2027 Best Value General Music Schools in Michigan

[General Music](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/music/general-music/) 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.
College Factual analyzed 8 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value general music schools.
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2027 Best Value General Music Schools in Michigan
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general music, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Music Schools
Oakland University tops our 2027 list of the best value general music schools in Michigan. Set in the suburb of Rochester Hills, Oakland University is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $17,167 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $24,735. Typical student debt for general music graduates is $25,972. Early-career general music graduates make about $54,785. Set against $25,972 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Oakland University admits about 88% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes University Of Michigan Ann Arbor one of the best values for general music. University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a very large public school located in the city of Ann Arbor. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $18,848, compared with $63,081 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general music graduates is $19,397. Soon after graduation, general music degree recipients from University Of Michigan Ann Arbor generally make around $29,641. Set against $19,397 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 16% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Wayne State University earned it the #3 place for general music. Set in the city of Detroit, Wayne State University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $16,159, compared with $34,650 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete the general music program here. Early-career general music graduates make about $32,911. That is a strong return on a $26,000 median debt. Roughly 81% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Western Michigan University earned it the #4 place for general music. Western Michigan University is a large public school located in the city of Kalamazoo. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,987, with out-of-state students paying around $19,952. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the general music program here. General Music graduates of Western Michigan University earn a median of $27,361 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 85%.
Eastern Michigan University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general music, landing the #5 spot this year. Eastern Michigan University is a large public school located in the suburb of Ypsilanti. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $16,990. Typical student debt for general music graduates is $28,781. Early-career general music graduates make about $47,887. Set against $28,781 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 80%.
Grand Valley State University placed #6 among the best values for general music. Grand Valley State University is a very large public school located in the town of Allendale. In-state tuition and fees average $15,502, with out-of-state students paying around $21,894. General Music graduates carry a median of $29,198 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general music degree recipients from Grand Valley State University generally make around $34,882. That is a strong return on a $29,198 median debt. The acceptance rate is 83%.
Central Michigan University came in at #7 for value in general music this year. Located in the town of Mount Pleasant, Central Michigan University is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $15,480. General Music graduates carry a median of $27,975 in student loans. Early-career general music graduates make about $24,911. That is a strong return on a $27,975 median debt. Central Michigan University admits about 90% of applicants.
Michigan State University earned the #8 position for value in general music this year. Located in the city of East Lansing, Michigan State University is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $18,079, while out-of-state students pay about $44,850. Students borrow a median of $26,750 to complete the general music program here. General Music 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%.
More General Music Rankings
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 8 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 8 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.