Music Performance degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. While the number of schools offering the program varies, there are still top-quality ones to be found.
College Factual analyzed 6 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best music performance schools.
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Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall music performance education in Virginia.
James Madison University is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in music performance. This very large public university is located in the city of Harrisonburg. James Madison University graduates 80% of students within six years. There were roughly 68 music performance students who graduated with this degree at James Madison University in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, music performance degree recipients from James Madison University generally make around $36,106. Typical student debt for the program is $20,968.
Get the full music performance details for James Madison University
A rank of #2 makes George Mason University one of the top schools for music performance. This very large public university is located in the suburb of Fairfax. George Mason University graduates 68% of students within six years. George Mason University awarded about 45 music performance degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the music performance program make about $34,841 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $24,048 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in music performance from George Mason University
Old Dominion University is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in music performance, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the city of Norfolk, Old Dominion University is a very large public university. The six-year graduation rate is 46%. Old Dominion University awarded about 21 music performance degrees in the most recent data year. Music Performance graduates of Old Dominion University earn a median of $57,131 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $26,000.
More information about a degree in music performance from Old Dominion University
Virginia Commonwealth University is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in music performance, landing the #4 spot this year. Virginia Commonwealth University is a very large public school located in the city of Richmond. About 63% of students finish within six years. About 34 music performance degrees were awarded at Virginia Commonwealth University in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, music performance degree recipients from Virginia Commonwealth University generally make around $28,989. Typical student debt for the program is $27,000.
See the full music performance program report for Virginia Commonwealth University
Shenandoah University is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in music performance, landing the #5 spot this year. This moderately-sized private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Winchester. About 66% of students finish within six years. Shenandoah University awarded about 49 music performance degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, music performance degree recipients from Shenandoah University generally make around $62,948. Students borrow a median of $25,500 to complete this degree.
See the full music performance program report for Shenandoah University
Virginia State University came in at #6 for music performance this year. Virginia State University is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Petersburg. About 39% of students finish within six years. About 14 music performance degrees were awarded at Virginia State University in the most recent year. Music Performance graduates of Virginia State University earn a median of $40,620 early in their careers. Virginia State University graduates carry a median of $29,010 in student loans.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 6 schools evaluated.
- 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.
