2027 Best Value Music Education Schools in South Dakota

[Music Education](/majors/education/teacher-education-and-development/music-education/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 6 schools to find the best return on investment for music education students.
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2027 Best Value Music Education Schools in South Dakota
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in music education, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Music Education Schools
For return on investment in music education, no school beat Northern State University this year. Located in the town of Aberdeen, Northern State University is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $8,845, compared with $11,947 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for music education graduates is $26,143. Soon after graduation, music education degree recipients from Northern State University generally make around $45,824. Set against $26,143 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 93% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Black Hills State University earned it the #2 place for music education. Black Hills State University is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Spearfish. In-state tuition and fees average $8,916, while out-of-state students pay about $12,018. Music Education graduates carry a median of $26,820 in student loans. Music Education graduates of Black Hills State University earn a median of $47,494 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Black Hills State University admits about 96% of applicants.
Dakota Wesleyan University came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value music education schools. Dakota Wesleyan University is a small private not-for-profit school located in the town of Mitchell. In-state tuition and fees average $33,790. Typical student debt for music education graduates is $31,000. Music Education graduates of Dakota Wesleyan University earn a median of $71,856 early in their careers. Set against $31,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 73% of applicants are accepted.
South Dakota State University came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value music education schools. Set in the town of Brookings, South Dakota State University is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,299, compared with $12,809 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for music education graduates is $26,000. Music Education graduates of South Dakota State University earn a median of $45,625 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $26,000 median debt. Roughly 98% of applicants are accepted.
University Of South Dakota is a great value for students pursuing a degree in music education, landing the #5 spot this year. University Of South Dakota is a large public school located in the town of Vermillion. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,432, with out-of-state students paying around $12,942. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the music education program here. Music Education graduates of University Of South Dakota earn a median of $42,772 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 99% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Sioux Falls earned the #6 position for value in music education this year. Located in the city of Sioux Falls, University Of Sioux Falls is a small private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $21,750. Music Education graduates carry a median of $26,103 in student loans. Early-career music education graduates make about $39,899. That is a strong return on a $26,103 median debt. Roughly 83% of applicants are accepted.
More Music Education Rankings
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 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.