The paths are too numerous to list, but you can:

•Go the traditional Graduate path and get "full fledged" degree requiring career, like music teacher w/a B.A. per se.

•Go thru a certificate program for a specialized career, business, or other independent endeavors.

•Paid classes online from (unaccredited) professional individuals for the various reasons.

•Free classes and/or self teaching through various outlets for various reasons.

Honestly, we know everything is online. Even the accredited, graduate programs for music are majority online. Then of course sheet music, tabs, YouTube, etc...

But a real, full education you need business, accounting, law, and MANY other classes for the music industry!

No, to get a real job/career in music outside of being an independent musician with hopeful aspirations, or one of the few and fortunate...you need a real education.

MANY stars had/have to either get, or pay someone who has, an education in business & industry functions; BOTH really. Or get screwed, hence agents.

In industry secrets alone you'll benefit from an accredited program of some sort. Sure master classes and YouTube can teach you A LOT, but you must realize that ALL of those types of "free instructors" keep trade secrets; secrets they'll never share.

Where you may pay $500+/credit hour at an accredited institute of higher learning, but you're paying for "trade secrets"...Just be sure to take the right courses!

Honestly, outside of being a low paid internet music instructor, you need at least a bachelor's in musical education to be a music teacher proper, so keep dreaming! To be ANY sort of credential teacher pulling a "salary"; in most states you'll need a bachelor's, a teaching certificate, AND a (low level) security clearance. When I was a substitute teacher I got fingerprinted, drug screened, all but 1 in the bum!

Lol

No, higher education is far from just for teachers, and the level of education that many music teachers proper have goes unappreciated.

We touched on this, but basically, say you want to learn about music marketing.

Per your programming, you go directly to the Internet and search various phrases like:

"Music marketing in 202blah"

"Marketing music on social media"

"Music marketing services, strategy, yada yada..."

"How to get streams, plays, yada yada..."

And dive down a rabbit hole...A convoluted, fraternal, judgy rabbit hole like most searches in the music industry are.

Where no matter how many videos you watch you'll never learn the full truth and these student tutors, essentially, would have you believe their performing some miraculous feats of marketing as opposed to...SPENDING MONEY!

Another huge difference is with free instruction and learning at your own pace/on your own, that pace can be zero if you "don't feel like it", but try not feeling like it at $500 per credit hour! "You gon learn!"

So, essentially with proper planning and execution, you'll be forced to learn the trade secrets you wish you knew. As opposed to giving up searching for them on some free forum, 10 years later!

It's not just forced compliance through financial obligation that sets the free v. paid education tone.

I personally learned more from my instructor during my 8 week music production/software course at Berkelee, than I EVER did on YouTube or any other forum, and still ever have.

On the other hand the required guitar 101 class I took during my professional course seemed more like overpriced YouTube practice from/with another guy on his couch!

Then also think about, like with any college, some of the course materials you'll read along the way were specifically created to teach you that field's secrets/ways

So I stress the proper planning & execution, because with proper implementation a higher education can change your life, with poor implementation you're paying buku bucks for a YouTube master class!

Of course nothing in music is "necessary"...and definitely don't feel pressured to rush out and pay big money for unnecessary music classes. It all honestly depends on your personal goals and affluence/opportunities.

Do you plan to be a music school teacher? Move to a big city and get a job at label? Start your own production company? An artist looking to strengthen their education to strengthen their career/endeavors, and/or not get screwed???

There's lots of reasons for a helpful education, but nothing is "necessary"... 

Our official position, being "enlisted"/hobby musicians for many years before becoming professionally educated/paid musicians is:

"We are advocates for higher education of all kinds. You gotta spend to make, you gotta pay to play!"