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Percussionist education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a percussionist. Percussionists usually study music, general education, specific areas, or music performance. 57% of percussionists hold a bachelor's degree, and 15% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 413 real percussionist resumes to see exactly what percussionist education sections show.
The most common colleges for percussionists are the Berklee College of Music and the Berklee College of Music.
There are also many online percussionist courses to help get the education required to be a percussionist.
What education do you need to become a percussionist?
What degree do you need to be a percussionist?
- Bachelor's, 57%
- Master's, 15%
- High School Diploma, 13%
- Associate, 10%
- Other Degrees, 5%
What should I major in to become a percussionist?
Most common colleges for percussionists
| Percussionist common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Berklee College of Music | 14.00% |
| University of Nevada - Las Vegas | 8.00% |
| Texas Southern University | 6.00% |
| Eastern Illinois University | 6.00% |
| Bowling Green State University | 6.00% |
Best majors for percussionists
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Music | 37.7% |
| 2 | General Education, Specific Areas | 12.6% |
| 3 | Music Performance | 7.7% |
| 4 | Business | 4.9% |
| 5 | General Studies | 4.4% |
Best colleges for percussionists
The best colleges for percussionists are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Vanderbilt University.
A percussionist with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for percussionists. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become percussionists.
1. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
2. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
3. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
4. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
5. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
6. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
7. University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$53,391
Enrollment
8,568
8. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
9. Brown University
Providence, RI • Private
In-state tuition
$55,466
Enrollment
6,752
10. University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA • Private
In-state tuition
$17,653
Enrollment
16,405
20 best online courses for percussionists
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Top 10 most affordable universities for percussionists
The most affordable schools for percussionists are Hunter College of the City University of New York, brooklyn college of the city university of new york, and university of florida.
If the best universities for percussionists are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for percussionists.
1. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
2. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
3. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
4. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
5. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
6. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
7. Queens College of the City University of New York
Queens, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,338
Cost of attendance
14,281
8. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
9. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
10. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for percussionists
The hardest universities for percussionists to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Vanderbilt University.
Some great schools for percussionists are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for percussionists based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
3. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
4. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
5. Tufts University
Medford, MA • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,461
6. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
7. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
8. Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA • Private
Admissions rate
28%
SAT average
1,429
9. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
10. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for percussionists
The easiest schools for percussionists to get into are Wayland Baptist University, barry university, and kean university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a percussionist without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for percussionists.
1. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
2. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
3. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
4. Thomas More University
Crestview Hills, KY • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,099
5. Saint Martin's University
Lacey, WA • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,111
6. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
7. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
8. Our Lady of the Lake University
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,002
9. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
10. Clarke University
Dubuque, IA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
1,058
Average percussionist salary by education level
| Percussionist education level | Percussionist salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $60,282 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $49,399 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $50,757 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $54,411 |
Percussionist education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025