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2022 Best Value Music Performance Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid

16 Ranked Colleges
211 Degrees Awarded
$22,100 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Music Performance Schools for a Bachelor's in Illinois For Those Getting Aid

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Music Performance Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid” ranking is part of that endeavor.

In 2019-2020, 7,957 people earned their degree in music performance, making the major the 103rd most popular in the United States.

Across Illinois, there were 274 music performance graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 211 music performance graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,319 and $24,183 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Music Performance Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid” ranking, we looked at 16 colleges that offer a degree in music performance. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great music performance programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the music performance program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Music Performance Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Music Performance Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Music Performance Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid.

Top 16 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Music Performance in Illinois (With Aid)

#3 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Music Performance Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a public institution located in Champaign, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 21 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree music performance students with aid list, UIUC has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Music Performance Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is $15,880 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Music Performance students with aid.

The low student loan default rate of 2.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Read more about Music Performance at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

#2

Western Illinois University

Macomb, Illinois
#6 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Western Illinois University. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Music Performance Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid list. Macomb, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s music performance degrees to 38 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at WIU, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Music Performance Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Western Illinois University is $16,210 for illinois bachelor’s degree music performance students with aid.

Full WIU Music Performance Report

#15 in overall quality

Out of the 16 schools in the Best Value Music Performance Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Illinois at Chicago landed the #3 spot on the list. This large school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s music performance degrees in 2019-2020.

UIC also made our “Best Music Performance Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #15. The yearly cost to attend UIC is $13,312 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Music Performance students with aid.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Music Performance at UIC

#4

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois
#11 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northern Illinois University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Music Performance Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid. NIU is a fairly large school located in Dekalb, Illinois that handed out 35 bachelors’s music performance degrees in 2019-2020.

NIU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Music Performance Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend NIU is $18,259 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Music Performance students with aid.

Full Northern Illinois University Music Performance Report

#5

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#1 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northwestern University. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Music Performance Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Evanston, Illinois, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 20 degrees to qualified bachelors’s music performance students in 2019-2020.

Northwestern also made our “Best Music Performance Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #1. It costs about $24,664 for illinois bachelor’s degree music performance students with aid per year to attend Northwestern.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Music Performance at Northwestern

#6

Illinois State University

Normal, Illinois
#4 in overall quality

Illinois State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Performance Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #6. Located in Normal, Illinois, this large public school awarded 25 degrees to qualified bachelors’s music performance students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree music performance students with aid list, Illinois State has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Music Performance Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $20,895 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Music Performance students with aid per year to attend Illinois State.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Music Performance at Illinois State University

#7

North Park University

Chicago, Illinois
#7 in overall quality

North Park University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Music Performance Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 4 degrees to qualified bachelors’s music performance students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at North Park, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Music Performance Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $19,170 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Music Performance students with aid per year to attend North Park.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Music Performance at North Park University

#8

Millikin University

Decatur, Illinois
#9 in overall quality

Millikin University landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Performance Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking. This small school is located in Decatur, Illinois, and it awarded 20 bachelors’s music performance degrees in 2019-2020.

Millikin not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Music Performance Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $21,331 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Music Performance students with aid per year to attend Millikin University.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Music Performance at Millikin University

#9

Olivet Nazarene University

Bourbonnais, Illinois
#12 in overall quality

Olivet Nazarene University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Performance Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking. Olivet Nazarene is a private not-for-profit institution located in Bourbonnais, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Olivet Nazarene not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Music Performance Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $20,195 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Music Performance students with aid per year to attend Olivet Nazarene University.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Music Performance at Olivet Nazarene

#10

Wheaton College Illinois

Wheaton, Illinois
#2 in overall quality

Wheaton College Illinois landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Performance Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking. Wheaton College Illinois is located in Wheaton, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 8 bachelors’s music performance degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree music performance students with aid list, Wheaton College Illinois has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Music Performance Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $25,358 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Music Performance students with aid per year to attend Wheaton College Illinois.

The low student loan default rate of 0.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Wheaton College Illinois Music Performance Report

#11

Elmhurst University

Elmhurst, Illinois
#13 in overall quality

Elmhurst University ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Music Performance Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid list. This small school is located in Elmhurst, Illinois, and it awarded 5 bachelors’s music performance degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Elmhurst, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Music Performance Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Elmhurst University is $21,485 for illinois bachelor’s degree music performance students with aid.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Music Performance at Elmhurst University

#12

Augustana College

Rock Island, Illinois
#10 in overall quality

Augustana College came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Performance Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking. Augustana is a private not-for-profit institution located in Rock Island, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Augustana did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Music Performance Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Augustana College is $23,874 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Music Performance students with aid.

The low student loan default rate of 3.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read full report on Music Performance at Augustana College

#13

Bradley University

Peoria, Illinois
#8 in overall quality

With a ranking of #13, Bradley University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Performance Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid list. Bradley is a medium-sized school located in Peoria, Illinois that handed out 2 bachelors’s music performance degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree music performance students with aid list, Bradley has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Music Performance Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Bradley University is $25,634 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Music Performance students with aid.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Music Performance at Bradley

#14

Illinois Wesleyan University

Bloomington, Illinois
#5 in overall quality

Illinois Wesleyan University landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Performance Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking. Illinois Wesleyan is a private not-for-profit institution located in Bloomington, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 5 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Illinois Wesleyan also took the #5 spot in our “Best Music Performance Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Illinois Wesleyan is $26,039 for illinois bachelor’s degree music performance students with aid.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Music Performance at Illinois Wesleyan

#15

Columbia College Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#16 in overall quality

With a ranking of #15, Columbia College Chicago did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Performance Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid list. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s music performance degrees to 1 students in 2019-2020.

Columbia did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best Music Performance Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend Columbia College Chicago is $31,099 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Music Performance students with aid.

Read more about Music Performance at Columbia

#16

DePaul University

Chicago, Illinois
#14 in overall quality

DePaul University ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Music Performance Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid list. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s music performance degrees to 17 students in 2019-2020.

DePaul also took the #14 spot in our “Best Music Performance Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend DePaul is $30,090 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Music Performance students with aid.

The low student loan default rate of 4.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Music Performance at DePaul University

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Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

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