2026 Best Value General Music Schools in Massachusetts
[General Music](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/music/general-music/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 33 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value general music schools.
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2026 Best Value General Music Schools in Massachusetts
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general music, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Music Schools
Our analysis ranked University Of Massachusetts Boston the best value for a degree in general music in Massachusetts. Located in the city of Boston, University Of Massachusetts Boston is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,898, compared with $38,115 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $26,236 to complete the general music program here. Early-career general music graduates make about $52,885. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 84% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #2 makes University Of Massachusetts Amherst one of the best values for general music. Located in the city of Amherst, University Of Massachusetts Amherst is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $17,772, with out-of-state students paying around $40,449. General Music graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Early-career general music graduates make about $30,429. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. University Of Massachusetts Amherst admits about 60% of applicants.
Boston University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general music, landing the #3 spot this year. Boston University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Boston. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $68,102. Students borrow a median of $26,957 to complete the general music program here. Soon after graduation, general music degree recipients from Boston University generally make around $30,982. Set against $26,957 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 11%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Northeastern University earned it the #4 place for general music. Located in the city of Boston, Northeastern University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $66,162. Typical student debt for general music graduates is $26,568. Early-career general music graduates make about $21,978. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Northeastern University admits about 5% of applicants.
More General Music Rankings
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 33 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.
