Berklee: the complete school report for parents
Berklee puts the most weight on GPA, talent and the interview. It does not consider test scores. Berklee admits about half to three-quarters of applicants, and scores are not part of the picture.
Berklee is officially Berklee College of Music, also known as Berklee School Of Music. Admissions figures below come from its 2025-2026 Common Data Set (see the source), with the admission-factor grid re-read from that file on 2026-09-20.
Is Berklee a reach, target or safety for your student?
Enter a GPA and course load and the calculator places Berklee against the figures above. No account needed.
What does Berklee actually weigh in admissions?
Berklee rates 3 of the 18 factors "Very Important": GPA, talent, the interview. It does not consider 2 of them at all. Every college reports these weights in section C7 of its Common Data Set; below is Berklee's 2025-2026 answer, read from the grid in its own file.
| Factor | How Berklee rates it |
|---|---|
| course rigor | Considered |
| GPA | Very Important |
| test scores | Not Considered |
| the essay | Considered |
| extracurricular activities | Considered |
| recommendations | Considered |
| personal qualities | Considered |
| talent | Very Important |
| class rank | Considered |
| demonstrated interest | Considered |
| the interview | Very Important |
| legacy | Considered |
| first-generation status | Considered |
| geography | Considered |
| state residency | Considered |
| volunteer work | Considered |
| work experience | Considered |
| religious affiliation | Not Considered |
Does Berklee consider how hard my child’s courses were?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Berklee consider GPA?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors.
Does Berklee consider SAT or ACT scores?
No. Berklee is test-blind, so SAT and ACT scores are not read even if you send them.
Does Berklee consider the application essay?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Berklee consider extracurricular activities?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Berklee consider recommendation letters?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Berklee consider character and personal qualities?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Berklee consider a special talent or ability?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors.
Does Berklee consider class rank?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Berklee consider demonstrated interest?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Berklee consider an interview?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors.
Does Berklee consider legacy status?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor. It can act as a tiebreaker but will not carry a weak application.
Does Berklee consider being first-generation?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor. Say so on the application; it is read as context.
Does Berklee consider where we live?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Berklee consider state residency?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Berklee consider volunteer work?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Berklee consider work experience?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Berklee consider religious affiliation?
No. Berklee does not consider it.
What is the Berklee waitlist really like?
Berklee offered a place on its waiting list to 367 applicants and 367 accepted one. 302 were ultimately admitted. That is 82.3% of those who waited.
When do we apply, and does timing change the odds?
Berklee reports its early rounds below.
| Regular application deadline | January 15 |
|---|---|
| Decisions released | March 31 |
| Reply / deposit deadline | May 1 |
| Early Decision offered | No |
| Early Action offered | Yes |
| Early Action deadline | November 1 |
| Application fee | $150 |
| Fee waiver available | Yes |
| Deferred admission offered | Yes |
What will Berklee actually cost us?
Families pay an average of $49,465 a year at Berklee after grants and scholarships, against a published in-state tuition of $54,020. The published price is not what most families pay. The university reports meeting 41% of demonstrated need on average. It also gave 420 merit awards averaging $19,533 to first-years with no demonstrated need.
37% of Berklee graduates borrow, leaving with an average of $49,464 in debt, which the federal data puts at about $265 a month in repayment. Berklee’s net price calculator gives your own figure.
Does a degree from Berklee pay off?
Graduates earn a median $33,647 ten years after entering, and $26,462 at six years. 48% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years. 65% are actively paying down their loans three years in.
Will my child actually graduate?
86% of first-years return for a second year. 73% within six (2019 cohort). The rate holds up across income: 66.2% of Pell-grant recipients graduate within six years against 76.2% of everyone else, a gap of 9.9 points.
How big are the classes?
90% of class sections have fewer than 20 students, while 0% have 100 or more. The student-faculty ratio is 9:1, and 34% of faculty are full-time. Accredited by New England Commission on Higher Education.
What is life at Berklee like?
7,274 undergraduates, 90.07% of first-years from out of state. 69.24% of freshmen live in university housing, falling to 23.11% across all undergraduates. Greek life is small: 0% of men join a fraternity and 0% of women a sorority. 21% of students are the first in their family to attend college, and the median family income is $77,216.
What this means for your student
- Do not spend money on test preparation for Berklee: scores are not read even if you send them.
- The waitlist is live but thin: 302 of 367 who waited were admitted, about 82%.
- See where your student actually stands: calculate their GPA and compare it against the distribution above.
Common questions about Berklee
Does the Berklee waitlist move?
367 students accepted a place on the Berklee waiting list and 302 were admitted in the 2025-2026 cycle.
What do Berklee graduates earn?
Berklee graduates earn a median $33,647 ten years after entering, and 48% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years.
Other schools families compare with Berklee
Where these numbers come from
Admissions figures: Berklee’s 2025-2026 Common Data Set, published here, factor grid re-read from it on 2026-09-20. Earnings, debt, net price and graduation rates: College Scorecard (2022-2023). Unreported values show as “Not reported”.