Berklee College of Music Admissions: Everything You Want to and Need to Know
Overview of Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music is a private music institution with an acceptance rate of 52%. Situated in Boston, Massachusetts, Berklee College of Music is the largest independent institution of contemporary music in the world. The institution has a history of success in classical and modern music education. A 10-to-1 student/faculty ratio supports classes at Berklee. Outside of the classroom, students will find plenty of opportunities to engage with the campus community via the university’s many clubs and organizations. Students operate the nation’s only student-run night club, where students and community members can perform.
Enrollment
- Total Enrollment: 6,963 (6,400 undergraduates)
- Gender Breakdown: 60 percent male/40 percent female
- 78 percent full-time
Cost of Attendance Information
- Tuition and Fees: $45,660
- Books: $474
- Room and Board: $18,640
- Other Expenses: $2,170
- Total Cost: $66,944
Financial Aid Information
- Percentage of New Students Receiving Aid: 70 percent
- Percentage of New Students Receiving Types of Aid
- Grants: 58 percent
- Loans: 40 percent
- Average Amount of Aid
- Grants: $17,214
- Loans: $7,086
Academic Programs Offered
- Most Popular Majors: Visual and Performing Arts; Health Professions and Related Programs; Education; and Engineering Technologies and Engineering-Related Fields
Retention and Graduation
- First-Year Student Retention (full-time students): 85 percent
- Transfer-Out Rate: 12 percent
- 4-Year Graduation Rate: 50 percent
- 6-Year Graduation Rate: 64 percent
Academic Programs Offered
Undergraduate students can choose to pursue either a professional diploma or Bachelor of Music degree in 12 majors. Berklee also offers master’s degree options at its international site in Valencia, Spain.
Overview of Berklee College of Music Admissions
Berklee College of Music, which accepts over 50% of applicants, boasts a selective admissions process. Most successful applicants have over mean high school GPAs and a rigorous high school course schedule, including AP, IB, and Honors classes. Applicants may also submit optional materials such as resumes, recommendation letters, recordings, and SAT or ACT scores.
Admissions Data
During the 2018-19 admissions phase, Berklee College of Music had an acceptance rate of 52%. for every 100 students who provided applications, 52 gained admission, making Berklee’s admissions process competitive.
ACT and SAT Requirements and Scores
Berklee College of Music does not require SAT or ACT scores for admission.
Safety Net Schools: Easy to Gain Admission
If past admission data predicts that you would be a competitive candidate for Berklee College of Music, then it should be easy for you to gain admissions to the schools below. If Berklee College of Music is currently out of your reach, then you are sure to be a competitive candidate for the schools below.
The University of Michigan, New York University, Cleveland Institute of Music, University of Miami, California Institute of the Arts
Same Tier: Just As Hard to Gain Admission
If you’re a competitive candidate for Berklee College of Music, then you should have an equal chance of gaining admissions at these schools.
Vanderbilt, USC, Northwestern University, San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Manhattan School of Music, John Hopkins University
Reach Institutions: Gaining Admissions Will Be More of a Challenge
These schools are more challenging to gain admission into than Berklee College of Music. If you improve your GPA and SAT/ACT scores, then you’ll be a competitive candidate for these schools.
New York University, Yale University, The Juilliard School, and New England Conservatory of Music, Berklee College of Music, The Curtis Insititute
Applying to Berklee College of Music
Application Deadline: January 15
Undergraduate Admissions Website:
Undergraduate Application Link(s):
