by our College Data Analytics TeamFor its 2024 ranking, College Factual looked at 100 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for music theory & composition students pursuing a bachelor's degree. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 655 bachelor's degrees in music theory & composition during the 2020-2021 academic year.
Jump to one of the following sections: * Our Methodology
The music composition bachelor's degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. Important measures of a quality music composition program can vary widely even among the top schools. When choosing a school we recommend considering some of the following factors:
A school that excels in educating for a particular major and degree level must be a great school overall as well. To make it into this list a school must rank well in our overall Best Colleges ranking. This ranking considered factors such as graduation rates, overall graduate earnings and other educational resources to identify great colleges and universities.
In addition to the above, you should consider some of the following factors:
Our complete ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best colleges for music theory & composition students working on their bachelor's degree.
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we've developed the Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor's Degree Schools ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
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. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don't forget it.
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
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Learn about the top ranked colleges and universities for music theory & composition students seeking a a bachelor's degree. Only those schools that rank in the top 15% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list.
Any student pursuing a degree in a bachelor's degree in music theory & composition has to check out Northwestern University. Northwestern is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Evanston.More information about a bachelor’s in music theory & composition from Northwestern University
It is hard to beat University of Southern California if you wish to pursue a bachelor's degree in music theory & composition. USC is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Los Angeles.More information about a bachelor’s in music theory & composition from University of Southern California
The Juilliard School is a great option for individuals pursuing a bachelor's degree in music theory & composition. Located in the large city of New York, Juilliard is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.More information about a bachelor’s in music theory & composition from The Juilliard School
Any student pursuing a degree in a bachelor's degree in music theory & composition needs to take a look at Rice University. Rice is a medium-sized private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Houston.More information about a bachelor’s in music theory & composition from Rice University
The University of Texas at Austin is a good decision for students interested in a bachelor's degree in music theory & composition. Located in the large city of Austin, UT Austin is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in music theory & composition from The University of Texas at Austin
Vanderbilt is a large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Nashville.More information about a bachelor’s in music theory & composition from Vanderbilt University
U-M is a very large public university located in the midsize city of Ann Arbor.More information about a bachelor’s in music theory & composition from University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Located in the large city of New York, NYU is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in music theory & composition from New York University
Located in the city of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in music theory & composition from Carnegie Mellon University
Located in the small city of East Lansing, Michigan State is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in music theory & composition from Michigan State University
Located in the large city of Los Angeles, UCLA is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in music theory & composition from University of California - Los Angeles
Located in the suburb of Dallas, SMU is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in music theory & composition from Southern Methodist University
Located in the city of Fort Worth, TCU is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in music theory & composition from Texas Christian University
Located in the small city of Coral Gables, U Miami is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in music theory & composition from University of Miami
Located in the fringe town of Oberlin, Oberlin is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.More information about a bachelor’s in music theory & composition from Oberlin College
Located in the city of Champaign, UIUC is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in music theory & composition from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
These are some additional schools worth mentioning that are also great but just didn't quite make the cut to earn our top Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor's Degree Schools award.
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 16 | Johns Hopkins University | Baltimore, MD |
| 17 | Boston University | Boston, MA |
| 18 | Florida State University | Tallahassee, FL |
| 19 | University of Rochester | Rochester, NY |
| 20 | Belmont University | Nashville, TN |
| 21 | Manhattan School of Music | New York, NY |
| 21 | University of Washington - Seattle Campus | Seattle, WA |
| 22 | The New School | New York, NY |
| 23 | Chapman University | Orange, CA |
| 24 | University of North Texas | Denton, TX |
| 25 | Berklee College of Music | Boston, MA |
View the Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor's Degree Schools for a specific region near you.
One of 17 majors within the Music area of study, Music Theory & Composition has other similar majors worth exploring.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| General Music | 7,729 |
| Music Performance | 4,124 |
| Other Music | 778 |
| Music Technology | 637 |
| Jazz Studies | 379 |
| Voice Performance | 331 |
| Stringed Instruments | 180 |
| Keyboard Instruments | 164 |
| Music Pedagogy | 122 |
| Music History | 115 |
