Berklee vs Visible Music College

Berklee College of Music and Visible Music College, two esteemed institutions dedicated to nurturing musical talent, offer distinct educational experiences. Berklee, renowned for its rigorous curriculum and impressive alumni, boasts a highly selective acceptance rate of 33%, while Visible Music College welcomes a broader range of students with an acceptance rate of 100%. Berklee's student body is predominantly male (63%), while Visible Music College fosters a more balanced gender ratio (52% male, 48% female). Both colleges offer a diverse range of programs, with Berklee excelling in Jazz, Contemporary Writing and Production, and Music Business Management, and Visible Music College specializing in Worship Arts, Music Production, and Music Business. Explore the detailed comparison table to discover further distinctions between these two prestigious music schools and make an informed decision that aligns with your aspirations and goals.
Berklee College of Music logo

Berklee College of Music

Visible Music College logo

Visible Music College

Overview

Location Boston, Massachusetts Memphis, Tennessee
Campus setting City: Large City: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 82.0% 100.0%
Common app member No No
Religious affiliation Interdenominational

Admission

Acceptance rate 55.2% 36.6%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $150

Graduate: $150
Undergraduate: $40

Graduate: $40
SAT range N/A 605 - 1250
ACT range N/A 17 - 21
Students submitting SAT score 4.0%
Students submitting ACT score 6.0%
Total number of applicants 7,266 243
Total number of admissions given out 4,009 89
Admitted students who chose to enroll 1,707 51
Yield rate 42.6% 57.3%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Required Required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $63,970 $37,456
Average net price $48,055 $25,367
Tuition $45,468 $20,000
Room & board $18,828
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Prepaid tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

94.0%
Average amount $17,013
82.0%
Average amount $6,189
Students receiving federal student loan 36.0%
Average amount $5,220
56.0%
Average amount $6,416
Students taking out private loans 12.0%
Average amount $27,360
4.0%
Average amount $13,528

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 7,177
Men 58.1% Women 41.9%
175
Men 49.7% Women 50.3%
Graduate students 766
Men 53.8% Women 46.2%
17
Men 64.7% Women 35.3%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students N/A N/A
International students 25.8% 7.3%
Campus local/setting City: Large City: Large
Dormitory capacity 1,417 120
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Engineering Technologies
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Health Professions
  • Education
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Theology
  • Communication and Journalism
  • Business
Students to faculty ratio 10:1 6:1
Institutional accreditation New England Commission on Higher Education Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools

Outcome

Graduation rate 67.0% 14.3%
Dropout rate 21.6% 78.6%
Transferred out 9.9% N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Visual and Performing Arts, Other (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $34,704
  • Year 3: $45,051
Arts, Entertainment,and Media Management (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $20,786
  • Year 2: $31,914
  • Year 3: $40,006
Music (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $26,503
  • Year 2: $25,194
  • Year 3: $28,820
Visual and Performing Arts, Other (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $20,397
  • Year 2: $16,786
  • Year 3: $26,596
Music (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $20,512
  • Year 2: $22,162
  • Year 3: $23,540
Dance (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $21,964
  • Year 3: $19,273
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $29,685
  • Year 3: N/A
Music (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas)
  • Year 1: $20,239
  • Year 2: $16,478
  • Year 3: N/A
Music (Graduate/Professional Certificates)
  • Year 1: $23,206
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Religious/Sacred Music (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $23,649
  • Year 3: N/A
Music (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $21,052
  • Year 3: N/A