2026 Best Value General Music Schools in Oregon

[General Music](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/music/general-music/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong general music education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 16 schools to find the best return on investment for general music students.
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Featured General Music Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
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2026 Best Value General Music Schools in Oregon
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general music, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Music Schools
For return on investment in general music, no school beat Portland State University this year. Portland State University is a very large public school located in the city of Portland. Students from in state pay about $11,118 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $29,136. Students borrow a median of $27,846 to complete the general music program here. Soon after graduation, general music degree recipients from Portland State University generally make around $17,638. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Portland State University admits about 91% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Western Oregon University earned it the #2 place for general music. Set in the town of Monmouth, Western Oregon University is a moderately-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,514, compared with $32,169 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general music graduates is $24,166. Early-career general music graduates make about $39,436. That is a strong return on a $24,166 median debt. Western Oregon University admits about 98% of applicants.
Southern Oregon University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general music, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the suburb of Ashland, Southern Oregon University is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,762, compared with $31,887 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $24,951 to complete the general music program here. General Music graduates of Southern Oregon University earn a median of $41,038 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,951 median debt. Southern Oregon University admits about 89% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in general music will find it at Oregon State University, which ranked #4. Set in the city of Corvallis, Oregon State University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $14,400, while out-of-state students pay about $38,190. General Music graduates carry a median of $19,184 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general music degree recipients from Oregon State University generally make around $29,630. Set against $19,184 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 77%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Oregon earned it the #5 place for general music. University Of Oregon is a very large public school located in the city of Eugene. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,320, with out-of-state students paying around $42,516. Students borrow a median of $20,583 to complete the general music program here. General Music graduates of University Of Oregon earn a median of $20,707 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $20,583 median debt. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 16 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.