2027 Best Value Music Education Schools in Arkansas
[Music Education](/majors/education/teacher-education-and-development/music-education/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong music education education at a price that pays off.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 7 schools to find the best return on investment for music education students.
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2027 Best Value Music Education Schools in Arkansas
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the music education degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Music Education Schools
University Of Arkansas Fort Smith earned the #1 spot for value among music education schools in Arkansas. Set in the city of Fort Smith, University Of Arkansas Fort Smith is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $7,334, while out-of-state students pay about $12,182. Typical student debt for music education graduates is $16,500. Soon after graduation, music education degree recipients from University Of Arkansas Fort Smith generally make around $40,525. Set against $16,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 80% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #2 makes Arkansas State University Main Campus one of the best values for music education. Arkansas State University Main Campus is a very large public school located in the city of Jonesboro. In-state tuition and fees average $8,090, with out-of-state students paying around $14,522. Music Education graduates carry a median of $25,134 in student loans. Early-career music education graduates make about $45,716. That is a strong return on a $25,134 median debt. The acceptance rate is 82%.
Arkansas Tech University came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value music education schools. Set in the town of Russellville, Arkansas Tech University is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,674, with out-of-state students paying around $14,668. Typical student debt for music education graduates is $24,000. Early-career music education graduates make about $41,160. Set against $24,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 96%.
Southern Arkansas University Main Campus is a great value for students pursuing a degree in music education, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the town of Magnolia, Southern Arkansas University Main Campus is a moderately-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,960, with out-of-state students paying around $15,690. Students borrow a median of $12,000 to complete the music education program here. Early-career music education graduates make about $41,723. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Southern Arkansas University Main Campus admits about 75% of applicants.
University Of Central Arkansas is a great value for students pursuing a degree in music education, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the city of Conway, University Of Central Arkansas is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,523, with out-of-state students paying around $18,023. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete the music education program here. Music Education graduates of University Of Central Arkansas earn a median of $41,562 early in their careers. Set against $26,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 90%.
University Of Arkansas placed #6 among the best values for music education. Located in the city of Fayetteville, University Of Arkansas is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,104, with out-of-state students paying around $29,966. Music Education graduates carry a median of $24,019 in student loans. Music Education graduates of University Of Arkansas earn a median of $56,703 early in their careers. Set against $24,019 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 74%.
Harding University ranked #7 on our 2027 list of the best value music education schools. Set in the town of Searcy, Harding University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $25,962. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the music education program here. Music Education graduates of Harding University earn a median of $40,489 early in their careers. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 70%.
More Music Education Rankings
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
