230
Colleges in the United States
7,335
Music Performance Degrees Awarded
If you pursue a degree in
music performance, you won't be alone. The field of study is the #116 most popular program in the country. This means there are lots of options to choose from when you decide to get your degree.
For its 2024 ranking, College Factual looked at 230 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for music performance students pursuing a degree. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 7,335 degrees in music performance during the 2020-2021 academic year.
Jump to one of the following sections: * Degree-Level Rankings
Your choice of music performance school matters, so we have put together these rankings to help you make your decision. We derive our Best Overall Music Performance School rankings by rolling up our degree-level rankings after weighting them by the number of degrees awarded at each school.
You may want to choose one of the degree levels below to find the schools of most interest to you.
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we've developed the Best Music Performance Schools ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
If you'd like to restrict your choices to just one part of the country, you can filter this list by location.
In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat.
Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.
If you want to learn more about how we derive our rankings, see College Factual's Methodology.
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Featured Music Performance Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
MBA in Music Business
Earn the music business degree that fits into the business world – and partners Southern New Hampshire University with world-renowned Berklee College of Music.
Learn More
Although we recommend filtering by degree level first, you can view the list below to see which schools give the educational experience for the music performance degree levels they offer. Only those schools that rank in the top 15% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list.
Doctor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
1st
Most Popular In IL
57
Music Performance Degrees Awarded
Northwestern University is a wonderful decision for students interested in a degree in music performance. Northwestern is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the small city of Evanston. A Best Colleges rank of #5 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Northwestern is a great university overall.
There were approximately 57 music performance students who graduated with this degree at Northwestern in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in music performance from Northwestern University
Every student pursuing a degree in music performance has to take a look at Yale University. Located in the city of New Haven, Yale is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #8 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Yale is a great university overall.
There were approximately 28 music performance students who graduated with this degree at Yale in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in music performance from Yale University
Doctor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
10th
Most Popular In CA
37
Music Performance Degrees Awarded
University of Southern California is a good decision for students pursuing a degree in music performance. USC is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Los Angeles. A Best Colleges rank of #11 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means USC is a great university overall.
There were roughly 37 music performance students who graduated with this degree at USC in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in music performance from University of Southern California
Graduate Certificate
Highest Degree Type
5th
Most Popular In TX
The University of Texas at Austin is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in music performance. Located in the city of Austin, UT Austin is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #36 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means UT Austin is a great university overall.
There were approximately 22 music performance students who graduated with this degree at UT Austin in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in music performance from The University of Texas at Austin
Doctor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
2nd
Most Popular In MI
98
Music Performance Degrees Awarded
Located in the city of East Lansing, Michigan State is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 2nd out of 57 colleges for overall quality in the state of Michigan.
There were roughly 98 music performance students who graduated with this degree at Michigan State in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in music performance from Michigan State University
Doctor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
2nd
Most Popular In NY
88
Music Performance Degrees Awarded
Located in the city of New York, NYU is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #27 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means NYU is a great university overall.
There were about 88 music performance students who graduated with this degree at NYU in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in music performance from New York University
Doctor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
1st
Most Popular In MI
132
Music Performance Degrees Awarded
U-M is a very large public university located in the city of Ann Arbor. A Best Colleges rank of #29 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means U-M is a great university overall.
There were approximately 132 music performance students who graduated with this degree at U-M in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in music performance from University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Master's Degree
Highest Degree Type
4th
Most Popular In PA
59
Music Performance Degrees Awarded
Located in the large city of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #9 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Carnegie Mellon is a great university overall.
There were approximately 59 music performance students who graduated with this degree at Carnegie Mellon in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in music performance from Carnegie Mellon University
Located in the large city of Los Angeles, UCLA is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #26 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means UCLA is a great university overall.
There were about 27 music performance students who graduated with this degree at UCLA in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in music performance from University of California - Los Angeles
Doctor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
1st
Most Popular In MD
144
Music Performance Degrees Awarded
Johns Hopkins is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Baltimore. A Best Colleges rank of #23 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Johns Hopkins is a great university overall.
There were about 144 music performance students who graduated with this degree at Johns Hopkins in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in music performance from Johns Hopkins University
Located in the large city of Fort Worth, TCU is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 5th out of 115 schools for overall quality in the state of Texas.
There were approximately 22 music performance students who graduated with this degree at TCU in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in music performance from Texas Christian University
Master's Degree
Highest Degree Type
3rd
Most Popular In OH
67
Music Performance Degrees Awarded
Located in the fringe town of Oberlin, Oberlin is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population. This college ranks 8th out of 96 schools for overall quality in the state of Ohio.
There were about 67 music performance students who graduated with this degree at Oberlin in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in music performance from Oberlin College
Bachelor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
8th
Most Popular In IL
Located in the city of Champaign, UIUC is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #34 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means UIUC is a great university overall.
There were approximately 7 music performance students who graduated with this degree at UIUC in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in music performance from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Doctor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
1st
Most Popular In IN
277
Music Performance Degrees Awarded
IU Bloomington is a fairly large public university located in the small city of Bloomington. This university ranks 3rd out of 42 colleges for overall quality in the state of Indiana.
There were roughly 277 music performance students who graduated with this degree at IU Bloomington in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in music performance from Indiana University - Bloomington
Doctor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
2nd
Most Popular In FL
52
Music Performance Degrees Awarded
Located in the small city of Coral Gables, U Miami is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. This university ranks 2nd out of 77 schools for overall quality in the state of Florida.
There were about 52 music performance students who graduated with this degree at U Miami in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in music performance from University of Miami
Doctor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
2nd
Most Popular In MA
92
Music Performance Degrees Awarded
Boston U is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Boston. This university ranks 6th out of 63 schools for overall quality in the state of Massachusetts.
There were about 92 music performance students who graduated with this degree at Boston U in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in music performance from Boston University
Doctor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
1st
Most Popular In WI
45
Music Performance Degrees Awarded
Located in the large city of Madison, UW - Madison is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #30 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means UW - Madison is a great university overall.
There were roughly 45 music performance students who graduated with this degree at UW - Madison in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in music performance from University of Wisconsin - Madison
Master's Degree
Highest Degree Type
4th
Most Popular In TX
42
Music Performance Degrees Awarded
Located in the suburb of Dallas, SMU is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 4th out of 115 colleges for overall quality in the state of Texas.
There were about 42 music performance students who graduated with this degree at SMU in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in music performance from Southern Methodist University
Doctor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
1st
Most Popular In NY
176
Music Performance Degrees Awarded
Located in the midsize city of Rochester, University of Rochester is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. This university ranks 8th out of 142 schools for overall quality in the state of New York.
There were about 176 music performance students who graduated with this degree at University of Rochester in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in music performance from University of Rochester
Master's Degree
Highest Degree Type
2nd
Most Popular In PA
52
Music Performance Degrees Awarded
Messiah is a small private not-for-profit university located in the suburb of Mechanicsburg. This university ranks 31st out of 109 schools for overall quality in the state of Pennsylvania.
There were approximately 52 music performance students who graduated with this degree at Messiah in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in music performance from Messiah University
Bachelor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
4th
Most Popular In WA
Located in the city of Seattle, UW Seattle is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #37 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means UW Seattle is a great university overall.
There were about 5 music performance students who graduated with this degree at UW Seattle in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in music performance from University of Washington - Seattle Campus
Bachelor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
3rd
Most Popular In TX
Located in the large city of Houston, UH is a public university with a very large student population. This university ranks 10th out of 115 colleges for overall quality in the state of Texas.
There were approximately 27 music performance students who graduated with this degree at UH in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in music performance from University of Houston
Doctor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
1st
Most Popular In FL
93
Music Performance Degrees Awarded
Located in the medium-sized city of Tallahassee, Florida State is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 3rd out of 77 colleges for overall quality in the state of Florida.
There were approximately 93 music performance students who graduated with this degree at Florida State in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in music performance from Florida State University
Belmont is a medium-sized private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Nashville. This university ranks 3rd out of 45 colleges for overall quality in the state of Tennessee.
There were approximately 23 music performance students who graduated with this degree at Belmont in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in music performance from Belmont University
Chapman is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the midsize city of Orange. This university ranks 32nd out of 168 schools for overall quality in the state of California.
There were about 5 music performance students who graduated with this degree at Chapman in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in music performance from Chapman University