2023 Best Value Music Composition Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k
19
Ranked Colleges
223
Degrees Awarded
$16,800
Avg Net Price*
It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. 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 Composition Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is part of that endeavor.
In 2020-2021, 1,175 people earned their degree in music theory and composition, making the major the 390th most popular in the United States.
Across the Middle Atlantic region, there were 223 music theory and composition graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Music Composition Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking looked at 19 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s 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.
To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the music theory and composition program at the school. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
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 Composition Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k” 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 Composition Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k
The colleges and universities below are the best for middle atlantic region music composition students whose families make $0-$30k.
Top 19 Best Value Colleges for Music Theory & Composition (Income $0-$30k) in the Middle Atlantic Region
Out of the 19 schools in the Best Value Music Composition Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Johns Hopkins University landed the #1 spot on the list. This large school is located in Baltimore, Maryland, and it awarded 21 ’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.
Johns Hopkins did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Music Theory & Composition Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Johns Hopkins University is $2,084 for Middle Atlantic Region Music Composition students whose families make $0-$30k.
With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% 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 Johns Hopkins
Out of the 19 schools in the Best Value Music Composition Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Brooklyn College landed the #2 spot on the list. Brooklyn College is a fairly large public school situated in Brooklyn, New York. It awarded 26 ’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.
Brooklyn College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Music Theory & Composition Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Brooklyn College is $1,547 for middle atlantic region music composition students whose families make $0-$30k.
The low undergrad 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%.
Full Brooklyn College Music Theory & Composition Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Columbia University in the City of New York. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Music Composition Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Columbia University in the City of New York is a private not-for-profit institution located in New York, New York. The school has a large population, and it awarded 6 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Columbia did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Music Theory & Composition Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Columbia University in the City of New York is $9,873 for Middle Atlantic Region Music Composition students whose families make $0-$30k.
With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at Columbia University in the City of New York
Out of the 19 schools in the Best Value Music Composition Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Carnegie Mellon University landed the #4 spot on the list. Carnegie Mellon University is a fairly large school located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania that handed out 4 ’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.
Carnegie Mellon also took the #1 spot in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Carnegie Mellon is $16,456 for Middle Atlantic Region Music Composition students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad 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 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Full Carnegie Mellon University Music Theory & Composition Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Rochester. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Music Composition Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Rochester is located in Rochester, New York and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 11 ’s music composition degrees to qualified students.
University of Rochester also took the #3 spot in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Rochester is $12,915 for middle atlantic region music composition students whose families make $0-$30k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.0% 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%. The impressive undergraduate 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. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full University of Rochester Music Theory & Composition Report
SUNY Fredonia ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Music Composition Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Fredonia, New York, this small public school awarded 9 diplomas to qualified ’s music composition students in 2020-2021.
SUNY Fredonia not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #19 on our “Best Music Theory & Composition Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for SUNY Fredonia is $10,026 for Middle Atlantic Region Music Composition students whose families make $0-$30k.
The low undergrad 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%.
Full SUNY Fredonia Music Theory & Composition Report
Syracuse University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Music Composition Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Syracuse University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Syracuse, New York. The school has a large population, and it awarded 4 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Syracuse also took the #9 spot in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Syracuse University is $17,250 for middle atlantic region music composition students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.7% 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 Syracuse University
University of Maryland - Baltimore County ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Music Composition Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Maryland - Baltimore County is a public institution located in Baltimore, Maryland. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 4 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
UMBC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #21 on our “Best Music Theory & Composition Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. The yearly cost to attend UMBC is $8,565 for Middle Atlantic Region Music Composition students whose families make $0-$30k.
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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at UMBC
University at Buffalo came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Composition Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University at Buffalo is a large school located in Buffalo, New York that handed out 3 ’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.
University at Buffalo did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best Music Theory & Composition Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University at Buffalo is $14,098 for middle atlantic region music composition students whose families make $0-$30k.
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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at University at Buffalo
Ithaca College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Composition Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Ithaca College is a medium-sized school located in Ithaca, New York that handed out 11 ’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.
Ithaca also made our “Best Music Theory & Composition Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list, coming in at #8. The yearly cost to attend Ithaca College is $20,679 for Middle Atlantic Region Music Composition students whose families make $0-$30k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.0% 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%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Full Ithaca Music Theory & Composition Report
Purchase College ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Music Composition Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Purchase College is located in Purchase, New York and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 17 ’s music composition degrees to qualified students.
Purchase College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #18 on our “Best Music Theory & Composition Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. It costs about $13,899 for middle atlantic region music composition students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Purchase College.
Read more about Music Theory & Composition at Purchase College
With a ranking of #12, Temple University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Music Composition Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Temple is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 5 ’s music composition degrees to qualified students.
Temple also made our “Best Music Theory & Composition Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list, coming in at #11. It costs about $18,173 for Middle Atlantic Region Music Composition students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Temple University.
With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at Temple University
New York University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Composition Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. New York University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in New York, New York. It awarded 50 ’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.
NYU also took the #4 spot in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for New York University is $23,582 for middle atlantic region music composition students whose families make $0-$30k.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. 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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full New York University Music Theory & Composition Report
The Juilliard School ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Music Composition Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Juilliard is a small private not-for-profit school situated in New York, New York. It awarded 13 ’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.
Juilliard also took the #7 spot in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Juilliard is $24,474 for Middle Atlantic Region Music Composition students whose families make $0-$30k.
With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.7% 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%.
Full The Juilliard School Music Theory & Composition Report
Nazareth College came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Composition Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Nazareth is a private not-for-profit institution located in Rochester, New York. The school has a small population, and it awarded 2 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Nazareth not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #22 on our “Best Music Theory & Composition Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Nazareth College is $21,434 for middle atlantic region music composition students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, 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 85%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Full Nazareth College Music Theory & Composition Report
Rider University landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Best Value Music Composition Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This small school is located in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, and it awarded 5 ’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.
Rider also made our “Best Music Theory & Composition Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list, coming in at #14. The estimated yearly cost for Rider is $21,221 for middle atlantic region music composition students whose families make $0-$30k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.7% 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%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at Rider University
Catholic University of America did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Music Composition Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #17. CUA is a private not-for-profit institution located in Washington, District of Columbia. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 2 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our middle atlantic region music composition students whose families make $0-$30k list, CUA has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for CUA is $25,747 for Middle Atlantic Region Music Composition students whose families make $0-$30k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at CUA
Manhattan School of Music ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Music Composition Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Manhattan School of Music is a private not-for-profit institution located in New York, New York. The school has a small population, and it awarded 6 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Manhattan School of Music not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Music Theory & Composition Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. It costs about $19,111 for middle atlantic region music composition students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Manhattan School of Music.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.7% 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%.
Full Manhattan School of Music Music Theory & Composition Report
The New School ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Music Composition Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This fairly large school is located in New York, New York, and it awarded 17 ’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at New School University, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend New School University is $38,085 for Middle Atlantic Region Music Composition students whose families make $0-$30k.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Full The New School Music Theory & Composition Report
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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
- *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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