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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Music Theory & Composition (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region

29 Ranked Colleges
70 Degrees Awarded
$14,500 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor's in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. 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 $30-$48k” 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.

For this year’s “Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, we looked at 29 colleges that offer a degree in music theory and composition. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent music theory and composition programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the music theory and composition program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Music Theory & Composition (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region

#1

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#1 in overall quality

Out of the 29 schools in the Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Northwestern University landed the #1 spot on the list. Evanston, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s music composition degrees to 7 students in 2019-2020.

Northwestern also took the #1 spot in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Northwestern University is $3,995 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree music composition students whose families make $30-$48k.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 6 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 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%.

Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at Northwestern University

#2 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and it awarded 4 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2019-2020.

U-M did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $5,887 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend U-M.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Music Theory & Composition at U-M

#5 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Located in Champaign, Illinois, this large public school awarded 1 degrees to qualified bachelors’s music composition students 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 $8,464 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UIUC.

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

Read more about Music Theory & Composition at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

#14 in overall quality

Out of the 29 schools in the Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Ohio State University - Main Campus landed the #4 spot on the list. This large school is located in Columbus, Ohio, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2019-2020.

Ohio State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #14 on our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $10,037 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Ohio State.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

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

#5

Oberlin College

Oberlin, Ohio
#3 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Oberlin College. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Oberlin College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Oberlin, Ohio. The school has a small population, and it awarded 5 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree music composition students whose families make $30-$48k list, Oberlin has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Oberlin College is $11,560 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive 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.

Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at Oberlin

#6

Ball State University

Muncie, Indiana
#16 in overall quality

With a ranking of #6, Ball 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 $30-$48k list. Ball State is a large school located in Muncie, Indiana that handed out 2 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2019-2020.

Ball State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $10,487 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree music composition students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Ball State University.

Full Ball State University Music Theory & Composition Report

#7

Michigan State University

East Lansing, Michigan
#6 in overall quality

Michigan State University landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Michigan State University is a public institution located in East Lansing, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 3 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree music composition students whose families make $30-$48k list, Michigan State has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Michigan State is $15,197 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree music composition students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Michigan State University Music Theory & Composition Report

#8

Youngstown State University

Youngstown, Ohio

With a ranking of #8, 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 $30-$48k list. Youngstown State University is a public institution located in Youngstown, Ohio. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Youngstown State University is $9,784 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Music Theory & Composition at Youngstown State University

#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 $30-$48k 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 estimated yearly cost for Central Michigan University is $12,127 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree music composition students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at Central Michigan University

#10

Wheaton College Illinois

Wheaton, Illinois
#4 in overall quality

Wheaton College Illinois landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Wheaton College Illinois is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Wheaton, Illinois. It awarded 2 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2019-2020.

Wheaton College Illinois also took the #4 spot in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Wheaton College Illinois is $16,212 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The impressive 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 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%.

Full Wheaton College Illinois Music Theory & Composition Report

#13 in overall quality

University of Cincinnati - Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #11. University of Cincinnati - Main Campus is a large school located in Cincinnati, Ohio that handed out 8 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2019-2020.

UC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $18,106 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UC.

With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at University of Cincinnati - Main Campus

#12

Taylor University

Upland, Indiana
#9 in overall quality

Taylor University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Taylor U is a private not-for-profit institution located in Upland, Indiana. The school has a small population, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Taylor U also took the #9 spot in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Taylor U is $21,171 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at Taylor U

#13

Olivet Nazarene University

Bourbonnais, Illinois
#17 in overall quality

Olivet Nazarene University landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Olivet Nazarene University is a small school located in Bourbonnais, Illinois that handed out 2 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2019-2020.

Olivet Nazarene not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #17 on our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $15,390 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree music composition students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Olivet Nazarene.

The low student loan default rate of 3.4% 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%.

Read more about Music Theory & Composition at Olivet Nazarene University

#14

Lawrence University

Appleton, Wisconsin
#7 in overall quality

Lawrence University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #14. 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 also took the #7 spot in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $15,793 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree music composition students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Lawrence U.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. 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%.

Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at Lawrence U

#15

The College of Wooster

Wooster, Ohio
#12 in overall quality

The College of Wooster ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This small school is located in Wooster, Ohio, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Wooster College, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Wooster College is $18,208 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Music Theory & Composition at Wooster College

#16

Western Michigan University

Kalamazoo, Michigan
#20 in overall quality

Western Michigan University landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. WMU is a public institution located in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at WMU, the school also landed the #20 spot in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $15,276 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree music composition students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Western Michigan University.

Full WMU Music Theory & Composition Report

#25 in overall quality

With a ranking of #17, 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 $30-$48k list. Bowling Green State University - Main Campus is a fairly large public school situated in Bowling Green, Ohio. It awarded 3 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2019-2020.

BGSU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #25 on our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $15,533 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend BGSU.

Full Bowling Green State University - Main Campus Music Theory & Composition Report

#18

Elmhurst University

Elmhurst, Illinois
#19 in overall quality

Elmhurst University ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Elmhurst University is a small school located in Elmhurst, Illinois that handed out 3 bachelors’s music composition 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 yearly cost to attend Elmhurst is $17,837 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree music composition students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Elmhurst University Music Theory & Composition Report

#19

Madonna University

Livonia, Michigan

Madonna University ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Livonia, Michigan, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 1 degrees to qualified bachelors’s music composition students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Madonna is $16,625 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at Madonna

#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 $30-$48k list. This small school is located in Berea, Ohio, and it awarded 3 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2019-2020.

Baldwin Wallace College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Baldwin Wallace University is $18,525 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree music composition students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.9% 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 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Baldwin Wallace University Music Theory & Composition Report

#21

Cedarville University

Cedarville, Ohio
#15 in overall quality

With a ranking of #21, Cedarville University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Cedarville is located in Cedarville, Ohio and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 1 bachelors’s music composition degrees to qualified students.

Cedarville did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Cedarville University is $16,396 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Cedarville Music Theory & Composition Report

#22

Illinois Wesleyan University

Bloomington, Illinois
#8 in overall quality

With a ranking of #22, Illinois Wesleyan University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This small school is located in Bloomington, Illinois, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Illinois Wesleyan, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Illinois Wesleyan is $19,857 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at Illinois Wesleyan University

#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 $30-$48k ranking. Valparaiso University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Valparaiso, Indiana. The school has a small population, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s 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 estimated yearly cost for Valpo is $14,913 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree music composition students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Valpo Music Theory & Composition Report

University of Akron Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #24. University of Akron Main Campus is a fairly large public school situated in Akron, Ohio. It awarded 2 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Akron Main Campus is $15,803 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full University of Akron Main Campus Music Theory & Composition Report

#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 $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #25. Located in Athens, Ohio, this large public school handed out 1 degrees to qualified bachelors’s music composition students in 2019-2020.

OHIO Athens also took the #23 spot in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $18,863 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend OHIO Athens.

Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at OHIO Athens

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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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