2027 Best Value Music Education Schools in Kentucky

[Music Education](/majors/education/teacher-education-and-development/music-education/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 7 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value music education schools.
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2027 Best Value Music Education Schools in Kentucky
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in music education, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Music Education Schools
Northern Kentucky University tops our 2027 list of the best value music education schools in Kentucky. Northern Kentucky University is a large public school located in the suburb of Highland Heights. Students from in state pay about $11,088 in tuition and fees, compared with $21,912 for out-of-state students. Music Education graduates carry a median of $29,000 in student loans. Music Education graduates of Northern Kentucky University earn a median of $33,673 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Northern Kentucky University admits about 68% of applicants.
Murray State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in music education, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the town of Murray, Murray State University is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $9,900, with out-of-state students paying around $19,836. Students borrow a median of $23,420 to complete the music education program here. Music Education graduates of Murray State University earn a median of $48,423 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,420 median debt. The acceptance rate is 86%.
Students looking for strong value in music education will find it at Western Kentucky University, which ranked #3. Set in the city of Bowling Green, Western Kentucky University is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,652, compared with $27,000 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for music education graduates is $30,375. Music Education graduates of Western Kentucky University earn a median of $39,727 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Western Kentucky University admits about 94% of applicants.
A rank of #4 makes University Of The Cumberlands one of the best values for music education. Located in the town of Williamsburg, University Of The Cumberlands is a very large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,875. Students borrow a median of $22,868 to complete the music education program here. Early-career music education graduates make about $45,541. Set against $22,868 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 99% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Louisville came in at #5 on our 2027 list of the best value music education schools. University Of Louisville is a very large public school located in the city of Louisville. In-state tuition and fees average $13,136, with out-of-state students paying around $29,482. Students borrow a median of $22,250 to complete the music education program here. Early-career music education graduates make about $56,181. That is a strong return on a $22,250 median debt. University Of Louisville admits about 79% of applicants.
University Of Kentucky placed #6 among the best values for music education. Located in the city of Lexington, University Of Kentucky is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,502, while out-of-state students pay about $34,140. Music Education graduates carry a median of $24,002 in student loans. Soon after graduation, music education degree recipients from University Of Kentucky generally make around $42,057. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 93%.
Campbellsville University landed the #7 spot for music education value this year. Campbellsville University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the town of Campbellsville. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $27,998. Music Education graduates carry a median of $24,148 in student loans. Early-career music education graduates make about $43,474. That is a strong return on a $24,148 median debt. Roughly 80% of applicants are accepted.
More Music Education Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, 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.