[Music Performance](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/music/music-performance/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 6 schools to find the best return on investment for music performance students.
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If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the music performance degrees they offer, see the list below.
Oakland University tops our 2027 list of the best value music performance schools in Michigan. Set in the suburb of Rochester Hills, Oakland University is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $17,167, with out-of-state students paying around $24,735. Students borrow a median of $25,972 to complete the music performance program here. Music Performance graduates of Oakland University earn a median of $54,785 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,972 median debt. The acceptance rate is 88%.
University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a great value for students pursuing a degree in music performance, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Ann Arbor, University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $18,848, compared with $63,081 for out-of-state students. Music Performance graduates carry a median of $19,397 in student loans. Early-career music performance graduates make about $29,641. That is a strong return on a $19,397 median debt. Roughly 16% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Western Michigan University earned it the #3 place for music performance. 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, compared with $19,952 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the music performance program here. Music Performance 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%.
Students looking for strong value in music performance will find it at Eastern Michigan University, which ranked #4. 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. Music Performance graduates carry a median of $28,781 in student loans. Early-career music performance graduates make about $47,887. That is a strong return on a $28,781 median debt. Roughly 80% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in music performance will find it at Central Michigan University, which ranked #5. Located in the town of Mount Pleasant, Central Michigan University is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $15,480 in tuition and fees. Music Performance graduates carry a median of $27,975 in student loans. Soon after graduation, music performance degree recipients from Central Michigan University generally make around $24,911. Set against $27,975 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
Michigan State University earned the #6 position for value in music performance this year. Set in the city of East Lansing, Michigan State University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $18,079, with out-of-state students paying around $44,850. Typical student debt for music performance graduates is $26,750. Soon after graduation, music performance degree recipients from Michigan State University generally make around $40,570. Set against $26,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 85% of applicants are accepted.
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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 · 6 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.
