by our College Data Analytics Team
[Conducting](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/music/conducting/) 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 5 schools to find the best return on investment for conducting students.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in conducting, balancing cost against outcomes.
Leading the list is Oakland University, our #1 best value for conducting in Michigan. Oakland University is a large public school located in the suburb of Rochester Hills. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $17,167, with out-of-state students paying around $24,735. Typical student debt for conducting graduates is $25,972. Early-career conducting graduates make about $54,785. That is a strong return on a $25,972 median debt. The acceptance rate is 88%.
Students looking for strong value in conducting will find it at University Of Michigan Ann Arbor, which ranked #2. University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a very large public school located in the city of Ann Arbor. In-state tuition and fees average $18,848, compared with $63,081 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for conducting graduates is $19,397. Early-career conducting graduates make about $29,641. That is a strong return on a $19,397 median debt. Roughly 16% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #3 makes Western Michigan University one of the best values for conducting. Set in the city of Kalamazoo, Western Michigan University is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,987, compared with $19,952 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for conducting graduates is $27,000. Early-career conducting graduates make about $27,361. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 85%.
Central Michigan University came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value conducting schools. Central Michigan University is a large public school located in the town of Mount Pleasant. In-state tuition and fees average $15,480. Conducting graduates carry a median of $27,975 in student loans. Early-career conducting graduates make about $24,911. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Central Michigan University admits about 90% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Michigan State University earned it the #5 place for conducting. Located in the city of East Lansing, Michigan State University is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $18,079, compared with $44,850 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for conducting graduates is $26,750. Conducting graduates of Michigan State University earn a median of $40,570 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $26,750 median debt. The acceptance rate is 85%.
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 · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.