Acoustics 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 2027 ranking, College Factual looked at 4 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for acoustics students pursuing a degree.
Where you study acoustics matters for your future. That is why we developed our collection of Best Schools for Acoustics rankings. For our Best Overall Acoustics School ranking, we roll up the results of our degree-level rankings, weighted by the number of degrees awarded at that level.
In order to find the schools that are the best fit for you, you may want to filter to one of the degree levels below.
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we have developed a number of rankings, including this Best Acoustics Schools list, to help you choose. Want schools in a particular part of the country? Narrow the list by region or state.
Want to compare schools head to head? Try our College Combat tool to weigh the factors that matter most to you.
Leading the list is New York University, our #1 school for acoustics. Located in the city of New York, New York University is a very large private not-for-profit university. The six-year graduation rate is 88%. About 99 acoustics degrees were awarded at New York University in the most recent year. Acoustics graduates of New York University earn a median of $34,624 early in their careers. New York University graduates carry a median of $22,750 in student loans.
More information about a degree in acoustics from New York University
A rank of #2 makes Columbia College Chicago one of the top schools for acoustics. Located in the city of Chicago, Columbia College Chicago is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. The six-year graduation rate is 52%. Columbia College Chicago awarded about 45 acoustics degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the acoustics program make about $29,160 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $26,557.
See the full acoustics program report for Columbia College Chicago
Students looking for a strong acoustics program will find one at San Francisco Conservatory Of Music, which ranked #3. Set in the city of San Francisco, San Francisco Conservatory Of Music is a small private not-for-profit institution. The six-year graduation rate is 74%. About 20 acoustics degrees were awarded at San Francisco Conservatory Of Music in the most recent year. Graduates of the acoustics program make about $32,882 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $27,000.
See the full acoustics program report for San Francisco Conservatory Of Music
Pennsylvania State University World Campus is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in acoustics, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the city of University Park, Pennsylvania State University World Campus is a large public institution. Roughly 34% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 12 acoustics students who graduated with this degree at Pennsylvania State University World Campus in the most recent data year. Graduates of the acoustics program make about $103,672 in their early career. Pennsylvania State University World Campus graduates carry a median of $26,062 in student loans.
Read more about the acoustics program at Pennsylvania State University World Campus
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 4 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).
