed us to compare how our graduates are doing with the graduates of some of the major visual arts programs in the country. We found that our outcomes were as good as or better than graduates of schools such as the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, the University of North Texas, St. Olaf College, and the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.
Adjusted sample size: 325, response rate: 34%
Our Alumni
95% had a positive experience at Messiah.
94% of those who intended to work as professional music artists have done so, and 66% currently do.
96% found work within a year after graduation or pursued further education.
84% found work within four months of graduation or pursued further education.
Where did we do better than our comparison groups?
Our students report significantly higher opportunities to make, perform or exhibit art.
Our alumni reported stronger training in several areas of general education, including breadth of education, creative thinking, research skills, writing, project management skills and leadership skills.
Dru Kepner ’15
music education major
choir director, Eagle View Middle School
conductor, Susquehanna Young Women’s Chorale
Our alumni also reported higher levels of community service, study abroad, internships and co-curricular activities.
83% say they are satisfied with their current job, much higher than in other fields.
More of our graduates felt that their work contributed to the greater good and that it reflected their interests and values.
In fact, 85% indicated that their work reflected their interests and values.
83% felt their work contributed to the greater good.