Dallas College

Commercial Music


6 Certificates 4 Associate Degrees

Turn your love of music into a profitable career by developing musical and technical skills in the Commercial Music program at Dallas College. All of our faculty members are working professional musicians who perform nationally and internationally.

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Commercial Music at a Glance

Dallas College offers many different ways to reach your career goals. Whether you want to jump into the workforce quickly or spend more time building advanced skills, we have the programs that fit your needs and timeline.

Certificate Programs

Estimated total tuition cost2:

$2, 079-$3,861

Estimated time to complete1:

8 months- 2 years

  • Cedar Valley3

Associate Degrees

Estimated total tuition cost2:

$5,940

Estimated time to complete1:

2 years

  • Cedar Valley3

Which Degrees and Certificates are Right for Me?

Credit Certificates

Dallas College offers credit certificates that provide focused, career-ready skills recognized by employers.

Can I Get a Job?

Dallas College offers a variety of certificates and degrees to help you gain the skills you need to start working right away.

  • These credentials are often considered Career and Technical Education (CTE).
  • These credentials are established with the assistance and cooperation of representatives from local business, to meet local and regional employment needs.
  • Higher-level certificates and degrees will typically lead to a higher salary in the workforce.
  • Workforce (CE) certificates can often be completed faster than traditional credit certificates but typically do not offer college credit.
  • Level 1, Level 2, Enhanced Skills certificates and others offer college credit and are often stackable to help you build skills as you work toward an associate degree.
  • Workforce credentials may give you college credit at Dallas College, but they may not transfer to other colleges or universities.

If you're unsure if this is the right path for you, you can talk to a pathway specialist for advice.

Pathway Specialist

Associate Degrees

Dallas College's associate degrees provide a strong academic foundation for career entry or transfer to a four-year institution.

Can I Transfer?

Our Associate of Applied Science degrees and certificates may not fully transfer to a four-year college or university.

  • If your goal is to transfer, you may want to explore our Core Curriculum and Transfer Pathways.
  • You may also want to explore a transfer degree, like an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science.
  • The classes you take will count towards a bachelor's degree and are designed to be accepted by any public college or university in Texas.

If you're not sure if this is the right choice for you, you can talk to a Pathway Specialist for guidance.

Pathway Specialist

Questions About Degrees and Certificates?

We know applying to college can be confusing. If you are not yet a Dallas College student, you have a whole team of recruitment coaches to help guide you through programs and the enrollment process.

Current students, contact your success coach (advisor) who can answer any questions you have about Commercial Music programs and your degree and certificate options.

Contact a Recruitment Coach

What Can I Earn? Will There Be Plenty of Jobs?

Combine your love of music with technical skills, and you can work as a performer or behind the scenes in music production, among other options. Check out a few of the incredible career opportunities you’ll be ready for. Your future starts here!

Positive peaceful Hispanic woman in headphones relaxing at home

Music Therapists

$36/hr

Median Salary

126

Job Openings

+28%

Projected Outlook

Top Skills:

  • Social Perceptiveness
  • Active Listening
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Critical Thinking
  • Service Orientation
  • Speaking
  • Monitoring
  • Judgment and Decision Making
  • Learning Strategies
  • Writing
male performer on stage holding a microphone and singing in front of a purple background

Musicians and Singers

$34/hr

Median Salary

591

Job Openings

+16%

Projected Outlook

Top Skills:

  • Speaking
  • Active Listening
  • Monitoring
  • Social Perceptiveness
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Coordination
  • Critical Thinking
  • Service Orientation
  • Time Management
  • Writing
group of students studies in class with , her classmates while they listen to the teacher teaching at music school.

Postsecondary Art, Drama, and Music Teachers

$41/hr

Median Salary

3512

Job Openings

+19%

Projected Outlook

Top Skills:

  • Speaking
  • Instructing
  • Learning Strategies
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Active Learning
  • Active Listening
  • Writing
  • Monitoring
  • Critical Thinking
  • Social Perceptiveness
man using mixing console in music recording studio

Sound Engineering Technicians

$26/hr

Median Salary

44

Job Openings

+11%

Projected Outlook

Top Skills:

  • Active Listening
  • Speaking
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Critical Thinking
  • Complex Problem Solving
  • Writing
  • Monitoring
  • Active Learning
  • Operations Monitoring
  • Judgment and Decision Making

All jobs data gathered for Dallas/Fort Worth. Source: Dallas College Labor Market Intelligence and Lightcast4.

“When you understand basic recording techniques, it really increases your value as a musician, producer or songwriter. You understand how to write what will work well, and you learn to use your time in the studio efficiently. That recording technology education that you can get at Cedar Valley is invaluable knowledge and the best music education for the money that I’ve ever heard of.” Read David A. Small's story.
David Small
David A. Small
Entertainment Attorney, Law Offices of David A. Small

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1Length of time is based on catalog degree plans. Prerequisites may be required, which are not included in this estimate. For most programs, full-time student status is assumed, a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester.

2Cost for credit courses is based on tuition rates for program hours for Dallas County residents. The price of most required learning materials (books, software, supplies, etc.) is included with the price of tuition. Certain programs may have additional costs above the standard tuition. Continuing Education and Ed2Go courses may vary by program. Please review the Area of Study Overview and/or the Health Information Packets for additional costs and details. Visit our Paying for College site to learn more about cost, financial aid, scholarships and more.

3Each location offers a unique combination of certificate and degree options. Not all degree and certificate offerings are available for admission/start at all campuses every semester.

4A portion of Lightcast’s data comes from O*NET Online by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Lightcast has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.

Updated June 25, 2026