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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Music Theory & Composition (Income $48-$75k) in California

13 Ranked Colleges
82 Degrees Awarded
Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor's in California For Those Making $48-$75k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. 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 California For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking.

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

Across California, there were 253 music theory and composition graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 82 music theory and composition graduates with average earnings and debt of $37,907 and $21,546 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking looked at 13 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s 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.

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. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Music Theory & Composition Schools

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 California For Those Making $48-$75k” list to help you make the college decision.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k.

Top 13 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Music Theory & Composition (Income $48-$75k) in California

#1

University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California
#2 in overall quality

Out of the 13 schools in the Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Los Angeles landed the #1 spot on the list. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s music composition degrees to 2 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCLA, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $13,081 for California Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of California - Los Angeles.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Music Theory & Composition at University of California - Los Angeles

#2

University of California - Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, California
#3 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Santa Barbara. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k. This large school is located in Santa Barbara, California, and it awarded 3 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCSB, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UCSB is $15,343 for california bachelor’s degree music composition students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full UCSB Music Theory & Composition Report

#3

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, California
#1 in overall quality

Out of the 13 schools in the Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Southern California landed the #3 spot on the list. This large school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2019-2020.

USC also made our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #1. The yearly cost to attend USC is $20,050 for California Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The 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.

Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at University of Southern California

#4

University of Redlands

Redlands, California
#8 in overall quality

Out of the 13 schools in the Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Redlands landed the #4 spot on the list. University of Redlands is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Redlands, California. It awarded 3 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree music composition students whose families make $48-$75k list, University of Redlands has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $24,866 for california bachelor’s degree music composition students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Redlands.

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 University of Redlands

#5

University of the Pacific

Stockton, California
#10 in overall quality

Out of the 13 schools in the Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of the Pacific landed the #5 spot on the list. Pacific is a medium-sized school located in Stockton, California that handed out 1 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2019-2020.

Pacific did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend University of the Pacific is $26,047 for California Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 1.8% 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%.

Full University of the Pacific Music Theory & Composition Report

#6

Point Loma Nazarene University

San Diego, California
#11 in overall quality

Point Loma Nazarene University landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. San Diego, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s music composition degrees to 1 students in 2019-2020.

PLNU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $28,716 for California Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend PLNU.

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 PLNU

#7

Biola University

La Mirada, California
#9 in overall quality

Biola University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #7. Biola is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in La Mirada, California. It awarded 1 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Biola, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $29,212 for California Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Biola University.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Music Theory & Composition at Biola University

#8

Pepperdine University

Malibu, California
#5 in overall quality

Pepperdine University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. Pepperdine University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Malibu, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree music composition students whose families make $48-$75k list, Pepperdine has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Pepperdine is $31,918 for california bachelor’s degree music composition students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 1.1% 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 Pepperdine University

#9

Chapman University

Orange, California
#4 in overall quality

Chapman University landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Orange, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s music composition degrees to 5 students in 2019-2020.

Chapman also took the #4 spot in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Chapman University is $36,041 for california bachelor’s degree music composition students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Music Theory & Composition at Chapman University

#10

San Francisco Conservatory of Music

San Francisco, California
#6 in overall quality

San Francisco Conservatory of Music did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #10. SFCM is located in San Francisco, California and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 2 bachelors’s music composition degrees to qualified students.

SFCM also took the #6 spot in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend San Francisco Conservatory of Music is $34,037 for California Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students whose families make $48-$75k.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 3 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 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 SFCM Music Theory & Composition Report

#11

California Institute of the Arts

Valencia, California
#7 in overall quality

California Institute of the Arts came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This small school is located in Valencia, California, and it awarded 16 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree music composition students whose families make $48-$75k list, CalArts has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend CalArts is $46,265 for California Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students whose families make $48-$75k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The student loan default rate at the school is 4.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Music Theory & Composition at California Institute of the Arts

#12

Academy of Art University

San Francisco, California
#12 in overall quality

Academy of Art University landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Academy of Art University is a private for-profit institution located in San Francisco, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 18 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Academy of Art University, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Academy of Art University is $38,617 for California Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at Academy of Art University

#13

Los Angeles Film School

Hollywood, California
#13 in overall quality

Los Angeles Film School ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. Los Angeles Film School is located in Hollywood, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 6 bachelors’s music composition degrees to qualified students.

LA Film School did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for LA Film School is $31,795 for california bachelor’s degree music composition students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full Los Angeles Film 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

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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