2026 Best Value Musicology & Ethnomusicology Schools in California
[Musicology & Ethnomusicology](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/music/musicology-and-ethnomusicology/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 5 schools to find the best return on investment for musicology & ethnomusicology students.
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Featured Musicology & Ethnomusicology Programs
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2026 Best Value Musicology & Ethnomusicology Schools in California
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the musicology & ethnomusicology degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Musicology & Ethnomusicology Schools
University Of California Los Angeles tops our 2026 list of the best value musicology & ethnomusicology schools in California. Set in the city of Los Angeles, University Of California Los Angeles is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $14,233, compared with $46,121 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for musicology & ethnomusicology graduates is $23,119. Early-career musicology & ethnomusicology graduates make about $18,823. Set against $23,119 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 9%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of California Santa Cruz earned it the #2 place for musicology & ethnomusicology. University Of California Santa Cruz is a very large public school located in the city of Santa Cruz. In-state tuition and fees average $15,035, with out-of-state students paying around $46,923. Typical student debt for musicology & ethnomusicology graduates is $18,559. Musicology & Ethnomusicology graduates of University Of California Santa Cruz earn a median of $40,920 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 66% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in musicology & ethnomusicology will find it at University Of Southern California, which ranked #3. Set in the city of Los Angeles, University Of Southern California is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $71,647 in tuition and fees. Musicology & Ethnomusicology graduates carry a median of $20,976 in student loans. Musicology & Ethnomusicology graduates of University Of Southern California earn a median of $23,244 early in their careers. Set against $20,976 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 10% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in musicology & ethnomusicology will find it at California Institute Of The Arts, which ranked #4. Set in the suburb of Valencia, California Institute Of The Arts is a small private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $58,996. Musicology & Ethnomusicology graduates carry a median of $23,125 in student loans. Early-career musicology & ethnomusicology graduates make about $18,373. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 32%.
Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.
