Commercial Music, B.A.

Commercial Music, B.A.

Program Overview

Do you like to stay up-to-date with the changing trends in music? Are you the one who walks out of a movie talking about how the soundtrack complimented the plot? Or maybe you love the rush of performing in front of people? Wherever your dreams and passions lie in the rapidly growing music industry, majoring in commercial music could be the perfect degree for you!

PLNU commercial music students understand that the world of music is huge and complex – which means that developing a well-rounded skill set is an important first step towards career success.

Within our NASM-accredited program, you’ll have the opportunity to work and train alongside professors who have a history of sustained success and experience in the music industry. You’ll dive into a strong curriculum that places emphasis on practical and essential skills like production techniques, becoming comfortable in a recording studio, digital audio recording, songwriting, Pro Tools software literacy, orchestral arranging, improvisation, building a professional portfolio, and so much more!

You’ll also be able to step into our brand new recording studio equipped with cutting-edge technology and recording instruments. Take advantage of this space to practice your skills as a producer and arranger, or create professional-quality demos that can help open the door to record labels and showcase your unique style.

Concentrations to fit your goals

The Commercial Music, B.A. consists of four concentrations – each with the goal of further preparing you personally and professionally to help pursue your individual calling in the music industry.

  • Composition for Film and Media
  • Music and Worship Arts
  • Performance
  • Production

Musical Foundations, Creative Features

Chaz Celaya: Mentoring Future Music Industry Professionals
From American Idol to the PLNU Commercial Music Studio: Noël Tsoukalas
Exploring the Sonic Soundscape with Erick Schroder
PLNU Music Alumni Share Their Unique Careers

More Than Notes

Videos (4)
Articles (9)
A day in the life of Charity Pfeiffer, a commercial music major at PLNU!
Chaz Celaya: Mentoring Future Music Industry Professionals PLNU’s commercial music program director Chaz Celaya has a passion for bringing the future of the music industry to his students. Discover
From American Idol to the PLNU Commercial Music Studio: Noël Tsoukalas Noёl Tsoukalas opens up about her journey as a music major at PLNU, from auditioning on American Idol to releasing her debut album. Discover
Exploring the Sonic Soundscape with Erick Schroder Music has always been the beat setting the rhythm of composer Erick Schroder’s life. Discover
PLNU Music Alumni Share Their Unique Careers From composing scores to performing onstage, graduates of PLNU’s Department of Music are using their degrees in diverse and fulfilling ways. Discover
Music & Grit: How Music-Making Makes Us Tougher, Smarter, Braver, and More Resilient It’s ancient, cross-cultural, universal. It’s present in our celebrations, our mournings, our worship. We speak it, make it, hear it, feel it. It crosses languages, boundaries, eras. It connects, enchants, divides. Music is an important part of the human experience. For those who study and make music, the benefits are myriad. In addition to its Discover
PLNU Alum Russell Pryor Takes Top Spot in Worldwide Music Production Competition PLNU alum Russell Pryor recently won an online competition that involved at least 300 producers from around the world. Discover
Aram Granger Creates Vibrant Visual Effects for Video Games VFX artist Aram Granger’s work behind the scenes has enhanced many well-known video game franchises. Discover
A Story from Suffering to Hope: These Walls Jason David Sluyter (11) can vividly recall the most difficult moment of his battle with cancer. After having 60 percent of his tongue and all of the lymphnodes in his neck removed over the course of a 15-hour operation, he lie awake in the hospital bed. Due to the swelling from the surgery, he was Discover
Rhapsody from the Ashes: The Music-Making of J.R. Bishop I don’t know why or how the notes came when they did, but it happened at 2 a.m. I had stared at the piano, seriously disappointed that I wasn’t in bed. I’d been frustrated and perplexed for hours, clunking out good but unsatisfying notes, melodies, chords, and themes that felt more forgettable to me than Discover

Course List

For information about the courses required for the Commercial Music, B.A. program, view the PLNU Catalog. 

Course Information

Major Map

Start Application

Are you ready to take the next step to begin your PLNU journey? Whether you’re a high school senior, college transfer student, or international student, find out what we’re looking for in our applicants and how you can apply.

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Student Support

For most students, the transition into college life is one full of adjustments. There is the excitement of newfound freedoms, but also some uncertainty as you begin to make choices and take responsibility for your own future. 

At PLNU, we’re committed to supporting you — academically, professionally, spiritually, personally — so that you may be successful both in your time as a student and beyond. That’s why we offer a holistic support system that focuses on your unique experiences, particular needs, and personal and professional goals — resulting from our deep concern for you, our student.

With a focus on authentic relationships and personalized attention, our goal is to help transform you so you can follow your calling in your own career and life.

Student Support

Career Opportunities

With a degree from PLNU’s Department of Music, you will be well prepared to pursue both graduate studies and an array of career options that will allow you to live out your passion for music while making a lasting impact in the lives of those who hear it.

What can you do with a commercial music degree? 

If you are passionate about music and ready to dedicate your life to it, once you graduate PLNU with a commercial music degree, you will be prepared to seek out a musically centered career that suits you, your interests, and specializations. 

The following are examples of positions people with degrees in commercial music may hold: 

Sound Engineering Technician

Sound Engineering Technicians set up, operate, and maintain the technical equipment used to record, amplify, enhance, mix, or reproduce sound. They work in recording studios, live concert venues, film and TV production, or broadcasting stations.

  • Median Pay: $56,600/year
  • Number of Jobs: 122,200 (all sound/media techs)
  • Job Outlook (2024–34): +3% (About as fast as average)
  • Employment Change: +4,200 jobs
View Full BLS Profile

Singer / Songwriter

Singers and songwriters perform music in a variety of styles and may write, compose, and record original songs. They often perform live, produce music for media, and collaborate with other artists in studios, venues, or freelance gigs.

  • Median Pay: $42.45/hour
  • Number of Jobs: 167,700
  • Job Outlook (2024–34): +2% (Slower than average)
  • Employment Change: +3,600 jobs
View Full BLS Profile

Commercial Music Composer

Commercial Music Composers write and arrange original music for film, television, advertising, video games, or digital media. They often work freelance or under contract and may collaborate with producers, directors, or marketing teams to create compelling audio content.

  • Median Pay: $63,670/year
  • Number of Jobs: 59,400
  • Job Outlook (2024–34): +3% (About as fast as average)
  • Employment Change: +1,600 jobs
View Full BLS Profile

From the Practice Room to the Stage

"Practical and Powerful"
"Connected Through Music"

Mastering the Art of Sound

Quotes (6)
Pictures (5)
Practical and Powerful
"You will really use what you learn in college. My business minor helps me a lot as a self-employed composer, and saying I have a degree in music has mattered for getting bigger jobs."
Jamie K. Music B.A.
Connected Through Music
"I don’t have any regrets or second guesses about studying music. The human connections you make at Point Loma with the students and professors are really, really valuable."
Aram Granger Music Theory and Composition B.A.
Growing Through Connections
"The culture of the music department when I was there was perfect for where I was in my development as a musician. I found peers who had the same ambitions to grow, and we made each other better. In fact, most of those people are still making a living in the music industry as well. I thrived in the intimate environment at PLNU. I think I would've gotten a bit lost at a large school. The relationships I made as a result have helped push me in my career and into the person that I am today."
Daniel Rhine Music B.A.
Impact Over Status
"I want my legacy to build up other artists and creatives behind me. That’s more important to me than any brand or level of success that I might acquire. Success will come and go and the money will come and go but it’s relationships that I feel have been the most treasured part of this whole journey of music."
Meaghan Maples Music B.A.
Serving Beyond Self
"PLNU instilled in me an attitude of serving which carried over into other facets of my life."
Jarel Paguio Music Education B.A.
Brave Beginnings
"My professors pushed me to 'dare to try' which means that you have to be brave enough to attempt something and risk possibly being really bad at it. But that's the only way to grow, because everybody has to start somewhere, PLNU excels at providing a safe space for people to do that, in a way many other music schools do not."
Michelle Law Music B.A.

Department Faculty

Get Involved

A band of students perform a new song in front of a crowd.

Recording Studio

Our new state-of-the-art commercial music facilities are available for all students to hone their skills.

A pair of hands holding drumsticks hit a snare drum to a beat.

Music Department Scholarships

The Department of Music offers a wide range of scholarships that help our students reach their full potential.