Musicians Institute (MI)

Musicians Institute (MI) is a private contemporary music college in Hollywood, California, founded in 1977 by guitarist Howard Roberts and Pat Hicks. Located at 6752 Hollywood Boulevard, MI offers Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, and Bachelor of Music degrees plus certificates in instrumental performance, audio engineering, music business, and guitar building. It has been an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) since 1981 and is designated by the Carnegie Foundation as a Special Focus Institute in Music.

Programs and Degrees

MI offers programs across two delivery formats: on-campus in Hollywood and online (MI Online).

Bachelor and Master of Music: Performance programs for bass, drums, guitar, keyboard technology, and vocals. The Bachelor of Music requires liberal arts credits, which MI fulfills through a partnership with nearby Los Angeles City College (LACC).

Associate of Arts and Associate of Science: Shorter programs covering the same performance disciplines, plus audio engineering and music business.

Certificates: The shortest option, providing foundational training in performance and music technology. Certificate programs do not earn course credit toward a degree.

MI Select: Non-credit courses that let students take individual classes without enrolling in a full program. Courses taken during MI Select do not earn course credit and do not guarantee advanced placement in a degree or certificate program.

Specialized programs: Audio engineering, Independent Artist Program, Guitar Craft Academy (guitar building and repair), and Music Business.

Admissions and Tuition

MI operates on a quarter system with rolling admissions. The application fee is $100 (non-refundable).

Tuition (2025 to 2026)

On-campus (Hollywood):

• Bachelor/Master: $10,800 per quarter (based on 15 credits full-time)
• AA/AS/Certificate: $9,675 per quarter
• MI Select: $645 per credit

MI Online:

• Bachelor/Master: $8,025 per quarter
• AA/AS/Certificate: $8,025 per quarter
• MI Select: $535 per credit

General Education: $363 per credit (varies per quarter)

Quarterly fees (on-campus): Materials $75 to $464, Academic and Student Support Fee $200 per quarter, Equipment fee $95 per quarter (for audio engineering and production programs), other fees $62 to $2,708.

A typical bachelor's program runs 12 quarters (3 years) at $10,800 per quarter, totaling approximately $129,600 in tuition. MI offers a tuition payment plan that divides quarterly costs into two or three interest-free installments.

MI is authorized to provide federal financial aid for U.S. students and offers scholarships for both domestic and international students. Scholarship amounts are divided across the total number of quarters in the program and credited toward each quarter's tuition.

Real-World Example

A guitarist enrolling in the on-campus Bachelor of Music program pays $10,800 per quarter for 12 quarters, totaling $129,600 in tuition. With the $100 application fee, $200 quarterly Academic and Student Support Fee ($2,400 over 12 quarters), and materials fees averaging $200 per quarter ($2,400 total), the full program cost comes to approximately $134,500. If the student receives a $20,000 scholarship spread across 12 quarters ($1,667 per quarter), net tuition drops to $9,133 per quarter, or $109,600 total. The student studies in Hollywood with access to over 75,000 square feet of studios and performance venues, takes liberal arts courses at LACC, and builds connections in the Los Angeles music industry.

Notable alumni include Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante, Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo, guitarists Paul Gilbert and Frank Gambale, and guitarist Synyster Gates of Avenged Sevenfold.

Why It Matters for Independent Artists

MI is designed for contemporary musicians who want practical, industry-focused training rather than a traditional conservatory education. If you play rock, pop, metal, or contemporary genres and want formal instruction without the classical focus of schools like Juilliard or MSM, MI is one of the few accredited options.

The Hollywood location is a genuine advantage. You are in the center of the Los Angeles music industry, with access to recording studios, live venues, and networking opportunities that are difficult to replicate elsewhere. The faculty includes working professionals in the LA scene.

The MI Online option is worth considering if you cannot relocate to Hollywood. At $8,025 per quarter versus $10,800 on-campus, it reduces both tuition and living costs while still providing access to MI's curriculum.

The lack of regional accreditation (MI is NASM-accredited but not WASC-accredited) means transferring credits to a traditional university can be difficult. If you plan to pursue a graduate degree at a conventional university later, verify transfer policies before enrolling. The LACC partnership for liberal arts credits helps with some of this, but the core music credits may not transfer.

The quarterly payment plan is useful if you cannot pay upfront. You can split each quarter's costs into two or three installments with no interest, which makes the cash flow manageable.

Visit the official MI website for program catalogs and application details.

Related Resources

• Music Schools Directory - Compare MI with other music schools
• Streaming Royalty Calculator - Project streaming revenue while studying
• 21 Ways Musicians Can Earn Income - Income strategies for performing musicians
• Complete Guide to Making Money as a Musician in 2026 - Career planning for music school graduates