Colleges

Private nonprofit · Institute

Curtis Institute of Music

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania · Large city

#1 most selective in Pennsylvania#2 graduation rate in Pennsylvania
4.6%
Admit rate
—
Avg net price
96%
Graduation rate
—
Median earnings

Curtis Institute of Music is a private nonprofit bachelor's-granting institution in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (large city setting), enrolling 109 undergraduates.

Private nonprofitSmall · 109 undergradsLarge cityHighly selective · 5% admitCold wintersNear the coast

About Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, colloquially referred to as Philly, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the sixth-most populous city in the United States. Before the arrival of Europeans in the early 17th century, the Lenape, an Indian tribe also known as the Delaware Indians, lived in the village of Shackamaxon in present-day Philadelphia and the surrounding area. Philadelphia is home to many national historical sites that relate to the founding of the United States. Independence National Historical Park is the center of these historical landmarks and one of the country's 22 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. (Wikipedia)

Setting
Large city
Highest degree offered
Graduate
Nearest big city
Philadelphia, PA
To the ocean
2 miles
Nearest airport
6 miles to Philadelphia (PHL) · major hub

How Curtis Institute of Music compares

Selectivity4.6%

More selective than 99% · #1 most selective of 111 in Pennsylvania

Graduation rate96%

Higher than 98% · #2 of 116 in Pennsylvania

First-year retention100%

Higher than 98%

Student–faculty ratio2 : 1

Lower than 99%

Undergraduate enrollment109

Larger than 8%

Percentiles compare Curtis Institute of Music with the nation's 2,196 four-year colleges, among schools reporting each statistic. State ranks count four-year colleges in Pennsylvania.

Student body

Undergraduate vs. graduate

161students
  • Undergraduate10968%
  • Graduate5232%

Undergraduates by race / ethnicity

  • White27%
  • Black1.8%
  • Hispanic2.8%
  • Asian14%
  • Other or multiracial55%

Graduate gender splits aren't published in this data, so the gender chart covers undergraduates only.

By the numbers

Undergraduate enrollment
109
Graduate enrollment
52
Student–faculty ratio
2 : 1
Pell Grant recipients
1%
First-generation students
—
Students over 25
—
Median family income
$63,436
Avg faculty salary (academic year)
$80,622
Endowment
$229,481,718

Colleges don't publish true class-size data; student–faculty ratio (IPEDS) is the closest public measure of it.

Admissions

Admission rate
4.6%
Test scores
Not considered
SAT range (25th–75th %)
—
SAT average
—
SAT reading
—
SAT math
—
ACT composite
—

Cost

In-state tuition
$0
Room & board
$21,035
Books & supplies
$4,530
Total cost of attendance
—
Average net price
—

Net price is the total cost minus grants and scholarships — what students actually pay. It varies sharply by family income; see the breakdown below.

Outcomes

Graduated (within 6 years)
96%
Graduated on time (4 years)
67%
First-year retention
100%
Transferred to another college
0%
Median earnings, 6 years after entry
$31,201
Median earnings, 10 years after entry
—
Median debt at graduation
—
Students with federal loans
0%

About 29% of students who finish here need more than four years — each extra year adds roughly another year of tuition and living costs.

Campus life & athletics

On-campus housing
Yes
Dorm capacity
102
Dorm capacity vs undergrads
94%
Application fee
$150

Housing and fees: IPEDS 2023–24. Athletics rosters: Equity in Athletics data, 2024–25. Dorm capacity can include graduate and family housing, so the share of undergrads can top 100%.

Does the school pay you to attend?

Grant aid from the school's own funds — the discount off sticker, on top of any federal or state help.

100%
of first-years get a grant from the school
$8,796
average award, among those who get one

A meaningful share of freshmen — 100% — get grant money from Curtis Institute of Music itself, averaging $8,796, which softens the sticker price.

Blends need-based and merit aid — IPEDS doesn't split the two, so a high number can mean generous merit scholarships, deep need-based aid, or both. Figures cover 33 full-time first-year undergraduates, 2022–23. Source: IPEDS Student Financial Aid.

Campus climate

Summer high
89°F
Winter low
28°F
Annual rain
50.7″
Annual snow
16.1″

Average temperature

HighLow
20°60°100°JFMAMJJASOND

Average precipitation (inches)

0.02.55.0JFMAMJJASOND

NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Phila Franklin Inst, PA US station (0.7 mi from campus).

What Curtis Institute of Music graduates study — and earn

Music
27 grads— 1 yr— 5 yr— debt

Median earnings of this school's own graduates 1 and 5 years after finishing each program, and median federal-loan debt at completion (College Scorecard). Small programs are privacy-suppressed (—). Click a major to compare colleges nationally.

Colleges similar to Curtis Institute of Music

Schools with a comparable profile — size, selectivity, cost, and graduate outcomes. Compare Curtis Institute of Music side by side →

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Private

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Students
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Admission
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Net price
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SAT
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GPA
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Earnings
—

Dallas Christian College

Private

Dallas, Texas · Large suburb · 11 mi to Dallas

Students
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Admission
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Net price
$23k
SAT
931
GPA
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Earnings
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The Juilliard School

Private

New York, New York · Large city · 4 mi to New York

Students
468
Admission
9%
Net price
$44k
SAT
—
GPA
—
Earnings
$38k

Trinity Bible College and Graduate School

Private

Ellendale, North Dakota · Remote rural · 102 mi to Fargo

Students
141
Admission
26%
Net price
$19k
SAT
—
GPA
—
Earnings
$36k

Northeastern University Oakland

Private

Oakland, California · Large city · 13 mi to San Francisco

Students
464
Admission
17%
Net price
$25k
SAT
1472
GPA
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Earnings
$93k

Visible Music College

Private

Memphis, Tennessee · Large city · < 1 mi to Memphis

Students
79
Admission
28%
Net price
$28k
SAT
1050
GPA
3.1
Earnings
$36k

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< 1 mi

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< 1 mi

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1 mi

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1 mi

Thomas Jefferson University

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1 mi

Source: US Department of Education College Scorecard (most recent cohorts), IPEDS institutional characteristics, Equity in Athletics (EADA) data, Clery Act Campus Safety and Security data, and NOAA US Climate Normals. Distances are straight-line from campus coordinates. Percentiles compare schools of the same level (four-year vs. two-year) that report each statistic.