2027 Best Value Music Theory & Composition Schools in Michigan

[Music Theory & Composition](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/music/music-theory-and-composition/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 6 schools to find the best return on investment for music theory & composition students.
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2027 Best Value Music Theory & Composition Schools in Michigan
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in music theory & composition, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Music Theory & Composition Schools
Oakland University tops our 2027 list of the best value music theory & composition schools in Michigan. Set in the suburb of Rochester Hills, Oakland University is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $17,167, while out-of-state students pay about $24,735. Typical student debt for music theory & composition graduates is $25,972. Early-career music theory & composition graduates make about $54,785. That is a strong return on a $25,972 median debt. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Michigan Ann Arbor earned it the #2 place for music theory & composition. University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a very large public school located in the city of Ann Arbor. In-state tuition and fees average $18,848, compared with $63,081 for out-of-state students. Music Theory & Composition graduates carry a median of $19,397 in student loans. Early-career music theory & composition graduates make about $29,641. Set against $19,397 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 16% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Western Michigan University earned it the #3 place for music theory & composition. Western Michigan University is a large public school located in the city of Kalamazoo. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,987, compared with $19,952 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for music theory & composition graduates is $27,000. Early-career music theory & composition graduates make about $27,361. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Western Michigan University admits about 85% of applicants.
Eastern Michigan University came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value music theory & composition schools. Set in the suburb of Ypsilanti, Eastern Michigan University is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $16,990. Music Theory & Composition graduates carry a median of $28,781 in student loans. Soon after graduation, music theory & composition degree recipients from Eastern Michigan University generally make around $47,887. Set against $28,781 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Eastern Michigan University admits about 80% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Central Michigan University earned it the #5 place for music theory & composition. Located in the town of Mount Pleasant, Central Michigan University is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $15,480. Students borrow a median of $27,975 to complete the music theory & composition program here. Early-career music theory & composition graduates make about $24,911. That is a strong return on a $27,975 median debt. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
Michigan State University came in at #6 for value in music theory & composition this year. Located in the city of East Lansing, Michigan State University is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $18,079, while out-of-state students pay about $44,850. Music Theory & Composition graduates carry a median of $26,750 in student loans. Soon after graduation, music theory & composition degree recipients from Michigan State University generally make around $40,570. Set against $26,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 85%.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.