2026 Best Value Music Education Schools in Tennessee
[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 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 17 schools to find the best return on investment for music education students.
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2026 Best Value Music Education Schools in Tennessee
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in music education, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Music Education Schools
Our analysis ranked Vanderbilt University the best value for a degree in music education in Tennessee. Vanderbilt University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Nashville. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $67,498. Typical student debt for music education graduates is $13,975. Soon after graduation, music education degree recipients from Vanderbilt University generally make around $77,997. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 6% of applicants are accepted.
Lee University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value music education schools. Located in the city of Cleveland, Lee University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $23,790. Typical student debt for music education graduates is $29,625. Soon after graduation, music education degree recipients from Lee University generally make around $48,056. Set against $29,625 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Lee University admits about 70% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Maryville College earned it the #3 place for music education. Located in the suburb of Maryville, Maryville College is a small private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $39,284. Students borrow a median of $26,428 to complete the music education program here. Early-career music education graduates make about $42,971. Set against $26,428 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 61% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Belmont University earned it the #4 place for music education. Located in the city of Nashville, Belmont University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $42,540. Typical student debt for music education graduates is $23,447. Soon after graduation, music education degree recipients from Belmont University generally make around $49,699. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Belmont University admits about 95% of applicants.
Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 17 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.
