San Francisco Conservatory of Music
San Francisco, CA 94102-6011
About San Francisco Conservatory of Music
San Francisco Conservatory of Music is a private research university in San Francisco, California, enrolling about 226 students. Admission is moderately selective for first-time degree-seeking undergraduates reporting admissions data to the Education Department. The acceptance rate is about 54.91% in the latest College Scorecard admissions data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $47,172 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- San Francisco Conservatory of Music charges about 1.9× the national private non-profit median tuition ($58,150).
- Versus the California median, sticker tuition is about 6.8×.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 59.68%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $47,172.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco Conservatory of Music | $58,150 | $48,678 | 1 |
| Private Non-profit (national median) | $30,216 | — | 1,451 |
| California (state median) | $8,510 | $7,373 | 288 |
| Urban (City) (locale median) | $15,860 | $20,660 | 1,347 |
| United States (national median) | $12,200 | $17,569 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
Average net price is 16% below published tuition at San Francisco Conservatory of Music
Key findings
- San Francisco Conservatory of Music's average net price ($48,678) is 16% below published tuition ($58,150).
- San Francisco Conservatory of Music charges about 1.9× the national private non-profit median tuition ($58,150).
- Versus the California median, sticker tuition is about 6.8×.
San Francisco Conservatory of Music tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $58,150
Finding San Francisco Conservatory of Music charges about 1.9× the national private non-profit median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $58,150. That is about 1.9× the national private non-profit median ($30,216). Versus the California median ($8,510), sticker tuition is about 6.8×. Versus the U.S. median ($12,200), sticker is about 4.8×.
Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.
Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to private non-profit and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.
Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.
Evidence: published tuition at San Francisco Conservatory of Music versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at San Francisco Conservatory of Music versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at San Francisco Conservatory of Music is $48,678.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $48,678 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $41,305 above the California median net price. Versus urban (city) campuses, net price runs $28,018 above the locale median.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Key takeaway San Francisco Conservatory of Music’s published tuition substantially overstates typical undergraduate cost: average net price is about 16% lower after grants and scholarships.
San Francisco Conservatory of Music: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for San Francisco Conservatory of Music—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.
Financial profile
Annual tuition
$58,150
Avg. net price
$48,678
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $37,721 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $44,491 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $51,351 |
| $110,001+ | $53,278 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $232,600. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What San Francisco Conservatory of Music is known for
Top program completions
- Stringed Instruments52
- Voice and Opera28
- Music Technology22
- Keyboard Instruments14
- Woodwind Instruments9
See earnings & programs for more.
Admissions landscape
- Selective — about half of applicants (or fewer) are admitted.
- Yield: 24% of admitted students enrolled.
See Admissions for the full funnel.
Is San Francisco Conservatory of Music a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
San Francisco Conservatory of Music is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for San Francisco Conservatory of Music.
Campus
Location
San Francisco, CA
City / state
- ZIP
- 94102-6011
- NCES locale
- City
Compared with Urban (City) campuses nationally, net price is about 2.4× the median for Urban (City) campuses ($20,660 median).
Control
Institution type
Private Non-profit
Control
- Region
- Far West
- Carnegie
- Special Focus Four-Year: Arts, Music, and Design Schools
Size
Enrollment
226
Undergraduates (fall)
- Undergraduates (full year)
- 234
- Graduate
- 212
- Full-time share
- 98%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$25,000
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 16.14%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for San Francisco Conservatory of Music.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at San Francisco Conservatory of Music was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for San Francisco Conservatory of Music in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $39,580 | $39,580 | $28,174 |
| 2014 | $40,992 | $40,992 | $45,052 |
| 2015 | $42,210 | $42,210 | $31,660 |
| 2016 | $43,410 | $43,410 | $33,801 |
| 2017 | $44,810 | $44,810 | $37,289 |
| 2018 | $46,210 | $46,210 | $37,351 |
| 2019 | $47,560 | $47,560 | $37,649 |
| 2020 | $49,050 | $49,050 | $39,165 |
| 2021 | $50,800 | $50,800 | $33,949 |
| 2022 | $52,800 | $52,800 | $33,577 |
| 2023 | $54,550 | $54,550 | $42,448 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
This institution is selective, accepting about half of all applicants.
Applicants → admits → first-time enrollment from College Scorecard / IPEDS. Bar widths are scaled for readability at highly selective schools.
Test Scores
Test score data is not available for this institution.
Score distribution is not available for this institution.
Academic Requirements
GPA requirements are not published by this institution. Contact the admissions office for specific academic requirements.
Estimated GPA range is not available for this institution.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
San Francisco Conservatory of Music reported total enrollment of about 226 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 58% male and 42% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes Non-Resident Alien (29.6%), White (21.7%), and Race/ethnicity unknown (21.7%). About 16.14% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
97.8% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at San Francisco Conservatory of Music in 2024 is 226 students.
Over a full year, about 234 undergraduates enroll. Graduate enrollment is about 212 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
92.7%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
41.38% 100% Completion Time
59.68% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 41.38% of students graduating from San Francisco Conservatory of Music completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Stringed Instruments: 52% male / 48% female
- Voice and Opera: 29% male / 71% female
- Music Technology: 64% male / 36% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
San Francisco Conservatory of Music graduates earn a median of $47,172 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of San Francisco Conservatory of Music.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $47,172. Median federal loan debt: $25,000. Average net price used in cost models: $48,678.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway San Francisco Conservatory of Music graduates report median earnings of $47,172 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for San Francisco Conservatory of Music.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 9 programs by IPEDS completions (10 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at San Francisco Conservatory of Music.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for San Francisco Conservatory of Music graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for San Francisco Conservatory of Music—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$51.6M
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- California median 2.6× the median ($19.7M)
- Far West median 3.1× the median ($16.8M)
- U.S. median 2.0× the median ($26.4M)
- California median 16× the median ($7,407)
- Far West median 16× the median ($7,260)
- U.S. median 9.9× the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 100.0%
- California median 60.7 pp above median (39.3%)
- Far West median 54.3 pp above median (45.7%)
- U.S. median 42.0 pp above median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $15,211
- California median 1.5× the median ($10,166)
- Far West median 1.6× the median ($9,635)
- U.S. median 2.0× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $46,591
- California median 7.2× the median ($6,474)
- Far West median 6.6× the median ($7,030)
- U.S. median 6.4× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
San Francisco Conservatory of Music at a glance
San Francisco Conservatory of Music
San Francisco Conservatory of Music is a private non-profit institution in San Francisco, CA, classified as Special Focus Four-Year: Arts, Music, and Design Schools.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Stringed InstrumentsVoice and OperaMusic Technology
- Largest enrollment groups
- Non-Resident Alien29.6%White or Caucasian21.7%Race/ethnicity unknown21.7%
Schools near San Francisco Conservatory of Music
Other campuses in San Francisco, CA when available, plus nearby institutions in California.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade C) within California, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is San Francisco Conservatory of Music located?
San Francisco Conservatory of Music is located in San Francisco, CA.
What is San Francisco Conservatory of Music's acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at San Francisco Conservatory of Music is 54.9% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 439 applicants and 228 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.
What is San Francisco Conservatory of Music's tuition?
San Francisco Conservatory of Music tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $58,150 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $48,678 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does San Francisco Conservatory of Music cost?
Reported tuition is $58,150 and average net price is $48,678 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $21,252 annually.
Why is San Francisco Conservatory of Music's net price so much lower than tuition?
At San Francisco Conservatory of Music, published tuition is $58,150 while average net price is $48,678—about 16% lower. Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid (College Scorecard). Institutional aid therefore compresses sticker price into a lower typical undergraduate cost signal. The campus average still masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average. EDsmart Data treats the sticker–net gap as an analytical finding, not advice about individual aid offers.
What explains San Francisco Conservatory of Music's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($48,678), completion (59.7% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($47,172). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
What is the student body demographics at San Francisco Conservatory of Music?
San Francisco Conservatory of Music reports undergraduate enrollment of about 234 students, Non-Resident Alien (29.6%), White (21.7%) in federal College Scorecard data.
What do graduates of San Francisco Conservatory of Music earn?
Median earnings are $31,385 six years after entry and $47,172 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at San Francisco Conservatory of Music?
The 150%-time completion rate is 59.7% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do San Francisco Conservatory of Music students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $25,000.
Is San Francisco Conservatory of Music public or private?
San Francisco Conservatory of Music is a private nonprofit institution located in San Francisco, CA.
Is San Francisco Conservatory of Music an HBCU?
No. San Francisco Conservatory of Music is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.