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Pianist education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a pianist. Pianists usually study music, general education, specific areas, or business. 64% of pianists hold a bachelor's degree, and 17% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 2,750 real pianist resumes to see exactly what pianist education sections show.
The most common colleges for pianists are the Berklee College of Music and the Berklee College of Music.
There are also many online pianist courses to help get the education required to be a pianist.
There are certain pianist certifications that you should consider. These pianist certifications include Registered Piano Technician (RPT) and Music Therapist - Board Certified (MT-BC).
What education do you need to become a pianist?
What degree do you need to be a pianist?
- Bachelor's, 64%
- Master's, 17%
- Associate, 8%
- High School Diploma, 6%
- Other Degrees, 5%
What should I major in to become a pianist?
- Music, 51%
- Business, 5%
- Psychology, 4%
- Other Majors, 29%
Most common colleges for pianists
| Pianist common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Berklee College of Music | 15.79% |
| Florida State University | 6.43% |
| New York University | 5.85% |
| Michigan State University | 5.85% |
| Manhattan School of Music | 5.85% |
Best majors for pianists
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Music | 51.2% |
| 2 | General Education, Specific Areas | 10.8% |
| 3 | Business | 5.2% |
| 4 | Psychology | 4.1% |
| 5 | Education | 4.0% |
Best colleges for pianists
The best colleges for pianists are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Vanderbilt University.
A pianist with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for pianists. 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 pianists.
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. Rice University
Houston, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$47,350
Enrollment
3,962
8. University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$53,391
Enrollment
8,568
9. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
10. Brown University
Providence, RI • Private
In-state tuition
$55,466
Enrollment
6,752
20 best online courses for pianists
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Top 10 most affordable universities for pianists
The most affordable schools for pianists are Baruch College of the City University of New York, brooklyn college of the city university of new york, and hunter college of the city university of new york.
If the best universities for pianists 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 pianists.
1. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
2. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
3. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
4. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
5. Queens College of the City University of New York
Queens, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,338
Cost of attendance
14,281
6. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
7. Minot State University
Minot, ND • Private
In-state tuition
$7,064
Cost of attendance
15,576
8. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
9. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
10. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for pianists
The hardest universities for pianists to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Vanderbilt University.
Some great schools for pianists 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 pianists 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. University of Rochester
Rochester, NY • Private
Admissions rate
29%
SAT average
1,422
6. Tufts University
Medford, MA • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,461
7. Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA • Private
Admissions rate
28%
SAT average
1,429
8. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
9. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
10. University of Tulsa
Tulsa, OK • Private
Admissions rate
41%
SAT average
1,321
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for pianists
The easiest schools for pianists to get into are Wayland Baptist University, nyack college, and felician university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a pianist 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 pianists.
1. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
2. Nyack College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
999
3. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
4. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
5. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
6. Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,024
7. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
8. Saint Martin's University
Lacey, WA • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,111
9. Thomas More University
Crestview Hills, KY • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,099
10. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
Average pianist salary by education level
| Pianist education level | Pianist salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $62,748 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $49,440 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $51,077 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $56,386 |
Pianist education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025