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2023 Best Value Music Composition Schools For Those Getting Aid

110 Ranked Colleges
1,175 Degrees Awarded
$14,200 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Music Composition Schools For Those Getting Aid

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Music Composition Schools For Those Getting Aid” ranking - to help you make that decision.

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.

For this year’s “Best Value Music Composition Schools For Those Getting Aid” ranking, we looked at 110 colleges that offer 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.

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.

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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 For Those Getting Aid” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. 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 Those Getting Aid

The colleges and universities below are the best for music composition students with aid.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Music Theory & Composition (With Aid)

1
Brooklyn College crest
Brooklyn College
Brooklyn, New York

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Brooklyn College. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Music Composition Schools For Those Getting Aid. Brooklyn College is a fairly large school located in Brooklyn, New York that handed out 26 ’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Brooklyn College is $3,067 for music composition students with aid.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at Brooklyn College

2

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Washington - Seattle Campus. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Music Composition Schools For Those Getting Aid list. UW Seattle is a public institution located in Seattle, Washington. The school has a large population, and it awarded 5 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Washington - Seattle Campus is $12,017 for music composition students with aid.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, 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 93%.

Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at University of Washington - Seattle Campus

3

Out of the 110 schools in the Best Value Music Composition Schools For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, The University of Texas at Austin landed the #3 spot on the list. This large school is located in Austin, Texas, and it awarded 2 ’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.

UT Austin not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best Music Theory & Composition Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for UT Austin is $18,350 for Music Composition students with aid.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full The University of Texas at Austin Music Theory & Composition Report

4
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida

Out of the 110 schools in the Best Value Music Composition Schools For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Florida State University landed the #4 spot on the list. Tallahassee, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s music composition degrees to 14 students in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Florida State is $9,946 for Music Composition students with aid.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, 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 95%.

Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at Florida State

5
Yale crest
Yale University
New Haven, Connecticut

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Yale University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Music Composition Schools For Those Getting Aid. Yale University is a private not-for-profit institution located in New Haven, Connecticut. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 4 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Yale, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Yale University is $15,296 for Music Composition students with aid.

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 impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Yale University Music Theory & Composition Report

6
Michigan State crest
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan

With a ranking of #6, Michigan State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Music Composition Schools For Those Getting Aid list. East Lansing, Michigan is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s music composition degrees to 22 students in 2020-2021.

Michigan State also made our “Best Music Theory & Composition Schools” list, coming in at #8. The estimated yearly cost for Michigan State is $19,058 for music composition students with aid.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Music Theory & Composition at Michigan State University

7

University of California - Los Angeles came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Composition Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. University of California - Los Angeles is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 2 ’s music composition degrees to qualified students.

UCLA also took the #15 spot in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Schools” ranking. It costs about $15,023 for Music Composition students with aid per year to attend UCLA.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.6% 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 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Music Theory & Composition at UCLA

8

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Composition Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, this large public school handed out 13 degrees to qualified ’s music composition students in 2020-2021.

U-M did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Music Theory & Composition Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend U-M is $14,878 for Music Composition students with aid.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Music Theory & Composition at U-M

9

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Composition Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a large school located in Champaign, Illinois that handed out 2 ’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.

UIUC also made our “Best Music Theory & Composition Schools” list, coming in at #24. The estimated yearly cost for University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is $14,321 for music composition students with aid.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

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

10
El Centro College crest
El Centro College
Dallas, Texas

El Centro College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Music Composition Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #10. El Centro College is a large school located in Dallas, Texas that handed out 3 ’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend El Centro College is $4,739 for music composition students with aid.

Full El Centro College Music Theory & Composition Report

11

Brigham Young University - Provo ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Music Composition Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Brigham Young University - Provo is a large school located in Provo, Utah that handed out 5 ’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend BYU is $13,474 for music composition students with aid.

With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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 Brigham Young University - Provo

12

University of North Texas landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Best Value Music Composition Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. UNT is a large public school situated in Denton, Texas. It awarded 9 ’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend University of North Texas is $14,122 for Music Composition students with aid.

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 University of North Texas

13

University of North Carolina at Greensboro ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Music Composition Schools For Those Getting Aid list. University of North Carolina at Greensboro is a fairly large public school situated in Greensboro, North Carolina. It awarded 1 ’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $11,629 for Music Composition students with aid per year to attend University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Read more about Music Theory & Composition at University of North Carolina at Greensboro

14
UGA crest
University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia

University of Georgia ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Music Composition Schools For Those Getting Aid list. University of Georgia is located in Athens, Georgia and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 3 ’s music composition degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for UGA is $14,257 for music composition students with aid.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Music Theory & Composition at UGA

15
Rice crest
Rice University
Houston, Texas

Rice University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Music Composition Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #15. Rice University is a medium-sized school located in Houston, Texas that handed out 2 ’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.

Rice also took the #12 spot in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Rice University is $16,076 for Music Composition students with aid.

The impressive undergraduate 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 school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at Rice University

16
Northwestern crest
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois

With a ranking of #16, Northwestern University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Music Composition Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Northwestern University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Evanston, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 6 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Northwestern also took the #1 spot in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Northwestern is $23,279 for Music Composition students with aid.

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 school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate 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.

Read more about Music Theory & Composition at Northwestern University

17

University of Missouri - Kansas City did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Music Composition Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #17. Located in Kansas City, Missouri, this fairly large public school handed out 17 diplomas to qualified ’s music composition students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Missouri - Kansas City is $15,702 for music composition students with aid.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% 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 University of Missouri - Kansas City

18

Arizona State University - Tempe did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Music Composition Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #18. This large school is located in Tempe, Arizona, and it awarded 7 ’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $13,107 for music composition students with aid per year to attend Arizona State University - Tempe.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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 Arizona State University - Tempe Music Theory & Composition Report

19

Sinclair Community College ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Music Composition Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Dayton, Ohio, this fairly large public school handed out 6 degrees to qualified ’s music composition students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Sinclair Community College is $4,959 for music composition students with aid.

Read more about Music Theory & Composition at Sinclair Community College

20

University of Northern Iowa came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Composition Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. UNI is a medium-sized school located in Cedar Falls, Iowa that handed out 1 ’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for UNI is $16,438 for music composition students with aid.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Music Theory & Composition at University of Northern Iowa

21

With a ranking of #21, Columbia University in the City of New York did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Music Composition Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Columbia 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 not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Music Theory & Composition Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Columbia is $22,823 for Music Composition students with aid.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. 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%.

Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at Columbia University in the City of New York

22
CWU crest
Central Washington University
Ellensburg, Washington

With a ranking of #22, Central Washington University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Music Composition Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Ellensburg, Washington is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s music composition degrees to 5 students in 2020-2021.

It costs about $16,514 for music composition students with aid per year to attend CWU.

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

23
Ball State crest
Ball State University
Muncie, Indiana

Ball State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Music Composition Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #23. This large school is located in Muncie, Indiana, and it awarded 3 ’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Ball State is $14,765 for music composition students with aid.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at Ball State

24
UO crest
University of Oregon
Eugene, Oregon

With a ranking of #24, University of Oregon did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Music Composition Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Eugene, Oregon, this large public school handed out 9 diplomas to qualified ’s music composition students in 2020-2021.

It costs about $18,047 for music composition students with aid per year to attend UO.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.1% 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 full report on Music Theory & Composition at UO

25
U of I crest
University of Idaho
Moscow, Idaho

University of Idaho ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Music Composition Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Moscow, Idaho, this fairly large public school awarded 3 diplomas to qualified ’s music composition students in 2020-2021.

It costs about $13,964 for music composition students with aid per year to attend U of I.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full U of I Music Theory & Composition Report

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