2026 Best Music Education Schools in Iowa
Music Education programs are offered at a focused set of schools across the country. While the number of schools offering the program varies, there are still top-quality ones to be found.
For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 22 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for music education students pursuing a degree.
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Featured Music Education 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.
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Best Schools for Music Education in Iowa
If you are not interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the music education degrees they offer, see the list below.
Top Schools in Music Education
Iowa State University is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in music education. Iowa State University is a very large public school located in the city of Ames. About 75% of students finish within six years. About 12 music education degrees were awarded at Iowa State University in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, music education degree recipients from Iowa State University generally make around $47,559. Students borrow a median of $19,000 to complete this degree.
Read more about the music education program at Iowa State University
Drake University is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in music education, landing the #2 spot this year. Drake University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Des Moines. Drake University graduates 73% of students within six years. There were roughly 11 music education students who graduated with this degree at Drake University in the most recent data year. Music Education graduates of Drake University earn a median of $56,228 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $22,273 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in music education from Drake University
Students looking for a strong music education program will find one at University Of Northern Iowa, which ranked #3. University Of Northern Iowa is a large public school located in the city of Cedar Falls. University Of Northern Iowa graduates 68% of students within six years. University Of Northern Iowa awarded about 20 music education degrees in the most recent data year. Music Education graduates of University Of Northern Iowa earn a median of $52,307 early in their careers. University Of Northern Iowa graduates carry a median of $26,000 in student loans.
See the full music education program report for University Of Northern Iowa
University Of Iowa is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in music education, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the city of Iowa City, University Of Iowa is a very large public institution. Roughly 75% of students complete a degree within six years here. University Of Iowa awarded about 17 music education degrees in the most recent data year. Music Education graduates of University Of Iowa earn a median of $46,908 early in their careers. University Of Iowa graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans.
More information about a degree in music education from University Of Iowa
Wartburg College is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in music education, landing the #5 spot this year. Located in the town of Waverly, Wartburg College is a small private not-for-profit university. Wartburg College graduates 64% of students within six years. There were roughly 14 music education students who graduated with this degree at Wartburg College in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, music education degree recipients from Wartburg College generally make around $45,677. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete this degree.
See the full music education program report for Wartburg College
More Music Education Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 22 schools evaluated.
- 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.
