About

About The New England Conservatory of Music

conservatory trainingmusic performance focusboston arts communitylow student faculty ratioselective admissions

The New England Conservatory of Music is a community college in Boston, MA, known for its conservatory training, music performance focus, and boston arts community. With an acceptance rate of 38%, NEC is selective, typically enrolling around 48 students each year. NEC is test optional; submitting a strong score can strengthen an application, though it is not required for consideration. NEC offers merit scholarships regardless of financial need, with awards averaging $43,082 per year; the sticker price of $75,230 may look very different from what your family actually pays.

Admissions

The New England Conservatory of Music acceptance rate and admitted student profile

selective

38%
Overall Accept Rate

Application Strategy

Strategy tips for applying to The New England Conservatory of Music

The first 2 tips apply to all applicants. Your personalized strategy requires your profile — build your free list to unlock it.

Application Strategy
At NEC, your audition carries more weight than almost any other part of your application, so treat your audition preparation as the centerpiece of your entire application process and book a live or recorded audition slot as early as possible.
Application Strategy
Research the specific faculty members in your instrument or voice area at NEC and select audition repertoire that reflects the stylistic range and technical demands they are known to value, since NEC faculty play a direct role in admission decisions for their studios.

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Financial Aid & Cost

What The New England Conservatory of Music actually costs your family

Average net prices by income bracket from College Scorecard data.

Family IncomeSticker PriceEst. Net Cost / yr
0-30k~$75k/yr$47.9k
30k-48k~$75k/yr$44.9k
48k-75k~$75k/yr$45.6k
75k-110k~$75k/yr$45.6k
110k+~$75k/yr$47.4k

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Outcomes & Campus

Student outcomes and campus profile

78%
6-Year Graduation Rate
$19k
Median Earnings (6 yrs)
4:1
Student-Faculty Ratio
441
Undergrad Enrollment
The New England Conservatory of Music Acceptance Rate & Admissions | SpearMatch