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2023 Best Value Music Composition Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Getting Aid

18 Ranked Colleges
375 Degrees Awarded
$26,600 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Music Composition Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Getting Aid

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. 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 in the Far Western US Region 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.

Across the Far Western US region, there were 375 music theory and composition graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Music Composition Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking analyzed 18 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.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the music theory and composition program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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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 in the Far Western US Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

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. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Best Value Music Composition Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Getting Aid

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Music Composition Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Getting Aid.

Top 18 Best Value Colleges for Music Theory & Composition in the Far Western US Region (With Aid)

1

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Washington - Seattle Campus. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Music Composition Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Getting Aid. This large school is located in Seattle, Washington, and it awarded 5 ’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our far western us region music composition students with aid list, UW Seattle has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UW Seattle is $12,017 for Far Western US Region Music Composition students with aid.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Music Theory & Composition at University of Washington - Seattle Campus

2

Out of the 18 schools in the Best Value Music Composition Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Los Angeles landed the #2 spot on the list. UCLA is a large school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 2 ’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.

UCLA also took the #2 spot in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UCLA is $15,023 for far western us region music composition students with aid.

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

3
CWU crest
Central Washington University
Ellensburg, Washington

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Central Washington University. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Music Composition Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Getting Aid list. Central Washington University is located in Ellensburg, Washington and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 5 ’s music composition degrees to qualified students.

CWU also made our “Best Music Theory & Composition Schools in the Far Western US Region” list, coming in at #6. It costs about $16,514 for far western us region music composition students with aid per year to attend CWU.

Read more about Music Theory & Composition at CWU

4
UO crest
University of Oregon
Eugene, Oregon

Out of the 18 schools in the Best Value Music Composition Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Oregon landed the #4 spot on the list. UO is a large school located in Eugene, Oregon that handed out 9 ’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UO, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UO is $18,047 for far western us region music composition students with aid.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Music Theory & Composition at UO

5

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Santa Barbara. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Music Composition Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Getting Aid. UCSB is a large school located in Santa Barbara, California that handed out 7 ’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCSB, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UCSB is $16,252 for Far Western US Region Music Composition students with aid.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at UCSB

6

Portland State University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Music Composition Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Getting Aid list. This large school is located in Portland, Oregon, and it awarded 3 ’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.

Portland State University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best Music Theory & Composition Schools in the Far Western US Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Portland State University is $12,498 for Far Western US Region Music Composition students with aid.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.7% 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 Portland State University

7
WWU crest
Western Washington University
Bellingham, Washington

Western Washington University landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Best Value Music Composition Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Western Washington University is a public institution located in Bellingham, Washington. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 4 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

WWU also made our “Best Music Theory & Composition Schools in the Far Western US Region” list, coming in at #13. The estimated yearly cost for WWU is $17,070 for far western us region music composition students with aid.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% 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 full report on Music Theory & Composition at Western Washington University

8

University of California - Santa Cruz came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Composition Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Santa Cruz, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s music composition degrees to 2 students in 2020-2021.

UC Santa Cruz also took the #14 spot in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. It costs about $17,930 for far western us region music composition students with aid per year to attend University of California - Santa Cruz.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.9% 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 full report on Music Theory & Composition at UC Santa Cruz

9
Wazzu crest
Washington State University
Pullman, Washington

Washington State University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Composition Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Wazzu is a public institution located in Pullman, Washington. The school has a large population, and it awarded 4 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Wazzu also made our “Best Music Theory & Composition Schools in the Far Western US Region” list, coming in at #15. The estimated yearly cost for Wazzu is $15,300 for Far Western US Region Music Composition students with aid.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Wazzu Music Theory & Composition Report

10
USC crest
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California

University of Southern California landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Best Value Music Composition Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. USC is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 12 ’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.

USC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Music Theory & Composition Schools in the Far Western US Region” list. The yearly cost to attend USC is $32,569 for Far Western US Region Music Composition students with aid.

The impressive undergraduate 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. 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 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%.

Full University of Southern California Music Theory & Composition Report

11
University of Redlands crest
University of Redlands
Redlands, California

University of Redlands did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Music Composition Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #11. This small school is located in Redlands, California, and it awarded 3 ’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at University of Redlands, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. It costs about $26,098 for far western us region music composition students with aid per year to attend University of Redlands.

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%.

Read more about Music Theory & Composition at University of Redlands

12
Biola crest
Biola University
La Mirada, California

Biola University landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Best Value Music Composition Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Biola is a private not-for-profit institution located in La Mirada, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 4 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Biola also made our “Best Music Theory & Composition Schools in the Far Western US Region” list, coming in at #11. It costs about $33,269 for Far Western US Region Music Composition students with aid per year to attend Biola.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.7% 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 Biola University

13
Academy of Art University crest
Academy of Art University
San Francisco, California

Academy of Art University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Music Composition Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #13. Academy of Art University is a medium-sized school located in San Francisco, California that handed out 32 ’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our far western us region music composition students with aid list, Academy of Art University has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Academy of Art University is $36,143 for Far Western US Region Music Composition students with aid.

The undergrad 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 Academy of Art University

14
Lewis and Clark College crest
Lewis & Clark College
Portland, Oregon

Lewis & Clark College landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Best Value Music Composition Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. This small school is located in Portland, Oregon, and it awarded 9 ’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our far western us region music composition students with aid list, Lewis and Clark College has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. It costs about $36,638 for far western us region music composition students with aid per year to attend Lewis & Clark College.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at Lewis & Clark College

15
SFCM crest
San Francisco Conservatory of Music
San Francisco, California

With a ranking of #15, San Francisco Conservatory of Music did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Music Composition Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Getting Aid list. SFCM is a private not-for-profit institution located in San Francisco, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 5 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our far western us region music composition students with aid list, SFCM has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for San Francisco Conservatory of Music is $39,165 for Far Western US Region Music Composition students with aid.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.1% 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%. The impressive undergraduate 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.

Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at San Francisco Conservatory of Music

16
Chapman crest
Chapman University
Orange, California

With a ranking of #16, Chapman University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Music Composition Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Orange, California, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 2 diplomas to qualified ’s music composition students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our far western us region music composition students with aid list, Chapman has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Chapman is $44,198 for Far Western US Region 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%. 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 more about Music Theory & Composition at Chapman

17

California Institute of the Arts landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Best Value Music Composition Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. CalArts is a private not-for-profit institution located in Valencia, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 32 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at CalArts, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for CalArts is $56,876 for Far Western US Region Music Composition students with aid.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. 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 California Institute of the Arts Music Theory & Composition Report

18
LA Film School crest
Los Angeles Film School
Hollywood, California

With a ranking of #18, Los Angeles Film School did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Music Composition Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Getting Aid list. Hollywood, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out ’s music composition degrees to 181 students in 2020-2021.

LA Film School not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Music Theory & Composition Schools in the Far Western US Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for LA Film School is $32,723 for far western us region music composition students with aid.

Full Los Angeles Film School Music Theory & Composition Report

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References

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