2026 Best Value General Music Schools in Maryland
[General Music](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/music/general-music/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. 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 14 schools to find the best return on investment for general music students.
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2026 Best Value General Music Schools in Maryland
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the general music degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value General Music Schools
Leading the list is University Of Maryland College Park, our #1 best value for general music in Maryland. Located in the suburb of College Park, University Of Maryland College Park is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $11,809 in tuition and fees, compared with $41,186 for out-of-state students. General Music graduates carry a median of $21,614 in student loans. Early-career general music graduates make about $52,541. That is a strong return on a $21,614 median debt. The acceptance rate is 45%.
Salisbury University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general music, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the suburb of Salisbury, Salisbury University is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $11,084 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $22,174. Students borrow a median of $23,545 to complete the general music program here. Early-career general music graduates make about $45,476. Set against $23,545 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
Towson University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general music, landing the #3 spot this year. Towson University is a very large public school located in the city of Towson. In-state tuition and fees average $11,728, while out-of-state students pay about $29,820. General Music graduates carry a median of $19,102 in student loans. General Music graduates of Towson University earn a median of $19,618 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $19,102 median debt. Towson University admits about 82% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in general music will find it at Johns Hopkins University, which ranked #4. Located in the city of Baltimore, Johns Hopkins University is a very large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $64,730. General Music graduates carry a median of $23,250 in student loans. General Music graduates of Johns Hopkins University earn a median of $84,850 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Johns Hopkins University admits about 6% of applicants.
More General Music Rankings
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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 · 14 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.
