Berklee College of Music

What is the cost of studying for a year at Berklee College of Music?

Berklee is a high-cost private college, with the same reported undergraduate tuition for Massachusetts residents and students from other states. For the 2024-25 reporting year, full-time undergraduate tuition was $50,540 and required fees were $1,500 - a combined published charge of $52,040 before living and other expenses.

Reported annual room and board charges were $20,680, while books and supplies were estimated at $1,220. Adding those figures to tuition and required fees produces $73,940, but that is not a complete individual cost-of-attendance estimate: transportation, personal expenses, and program-specific needs may add to it. Students living off campus will have different housing costs. Graduate and part-time charges follow different schedules.

Published charges are also different from net price, which reflects aid received. In the same IPEDS reporting, average net price was $37,987 for students from families with income up to $48,000. It was $47,799 for the $48,001-$75,000 bracket. These averages are not personalized aid offers, and they illustrate why applicants should compare their own full cost estimate and award letter rather than relying on tuition alone.

Financial assistance may include federal grants for eligible students, institutional scholarships, applicable state assistance, federal loans, and qualifying military education benefits. Applicants generally need the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, to be considered for federal aid; institutional scholarship procedures may have additional requirements. In reported figures, 81% of students received financial aid, and the average grant award to undergraduates who received grant aid was $24,949. A grant generally does not need to be repaid, while a loan does.

What are the work-study opportunities at Berklee College of Music?

Eligible Berklee students may seek Federal Work-Study positions as part of a financial aid package, as well as other student jobs. Federal Work-Study is earned through work; it is not a grant paid automatically against the tuition bill.

Work-Study eligibility depends on financial need, available funding, and the student's aid award. Receiving an award does not itself secure a position: students must find an eligible opening, apply, and work the hours for which they are paid. A student without Work-Study eligibility may still be able to apply for jobs funded through other campus employment arrangements, subject to the employer's rules.

Berklee's career services also offer individual career planning and opportunities to connect with employers. Those services are distinct from campus employment. Students seeking professional experience should compare a paid job, an internship, and a for-credit placement by asking about compensation, scheduling, supervision, and whether academic credit is available.