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2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid

17 Ranked Colleges
90 Degrees Awarded
$30,000 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor's in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid

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 the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking.

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 Middle Atlantic region, there were 228 music theory and composition graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 90 music theory and composition graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,278 and $24,587 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking analyzed 17 colleges that offered 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.

More Ways to Rank Music Theory & Composition Schools

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 a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region 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 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 the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid.

Top 17 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Music Theory & Composition in the Middle Atlantic Region (With Aid)

#1

Brooklyn College

Brooklyn, New York
#17 in overall quality

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 a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid. This fairly large school is located in Brooklyn, New York, and it awarded 4 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree music composition students with aid list, Brooklyn College has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. It costs about $2,683 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree music composition students with aid per year to attend Brooklyn College.

The student loan default rate at the school is 5.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Music Theory & Composition at Brooklyn College

#2

SUNY Fredonia

Fredonia, New York
#6 in overall quality

Out of the 17 schools in the Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, SUNY Fredonia landed the #2 spot on the list. Fredonia, New York is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s music composition degrees to 4 students in 2019-2020.

SUNY Fredonia not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. The yearly cost to attend SUNY Fredonia is $14,824 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students with aid.

The 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 more about Music Theory & Composition at SUNY Fredonia

#7 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Maryland - Baltimore County. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid. Baltimore, Maryland is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s music composition degrees to 2 students in 2019-2020.

UMBC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Maryland - Baltimore County is $19,082 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree music composition students with aid.

The low student loan default rate of 4.3% 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%. 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 University of Maryland - Baltimore County

#4

Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, Maryland
#1 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Johns Hopkins University. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid list. Baltimore, Maryland is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s music composition degrees to 3 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Johns Hopkins, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Johns Hopkins is $29,342 for middle atlantic 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 student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. 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.

Read more about Music Theory & Composition at Johns Hopkins

#5

Purchase College

Purchase, New York
#14 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Purchase College. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid list. Purchase College is a small public school situated in Purchase, New York. It awarded 15 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree music composition students with aid list, Purchase College has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Purchase College is $18,326 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree music composition students with aid.

Read more about Music Theory & Composition at Purchase College

#6

Temple University

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
#15 in overall quality

With a ranking of #6, Temple University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this large public school handed out 9 degrees to qualified bachelors’s music composition students in 2019-2020.

Temple also took the #15 spot in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. It costs about $23,521 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree music composition students with aid per year to attend Temple.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Full Temple Music Theory & Composition Report

#7

Rider University

Lawrenceville, New Jersey
#13 in overall quality

Rider University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid list. Lawrenceville, New Jersey is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s music composition degrees to 4 students in 2019-2020.

Rider did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Rider is $27,964 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students with aid.

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.

Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at Rider

#8

Nazareth College

Rochester, New York
#10 in overall quality

Nazareth College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #8. Nazareth is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Rochester, New York. It awarded 1 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2019-2020.

Nazareth also took the #10 spot in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Nazareth is $29,994 for Middle Atlantic 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%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Nazareth Music Theory & Composition Report

#9

University of Rochester

Rochester, New York
#2 in overall quality

University of Rochester came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. This fairly large school is located in Rochester, New York, and it awarded 10 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2019-2020.

University of Rochester did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Rochester is $29,522 for middle atlantic 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 92%. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. 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.

Read more about Music Theory & Composition at University of Rochester

#10

Ithaca College

Ithaca, New York
#4 in overall quality

Ithaca College landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Ithaca is a medium-sized school located in Ithaca, New York that handed out 6 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2019-2020.

Ithaca not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Ithaca College is $33,465 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students with aid.

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%. 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 more about Music Theory & Composition at Ithaca College

#11

Catholic University of America

Washington, District of Columbia
#8 in overall quality

Catholic University of America did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #11. CUA is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Washington, District of Columbia. It awarded 1 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2019-2020.

CUA did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Catholic University of America is $34,230 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree music composition students with aid.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Read more about Music Theory & Composition at Catholic University of America

#12

The Juilliard School

New York, New York
#5 in overall quality

The Juilliard School landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. This small school is located in New York, New York, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Juilliard, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for The Juilliard School is $33,535 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree 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 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 school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at Juilliard

#13

New York University

New York, New York
#3 in overall quality

With a ranking of #13, New York University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid list. New York University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in New York, New York. It awarded 10 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at NYU, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. It costs about $39,772 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students with aid per year to attend NYU.

With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 2.3% 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%. 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.

Read more about Music Theory & Composition at New York University

#14

The University of the Arts

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
#16 in overall quality

The University of the Arts came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. The University of the Arts is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 5 bachelors’s music composition degrees to qualified students.

UArts not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. It costs about $40,332 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students with aid per year to attend The University of the Arts.

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.

Full UArts Music Theory & Composition Report

#15

Syracuse University

Syracuse, New York
#9 in overall quality

Syracuse University landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Syracuse University is located in Syracuse, New York and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 2 bachelors’s music composition degrees to qualified students.

Syracuse not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. It costs about $34,482 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree music composition students with aid per year to attend Syracuse.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Syracuse University Music Theory & Composition Report

#16

The New School

New York, New York
#12 in overall quality

The New School landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in New York, New York, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 4 degrees to qualified bachelors’s music composition students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at New School University, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend The New School is $43,334 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students with aid.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at New School University

#17

Manhattan School of Music

New York, New York
#11 in overall quality

Manhattan School of Music came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. 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 4 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Manhattan School of Music did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Manhattan School of Music is $54,902 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree 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 student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Manhattan School of Music 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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