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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Music Theory & Composition (Income $0-$30k) in the Great Lakes Region

30 Ranked Colleges
70 Degrees Awarded
$12,800 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor's in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking.

Music Theory & Composition is the 415th most popular major in the country with 1,117 degrees awarded in 2019-2020.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 144 music theory and composition graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 70 music theory and composition graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,075 and $25,381 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 30 colleges that offered a degree in music theory and composition. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality music theory and composition programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the music theory and composition program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” list to help you make the college decision.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k

The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region bachelor’s degree music composition students whose families make $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Music Theory & Composition (Income $0-$30k) in the Great Lakes Region

#1

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#1 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northwestern University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Northwestern University is a large school located in Evanston, Illinois that handed out 7 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2019-2020.

Northwestern not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $1,866 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree music composition students whose families make $0-$30k 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. The low student loan default rate of 0.8% 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 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Northwestern University Music Theory & Composition Report

#2 in overall quality

Out of the 30 schools in the Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor landed the #2 spot on the list. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is a large school located in Ann Arbor, Michigan that handed out 4 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2019-2020.

U-M also made our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #2. The estimated yearly cost for U-M is $3,166 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree music composition students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at U-M

#5 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. UIUC is a public institution located in Champaign, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UIUC also took the #5 spot in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $5,477 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UIUC.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. 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%.

Full University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Music Theory & Composition Report

#4

Michigan State University

East Lansing, Michigan
#6 in overall quality

Out of the 30 schools in the Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Michigan State University landed the #4 spot on the list. This large school is located in East Lansing, Michigan, and it awarded 3 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2019-2020.

Michigan State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Michigan State is $6,686 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree music composition students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.6% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Music Theory & Composition at Michigan State

#5

Oberlin College

Oberlin, Ohio
#3 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Oberlin College. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Oberlin, Ohio is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s music composition degrees to 5 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree music composition students whose families make $0-$30k list, Oberlin has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $9,037 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Oberlin College.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low student loan default rate of 1.7% 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%.

Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at Oberlin College

#14 in overall quality

Ohio State University - Main Campus came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Ohio State is a large public school situated in Columbus, Ohio. It awarded 1 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2019-2020.

Ohio State also took the #14 spot in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Ohio State is $8,194 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree music composition students whose families make $0-$30k.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Ohio State University - Main Campus Music Theory & Composition Report

#7

Ball State University

Muncie, Indiana
#16 in overall quality

Ball State University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Ball State University is a public institution located in Muncie, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Ball State, the school also landed the #16 spot in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Ball State University is $8,403 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Ball State Music Theory & Composition Report

#8

Lawrence University

Appleton, Wisconsin
#7 in overall quality

With a ranking of #8, Lawrence University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Lawrence U is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Appleton, Wisconsin. It awarded 1 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2019-2020.

Lawrence U did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Lawrence University is $14,137 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Lawrence University Music Theory & Composition Report

#9

Central Michigan University

Mount Pleasant, Michigan
#22 in overall quality

Central Michigan University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Mount Pleasant, Michigan is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s music composition degrees to 1 students in 2019-2020.

Central Michigan did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #22 on our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Central Michigan University is $11,598 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Central Michigan University Music Theory & Composition Report

#10

The College of Wooster

Wooster, Ohio
#12 in overall quality

The College of Wooster did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #10. The College of Wooster is located in Wooster, Ohio and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 1 bachelors’s music composition degrees to qualified students.

Wooster College also took the #12 spot in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Wooster College is $14,942 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree music composition students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at The College of Wooster

#11

Wheaton College Illinois

Wheaton, Illinois
#4 in overall quality

Wheaton College Illinois came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Wheaton, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s music composition degrees to 2 students in 2019-2020.

Wheaton College Illinois not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Wheaton College Illinois is $18,440 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students whose families make $0-$30k.

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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. 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%.

Read more about Music Theory & Composition at Wheaton College Illinois

#12

Youngstown State University

Youngstown, Ohio

With a ranking of #12, Youngstown State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Youngstown, Ohio, this fairly large public school awarded 1 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s music composition students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $9,069 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree music composition students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Youngstown State University.

Full Youngstown State University Music Theory & Composition Report

#13

Western Michigan University

Kalamazoo, Michigan
#20 in overall quality

Western Michigan University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #13. Located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, this fairly large public school awarded 1 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s music composition students in 2019-2020.

WMU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #20 on our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Western Michigan University is $13,021 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree music composition students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full WMU Music Theory & Composition Report

#13 in overall quality

University of Cincinnati - Main Campus came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Cincinnati - Main Campus is a public institution located in Cincinnati, Ohio. The school has a large population, and it awarded 8 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Cincinnati - Main Campus is $15,078 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree music composition students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Music Theory & Composition at University of Cincinnati - Main Campus

#15

Taylor University

Upland, Indiana
#9 in overall quality

Taylor University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #15. Taylor U is a small school located in Upland, Indiana that handed out 1 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree music composition students whose families make $0-$30k list, Taylor U has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Taylor U is $18,399 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree music composition students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Read more about Music Theory & Composition at Taylor University

#16

Cedarville University

Cedarville, Ohio
#15 in overall quality

Cedarville University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #16. Located in Cedarville, Ohio, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 1 degrees to qualified bachelors’s music composition students in 2019-2020.

Cedarville also made our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #15. It costs about $16,897 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Cedarville.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Cedarville University Music Theory & Composition Report

#17

Elmhurst University

Elmhurst, Illinois
#19 in overall quality

Elmhurst University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Elmhurst University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Elmhurst, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 3 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Elmhurst also made our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #19. The estimated yearly cost for Elmhurst is $16,903 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree music composition students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.0% 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%.

Full Elmhurst Music Theory & Composition Report

#25 in overall quality

With a ranking of #18, Bowling Green State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. BGSU is a fairly large school located in Bowling Green, Ohio that handed out 3 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree music composition students whose families make $0-$30k list, BGSU has also earned the #25 rank in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $14,521 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree music composition students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Bowling Green State University - Main Campus.

Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at Bowling Green State University - Main Campus

#19

Olivet Nazarene University

Bourbonnais, Illinois
#17 in overall quality

Olivet Nazarene University ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Olivet Nazarene is a small school located in Bourbonnais, Illinois that handed out 2 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2019-2020.

Olivet Nazarene also made our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #17. The yearly cost to attend Olivet Nazarene University is $15,806 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students whose families make $0-$30k.

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%.

Full Olivet Nazarene Music Theory & Composition Report

#10 in overall quality

With a ranking of #20, Baldwin Wallace University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Berea, Ohio, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 3 degrees to qualified bachelors’s music composition students in 2019-2020.

Baldwin Wallace College also took the #10 spot in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Baldwin Wallace University is $17,430 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree music composition students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at Baldwin Wallace University

#21

Illinois Wesleyan University

Bloomington, Illinois
#8 in overall quality

Illinois Wesleyan University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Illinois Wesleyan University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Bloomington, Illinois. It awarded 2 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2019-2020.

Illinois Wesleyan did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $18,570 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Illinois Wesleyan University.

The low student loan default rate of 1.4% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Illinois Wesleyan University Music Theory & Composition Report

University of Akron Main Campus came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Akron, Ohio, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $14,816 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Akron Main Campus.

Full University of Akron Main Campus Music Theory & Composition Report

#23

Valparaiso University

Valparaiso, Indiana
#11 in overall quality

Valparaiso University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Valpo is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Valparaiso, Indiana. It awarded 1 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2019-2020.

Valpo also took the #11 spot in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Valpo is $13,588 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree music composition students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Music Theory & Composition at Valpo

#23 in overall quality

Ohio University - Athens Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #24. Ohio University - Athens Campus is located in Athens, Ohio and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 1 bachelors’s music composition degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree music composition students whose families make $0-$30k list, OHIO Athens has also earned the #23 rank in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $17,584 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend OHIO Athens.

Read more about Music Theory & Composition at Ohio University - Athens Campus

#25

Indiana Wesleyan University

Marion, Indiana

Indiana Wesleyan University came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This small school is located in Marion, Indiana, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Indiana Wesleyan University is $17,450 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at Indiana Wesleyan 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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