2026 Best Value Conducting Schools in the Southwest Region
[Conducting](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/music/conducting/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 9 schools to find the best return on investment for conducting students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Conducting Schools in the Southwest Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the conducting degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Conducting Schools
For return on investment in conducting, no school beat Rice University this year. Located in the city of Houston, Rice University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $61,247. Students borrow a median of $11,904 to complete the conducting program here. Conducting graduates of Rice University earn a median of $75,299 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $11,904 median debt. Roughly 8% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #2 makes The University Of Texas At Austin one of the best values for conducting. Located in the city of Austin, The University Of Texas At Austin is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,688, while out-of-state students pay about $44,908. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete the conducting program here. Early-career conducting graduates make about $33,937. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The University Of Texas At Austin admits about 27% of applicants.
University Of Central Oklahoma came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value conducting schools. University Of Central Oklahoma is a large public school located in the suburb of Edmond. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,818, while out-of-state students pay about $19,704. Students borrow a median of $23,125 to complete the conducting program here. Soon after graduation, conducting degree recipients from University Of Central Oklahoma generally make around $25,548. Set against $23,125 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Central Oklahoma admits about 78% of applicants.
Oklahoma City University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in conducting, landing the #4 spot this year. Oklahoma City University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Oklahoma City. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $34,754. Conducting graduates carry a median of $26,456 in student loans. Soon after graduation, conducting degree recipients from Oklahoma City University generally make around $22,203. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 77% of applicants are accepted.
Texas Christian University came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value conducting schools. Located in the city of Fort Worth, Texas Christian University is a large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $61,740. Typical student debt for conducting graduates is $23,500. Soon after graduation, conducting degree recipients from Texas Christian University generally make around $60,035. That is a strong return on a $23,500 median debt. The acceptance rate is 44%.
Southern Methodist University ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value conducting schools. Southern Methodist University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Dallas. In-state tuition and fees average $67,040. Students borrow a median of $18,417 to complete the conducting program here. Early-career conducting graduates make about $26,308. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Southern Methodist University admits about 63% of applicants.
Baylor University earned the #7 position for value in conducting this year. Set in the city of Waco, Baylor University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $58,100 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for conducting graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, conducting degree recipients from Baylor University generally make around $10,210. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 51%.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 9 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.
