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Billboard magazine has once again placed William Paterson University on its list of “top music business schools” around the world—recognizing the University’s undergraduate program in music and entertainment industries.
William Paterson is one of only three New Jersey institutions on the list. This is the eighth time William Paterson has landed on the list, which includes schools throughout the United States, as well as Canada, the United Kingdom, and Spain.
In Billboard’s 2025 spotlight on colleges and universities educating the next generation of music business leaders, William Paterson’s program in music and entertainment industries was noted for its balance between the classroom and real-world experiences. Internships are the backbone of the program. Students are encouraged to apply for internships beginning the summer after freshman year, and to take advantage of the University’s commuting distance to New York City. Courses include Entrepreneurship in the Music & Entertainment Industry, in which students write a business plan for a new company; other offerings focus on the importance of social media and marketing. The program recently hosted Randall Foster, chief creative officer at Symphonic Distribution, and Joe Riccitelli, principal at Golden Retriever Entertainment and a 1985 graduate of the program.
Billboard chooses its top music business schools based on industry recommendations, alumni information provided by honorees from its multiple power lists, information requested from each school, and more than a decade of reporting on these programs. All programs on the list are campus-based and bestow bachelor’s or associate degrees.
“Every musician and every non-musician interested in being involved in music for a living, must – MUST – understand how the music business works,” says David Kirk Philp, assistant professor of music and coordinator of the music and entertainment industries program. “In an age of the do-it-yourself artist, one needs to understand how everything works, from traditional streaming royalties to the ‘under the hood’ opportunities for revenue that aren’t as obvious. Our program stays up to date on all topics so we can serve our students and give them the tools they need to build careers both on stage and backstage. The Billboard recognition helps to reinforce that message and prove that we’re doing something right.”
William Paterson offers a bachelor of music degree with an emphasis in music and entertainment industries, open to students studying classical or jazz performance, as well as a minor in music and entertainment industries open to students from any major. The program is known for bringing exceptional guest speakers into its Music and Entertainment Industries Seminar Series, which brings industry experts to campus. In addition, the highly popular Music Biz 101 & More radio show and podcast, produced by Philp and Dr. Stephen Marcone, William Paterson professor emeritus of music, is the only free advice talk show in America that focuses on the business side of the music and entertainment worlds, with more than 300 episodes available to stream online. Graduates of the program are represented in all areas of the music and entertainment industry, from independent recording artists to record labels, music publishing, concert promotion and venues, and with top artists such as Khalid and Tyler, the Creator.
