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2023 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Music Theory & Composition in the Great Lakes Region

17 Ranked Colleges
55 Degrees Awarded
$31,400 Avg Cost*
Schools for a Master's Highly Focused on Music Composition Major in the Great Lakes Region

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual has developed its “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Composition Major in the Great Lakes Region” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

Music Theory & Composition is the 390th most popular major in the country with 1,175 degrees awarded in 2020-2021.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 167 music theory and composition graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 55 music theory and composition graduates with average earnings and debt of $58,892 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Composition Major in the Great Lakes Region” ranking looked at 17 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in music theory and composition. This a ranking of the schools where the largest percentage of students has enrolled in music theory and composition.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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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 “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Composition Major in the Great Lakes Region” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

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Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Composition Major in the Great Lakes Region

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

Top 17 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Music Theory & Composition in the Great Lakes Region

1
Butler crest
Butler University
Indianapolis, Indiana

Out of the 17 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Composition Major in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Butler University landed the #1 spot on the list. Butler University is located in Indianapolis, Indiana and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 4 masters’s music composition degrees to qualified students.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad 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 Butler

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Bowling Green State University - Main Campus. The school came in at #2 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Composition Major in the Great Lakes Region. Located in Bowling Green, Ohio, this fairly large public school awarded 9 degrees to qualified masters’s music composition students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at Bowling Green State University - Main Campus

3
Roosevelt crest
Roosevelt University
Chicago, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Roosevelt University. The school came in at #3 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Composition Major in the Great Lakes Region. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s music composition degrees to 2 students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Music Theory & Composition at Roosevelt University

4
Michigan State crest
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan

Out of the 17 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Composition Major in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Michigan State University landed the #4 spot on the list. Michigan State is a large public school situated in East Lansing, Michigan. It awarded 14 masters’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Michigan State University Music Theory & Composition Report

5

Out of the 17 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Composition Major in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Cincinnati - Main Campus landed the #5 spot on the list. This large school is located in Cincinnati, Ohio, and it awarded 7 masters’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full UC Music Theory & Composition Report

6
WMU crest
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo, Michigan

Western Michigan University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Composition Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #6. This fairly large school is located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and it awarded 3 masters’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at WMU

7

With a ranking of #7, Ohio University - Athens Campus did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Composition Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Athens, Ohio, this large public school awarded 5 diplomas to qualified masters’s music composition students in 2020-2021.

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

8

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor ranked #8 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Composition Major in the Great Lakes Region list. This large school is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and it awarded 5 masters’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.

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%. 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 University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

9

Kent State University at Kent ranked #9 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Composition Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Kent, Ohio, this large public school awarded 2 diplomas to qualified masters’s music composition students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at Kent State University at Kent

10

University of Akron Main Campus ranked #10 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Composition Major in the Great Lakes Region list. University of Akron Main Campus is a public institution located in Akron, Ohio. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 1 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Full University of Akron Main Campus Music Theory & Composition Report

11
Central Michigan crest
Central Michigan University
Mount Pleasant, Michigan

With a ranking of #11, Central Michigan University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Composition Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Central Michigan is a fairly large public school situated in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. It awarded 1 masters’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.8% 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 Central Michigan University

12
DePaul crest
DePaul University
Chicago, Illinois

DePaul University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Composition Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #12. DePaul University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 1 masters’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full DePaul University Music Theory & Composition Report

13
Northwestern crest
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois

Northwestern University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Composition Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #13. Northwestern University is located in Evanston, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1 masters’s music composition degrees to qualified students.

The undergraduate 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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. 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%.

Full Northwestern University Music Theory & Composition Report

14

With a ranking of #14, Youngstown State University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Composition Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Youngstown State University is a public institution located in Youngstown, Ohio. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 3 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Music Theory & Composition at Youngstown State University

14
Eastern Michigan crest
Eastern Michigan University
Ypsilanti, Michigan

With a ranking of #14, Eastern Michigan University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Composition Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Eastern Michigan is located in Ypsilanti, Michigan and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 0 masters’s music composition degrees to qualified students.

Full Eastern Michigan University Music Theory & Composition Report

14

Cleveland Institute of Music landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Composition Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This small school is located in Cleveland, Ohio, and it awarded 4 masters’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.

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. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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 full report on Music Theory & Composition at Cleveland Institute of Music

14
Oberlin crest
Oberlin College
Oberlin, Ohio

Oberlin College landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Composition Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Oberlin College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Oberlin, Ohio. The school has a small population, and it awarded 2 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Oberlin Music Theory & Composition Report

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