Online MBA in Music Business Management

“I advise prospective MBA in music business students to seize as many internships as possible. In today’s competitive market, experience reigns supreme over any degree. The ideal scenario is to have both, and it’s worth noting that many companies often hire interns. My experience has shown that internships played a significant role in landing a job, but my MBA guided me to the best place possible.”

Alyssa Roberts, Graduate of MBA in Music Business Program

The music industry is continuously changing. Over the last ten years, technological advances have disrupted the industry by developing digital markets, innovative media tools, and new means of production and distribution.

Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) and the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) have protected artist rights for decades by collecting license fees for composers, songwriters, and music publishers and paying them royalties when their music is played, performed, or distributed. Such organizations continue to play an essential role in safeguarding the integrity of music production. However, today’s music business professionals need to be versatile and flexible to stay abreast of new trends and developments, anticipate how they will affect the industry, and respond in the best interests of artists, consumers, and entrepreneurs.

In response to this industry dynamic, master of business administration (MBA) programs in music business management provide training in traditional business knowledge and skills contextualized within the music sector. Courses in business management, marketing, economics and finance, leadership, and ethics are offered along with topics relevant to music professionals such as publishing and licensing, promotion and retail, music enterprise, online music marketing, and nontraditional funding sources such as venture capital and crowdfunding.

Music business leadership and ethics have become more and more relevant, creating the need for the inclusion of training in legal and ethical issues related to artist treatment, intellectual property rights, revenue sharing, and digital media and distribution.

Featured Music Management Programs
Southern New Hampshire University Online MBA In Music BusinessProgram Website
Middle Tennessee State University Flex MBA - Music BusinessProgram Website
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These MBA programs prepare music industry professionals to work as music publishers, marketing professionals, supervisors, booking agents, distributors, tour managers, entrepreneurs, public relations specialists, and concert promoters. It is possible to earn an MBA in the music business entirely online, but these programs are often offered in hybrid formats (i.e., a blend of online and on-campus). Outside of an MBA, there are other master’s programs in the entertainment and music business that students can explore.

Meet the Expert: Alyssa Roberts, MBA

Justin Dodd

Alyssa Roberts is a dynamic professional who embodies the intersection of music and business. With an MBA in music business from Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU), Roberts leverages her expertise as a copyright & royalty analyst at Big Machine Label Group, where she ensures artists receive accurate compensation for their work.

Based in Nashville, she also thrives as a music producer, recording engineer, and songwriter, showcasing her versatile talents within the music industry. Roberts’ passion extends to digital marketing and the broader music business landscape, making her a multifaceted asset in creative and analytical domains.

BSchools.org: How has graduating with an MBA in music business enhanced your career?

Roberts: Part of getting an MBA is learning what environments you work in, your strengths and weaknesses, and how to leverage them. My MBA helped guide me to my dream job because I knew exactly what I wanted when I graduated. For example, I reluctantly took a business ethics course. Business ethics were common sense, but it really made me think about what kind of work culture that I wanted to be in. Work culture and business ethics were some of the most important things I considered when interviewing for new opportunities.

My MBA also allows me to challenge how I think about things. You focus on process improvement as an MBA student because, ultimately, you’re learning how to help businesses grow their bottom line. This is something that I am passionate about because I am an analytical thinker, and I like to work effectively. Finding a company to work for that is appreciative of new ideas and making changes to improve processes was important to me as well, so I am very grateful that I work for a company today that I believe has both a wonderful work culture and values my thoughts on making changes to how I do my work.

BSchools.org: What is one piece of advice you would give to a prospective MBA in music business student?

Roberts: I advise prospective MBA in music business students to seize as many internships as possible. In today’s competitive market, experience reigns supreme over any degree. The ideal scenario is to have both, and it’s worth noting that many companies often hire interns. My experience has shown that internships played a significant role in landing a job, but my MBA guided me to the best place possible.

Featured MBA in Music Business Management Programs

This online MBA in music business is offered jointly through SNHU and Berklee College of Music. It combines the strengths of a traditional MBA program with tailored business topics as they relate to the music industry. This affordable and accelerated degree was the first of its kind in the country and is designed from the perspective of industry insiders, including artists, managers, executives, record label employees, and entrepreneurs.

Students take 30 credits including SNHU business courses and Berklee music industry courses. Applicants to this program must have an undergraduate degree in any field for acceptance. Those who do not have an undergraduate degree in business or a related field may be asked to complete two foundation courses for getting started. With foundation courses, the length of this online MBA would be 36 credits.

Berklee’s four required courses include music business leadership and ethics; music business structure and strategies; the business of music marketing; and music business finance. SNHU’s MBA core courses include leading people and organizations; innovation and strategy for high-performance organizations; measuring success in an organization; optimizing brands; leading organizational change; and strategic opportunity management. GRE or GMAT scores are not required.

Location: Manchester, New Hampshire (SHNU) and Boston, Massachusetts (Berklee)
Accreditation: New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE); Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)
Format: Online
Expected Time to Completion: Full-time (12 months); part-time (24 months)
2Full Sail University (MS in Entertainment Business)

While not an MBA, this 12-month entertainment business master of science program at Full Sail focuses on business and management skills, providing students with opportunities to apply strategies learned to practical exercises. Main topics include financial planning, publishing and distribution, and contract negotiation. The program is offered in a unique, course module format. Each course is completed in 30 days for a total of 12 courses over the one-year period. The degree concludes with a culminating final project in which students create an original business plan.

Students with five or more years of experience may be able to complete this program at an accelerated pace. The 41.5-credit program includes courses in project and team management, business storytelling and brand development, entertainment business finance, digital marketing, negotiation and deal-making, product and artist management, and advanced entertainment law.

Location: Winter Park, Florida
Accreditation: Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC)
Format: Online
Expected Time to Completion: 12 months

The 42-semester hour online MBA in music business combines traditional business courses with the focused study of recording industry topics. The core MBA program, created by the Jennings A. Jones College of Business, covers courses such as accounting information for managers; integrated marketing, and management decision-making; economic decisions for managers; decision-making in accounting and finance; and managerial finance.

In addition to 30 core credits, students take 12 credits of music business concentration electives such as entertainment branding; legal rights of the creative individual; the music industry: revenues, rights, and professions; and music entrepreneurship and strategic planning for the arts.

Applicants must have earned a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university with a minimum grade point average of 2.75 or higher. Please note that GRE/GMAT test scores are required but waivers are available.

Location: Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Accreditation: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International)
Format: Online
Expected Time to Completion: 12 to 24 months
4University of Miami (Master of Arts in Music Industry)

UM’s Frost School of Music designed a 30-credit online Master of Arts in the Music Industry, where students learn about live music promotion, music publishing and licensing, and the legal aspects of the live entertainment industry.

Additionally, students can also begin by completing a graduate certificate, which can then be counted towards the master’s degree. Graduate certificates are available in music business fundamentals, legal aspects of the music business, music entrepreneurship certificate, and music rights administration and licensing.

Core courses include music copyright law; recorded music operations; music industry agreements, and music publishing. Students also complete 15 credits of electives as well as hands-on work experience during the program. Elective courses include entrepreneurship for musicians; arts leadership; tour management and production; the world of the working musician; media creation; music licensing; and communication, marketing, and publicity for the musical artist.

Graduates of the program typically find jobs at talent agencies, independent record companies, music publishing companies, and major record labels. Significant discounts on tuition are offered through scholarships where receive ten to 50 percent off, based upon GPA and work experience in music, the arts, education, or the military. GRE scores are required only in certain cases.

Location: Coral Gables, Florida
Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Format: Online
Expected Time to Completion: 18 months

Music Business Manager Salary & Career Outlook

The salary and career outlook for music business managers from 2022 to 2032 are promising, reflecting the dynamic nature of the music industry. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS May 2023), music business managers fall under the broader category of agents and business managers of artists, performers, and athletes, with a mean annual wage of approximately $132,810.

Here are the annual salary percentiles from the BLS (May 2023):

  • 10th percentile: $47,100
  • 25th percentile: $62,280
  • 50th percentile (median): $84,900
  • 75th percentile: $129,930
  • 90th percentile: >$239,200

Career prospects in this field are expected to grow steadily, driven by the increasing demand for digital content and live performances. Those who stay abreast of industry trends, develop strong networking skills, and maintain a keen understanding of financial management will likely see the most significant opportunities and salary growth in the coming decade.

Cevia Yellin
Cevia Yellin
Writer

Cevia Yellin is a freelance writer based in Eugene, Oregon. She studied English and French literature as an undergraduate. After serving two years as an AmeriCorps volunteer, she earned her master of arts in teaching English to speakers of other languages. Cevia’s travels and experiences working with students of diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds have contributed to her interest in the forces that shape identity. She grew up on the edge of Philadelphia, where her mom still lives in her childhood home.

Rachel Drummond, MEd
Rachel Drummond, MEd
Writer

Rachel Drummond has offered a unique blend of metrics-based mindfulness to BSchools.org since 2019. She teaches future business leaders to prioritize their well-being to sustain professional success and personal fulfillment over the lifetime of a corporate or entrepreneurial business career.

Rachel is a writer, educator, and coach from Oregon. She has a master’s degree in education (MEd) and has over 15 years of experience teaching English, public speaking, and mindfulness to international audiences in the United States, Japan, and Spain. She writes about the mind-body benefits of contemplative movement practices like yoga on her blog, inviting people to prioritize their unique version of well-being and empowering everyone to live healthier and more balanced lives.