[Music Performance](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/music/music-performance/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong music performance education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 10 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for music performance students.
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Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in music performance, balancing cost against outcomes.
For return on investment in music performance, no school beat Utah Valley University this year. Located in the city of Orem, Utah Valley University is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $6,507, compared with $18,489 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for music performance graduates is $16,478. Music Performance graduates of Utah Valley University earn a median of $24,952 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Brigham Young University Idaho is a great value for students pursuing a degree in music performance, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the town of Rexburg, Brigham Young University Idaho is a very large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $4,800 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for music performance graduates is $13,541. Soon after graduation, music performance degree recipients from Brigham Young University Idaho generally make around $43,853. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 96%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Weber State University earned it the #3 place for music performance. Located in the city of Ogden, Weber State University is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,557, with out-of-state students paying around $17,545. Typical student debt for music performance graduates is $19,176. Music Performance graduates of Weber State University earn a median of $53,920 early in their careers. Set against $19,176 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Southern Utah University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in music performance, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the town of Cedar City, Southern Utah University is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $6,962 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $21,192. Students borrow a median of $12,886 to complete the music performance program here. Early-career music performance graduates make about $44,998. That is a strong return on a $12,886 median debt. The acceptance rate is 82%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Idaho earned it the #5 place for music performance. Located in the town of Moscow, University Of Idaho is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,084, while out-of-state students pay about $28,320. Typical student debt for music performance graduates is $23,844. Early-career music performance graduates make about $30,191. Set against $23,844 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 76% of applicants are accepted.
Brigham Young University Provo came in at #6 for value in music performance this year. Set in the city of Provo, Brigham Young University Provo is a very large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $6,688. Students borrow a median of $10,460 to complete the music performance program here. Music Performance graduates of Brigham Young University Provo earn a median of $22,625 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $10,460 median debt. Roughly 68% of applicants are accepted.
Mesa State College earned the #7 position for value in music performance this year. Located in the city of Grand Junction, Mesa State College is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,927, compared with $25,124 for out-of-state students. Music Performance graduates carry a median of $22,310 in student loans. Early-career music performance graduates make about $43,617. That is a strong return on a $22,310 median debt. Mesa State College admits about 82% of applicants.
The University Of Montana ranked #8 on our 2027 list of the best value music performance schools. The University Of Montana is a large public school located in the city of Missoula. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,552, while out-of-state students pay about $33,671. Music Performance graduates carry a median of $24,342 in student loans. Music Performance graduates of The University Of Montana earn a median of $42,654 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 96%.
University Of Colorado Boulder landed the #9 spot for music performance value this year. Set in the city of Boulder, University Of Colorado Boulder is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,214, with out-of-state students paying around $42,970. Students borrow a median of $17,288 to complete the music performance program here. Soon after graduation, music performance degree recipients from University Of Colorado Boulder generally make around $32,416. Set against $17,288 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 78%.
University Of Denver landed the #10 spot for music performance value this year. University Of Denver is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Denver. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $61,398. Music Performance graduates carry a median of $24,250 in student loans. Early-career music performance graduates make about $23,403. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 78% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 10 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 10 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.
