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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Music Theory & Composition in the Great Lakes Region (With Aid)

30 Ranked Colleges
70 Degrees Awarded
$20,000 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor's in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

In 2019-2020, 1,117 people earned their degree in music theory and composition, making the major the 415th most popular in the United States.

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 Getting Aid” ranking looked at 30 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in music theory and composition. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great music theory and composition programs and 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. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Music Theory & Composition Schools

The music composition school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid”.

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. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid

The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region bachelor’s degree music composition students with aid.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Music Theory & Composition in the Great Lakes Region (With Aid)

#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 #1 for the Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid. This large school is located in Champaign, Illinois, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2019-2020.

UIUC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $15,880 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students with aid per year to attend UIUC.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

#2 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 4 bachelors’s music composition degrees to qualified students.

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 $15,336 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students with aid per year to attend U-M.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 1.2% 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 Michigan - Ann Arbor Music Theory & Composition Report

#3

Michigan State University

East Lansing, Michigan
#6 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Michigan State University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid. This large school is located in East Lansing, Michigan, and it awarded 3 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2019-2020.

Michigan State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Michigan State University is $19,173 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students with aid.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. 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%.

Full Michigan State University Music Theory & Composition Report

#4

Ball State University

Muncie, Indiana
#16 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Ball State University. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. This large school is located in Muncie, Indiana, and it awarded 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. The estimated yearly cost for Ball State University is $15,147 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students with aid.

Full Ball State Music Theory & Composition Report

#5

Youngstown State University

Youngstown, Ohio

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Youngstown State University. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Youngstown State University is located in Youngstown, Ohio and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 1 bachelors’s music composition degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for Youngstown State University is $11,947 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree music composition students with aid.

Full Youngstown State University Music Theory & Composition Report

#6

Central Michigan University

Mount Pleasant, Michigan
#22 in overall quality

With a ranking of #6, Central Michigan University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Central Michigan University is a public institution located in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Central Michigan not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #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 $15,981 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree music composition students with aid.

Read more about Music Theory & Composition at Central Michigan

#7

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#1 in overall quality

With a ranking of #7, Northwestern University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Northwestern is a private not-for-profit institution located in Evanston, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s 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. The estimated yearly cost for Northwestern University is $24,664 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree music composition students with aid.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 6 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 Northwestern University

#14 in overall quality

Ohio State University - Main Campus came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Columbus, Ohio is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s music composition degrees to 1 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Ohio State, the school also landed 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 University - Main Campus is $17,616 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students with aid.

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%. 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 full report on Music Theory & Composition at Ohio State University - Main Campus

#9

Western Michigan University

Kalamazoo, Michigan
#20 in overall quality

Western Michigan University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. WMU is a fairly large school located in Kalamazoo, Michigan that handed out 1 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2019-2020.

WMU also made our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #20. The yearly cost to attend WMU is $19,433 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree music composition students with aid.

Full WMU Music Theory & Composition Report

#10

Olivet Nazarene University

Bourbonnais, Illinois
#17 in overall quality

Olivet Nazarene University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #10. Located in Bourbonnais, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 2 degrees to qualified bachelors’s music composition students in 2019-2020.

Olivet Nazarene also took the #17 spot in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Olivet Nazarene is $20,195 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students with aid.

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 more about Music Theory & Composition at Olivet Nazarene University

#25 in overall quality

Bowling Green State University - Main Campus 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 Getting Aid ranking. Located in Bowling Green, Ohio, this fairly large public school handed out 3 degrees to qualified bachelors’s music composition students 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. The estimated yearly cost for Bowling Green State University - Main Campus is $18,394 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree music composition students with aid.

Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at BGSU

#12

Valparaiso University

Valparaiso, Indiana
#11 in overall quality

With a ranking of #12, Valparaiso University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Valparaiso University is a small school located in Valparaiso, Indiana that handed out 1 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2019-2020.

Valpo not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Valpo is $18,852 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree music composition students with aid.

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%.

Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at Valpo

#13 in overall quality

University of Cincinnati - Main Campus ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. UC is a large school located in Cincinnati, Ohio that handed out 8 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2019-2020.

UC also made our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #13. The estimated yearly cost for University of Cincinnati - Main Campus is $21,843 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree music composition students with aid.

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

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 Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #14. University of Akron Main Campus is located in Akron, Ohio and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 2 bachelors’s music composition degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend University of Akron Main Campus is $17,792 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students with aid.

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

#15

Wheaton College Illinois

Wheaton, Illinois
#4 in overall quality

Wheaton College Illinois came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. This small school is located in Wheaton, Illinois, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s music composition degrees 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. It costs about $25,358 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree music composition students with aid per year to attend Wheaton College Illinois.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Music Theory & Composition at Wheaton College Illinois

#16

Elmhurst University

Elmhurst, Illinois
#19 in overall quality

Elmhurst University ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Elmhurst is located in Elmhurst, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 3 bachelors’s music composition degrees to qualified students.

Elmhurst also took the #19 spot in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $21,485 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students with aid per year to attend Elmhurst.

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%.

Read more about Music Theory & Composition at Elmhurst University

#17

Lawrence University

Appleton, Wisconsin
#7 in overall quality

Lawrence University ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Lawrence University is located in Appleton, Wisconsin and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 1 bachelors’s music composition degrees to qualified students.

Lawrence U not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Lawrence University is $22,214 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree music composition students with aid.

The 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 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at Lawrence University

#18

Madonna University

Livonia, Michigan

Madonna University ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Madonna is a private not-for-profit institution located in Livonia, Michigan. The school has a small population, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Madonna University is $17,574 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree music composition students with aid.

Read more about Music Theory & Composition at Madonna

#10 in overall quality

Baldwin Wallace University landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Baldwin Wallace University is located in Berea, Ohio and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 3 bachelors’s music composition degrees to qualified students.

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 College is $22,917 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students with aid.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The student loan default rate at the school is 4.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

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

#20

Taylor University

Upland, Indiana
#9 in overall quality

Taylor University landed the #20 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Taylor University is a small school located in Upland, Indiana that handed out 1 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2019-2020.

Taylor U not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Taylor University is $25,888 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree music composition students with aid.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 1.9% 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%.

Read more about Music Theory & Composition at Taylor University

#21

Cedarville University

Cedarville, Ohio
#15 in overall quality

Cedarville University ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Cedarville is a small school located in Cedarville, Ohio that handed out 1 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2019-2020.

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 estimated yearly cost for Cedarville is $21,727 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree music composition students with aid.

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

Full Cedarville 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 Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #22. OHIO Athens is a large public school situated in Athens, Ohio. It awarded 1 bachelors’s music composition degrees 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 $22,906 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students with aid per year to attend OHIO Athens.

Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at Ohio University - Athens Campus

#23

Indiana Wesleyan University

Marion, Indiana

With a ranking of #23, Indiana Wesleyan University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Marion, Indiana, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 1 degrees to qualified bachelors’s music composition students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for IWU is $20,946 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students with aid.

Full IWU Music Theory & Composition Report

#24

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 Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #24. Wooster College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Wooster, Ohio. The school has a small population, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Wooster College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $24,692 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students with aid per year to attend Wooster College.

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 Wooster College

#25

Roosevelt University

Chicago, Illinois

With a ranking of #25, Roosevelt University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Roosevelt University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Roosevelt is $22,749 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree music composition students with aid.

Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at Roosevelt 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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