2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k
With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking.
Music is the 40th most popular major in the country with 27,047 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, music graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $25,639 and had an average of $28,653 in loans still to pay off.
Across Illinois, there were 1,073 music graduates with average earnings and debt of $23,747 and $27,432 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 649 music graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,319 and $24,183 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 29 colleges that offered a degree in music. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great music programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.
When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the music 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 the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.
To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.
Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k
The colleges and universities below are the best for illinois bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $0-$30k.
Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Music (Income $0-$30k) in Illinois
Out of the 29 schools in the Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Northwestern University landed the #1 spot on the list. Northwestern University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Evanston, Illinois. It awarded 98 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
Northwestern also made our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #1. It costs about $1,866 for illinois bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Northwestern.
With a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%.
Out of the 29 schools in the Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Chicago landed the #2 spot on the list. UChicago is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 5 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UChicago, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $2,712 for illinois bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UChicago.
The low student loan default rate of 0.6% 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%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. With a freshman retention rate of 100%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Out of the 29 schools in the Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign landed the #3 spot on the list. Champaign, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s music degrees to 51 students in 2019-2020.
UIUC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $5,477 for illinois bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
The student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.
Read full report on Music at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k. This fairly large school is located in Edwardsville, Illinois, and it awarded 23 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
SIUE not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #19 on our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $8,055 for illinois bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend SIUE.
Out of the 29 schools in the Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Eastern Illinois University landed the #5 spot on the list. This medium-sized school is located in Charleston, Illinois, and it awarded 13 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at EIU, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $12,350 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Eastern Illinois University.
Northern Illinois University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #6. This fairly large school is located in Dekalb, Illinois, and it awarded 37 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at NIU, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $15,281 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Northern Illinois University.
Western Illinois University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. Western Illinois University is a medium-sized school located in Macomb, Illinois that handed out 38 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
WIU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $13,942 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Western Illinois University.
Illinois State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #8. Located in Normal, Illinois, this large public school awarded 42 degrees to qualified bachelors’s music students in 2019-2020.
Illinois State also made our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #5. The estimated yearly cost for Illinois State University is $14,470 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $0-$30k.
The low student loan default rate of 4.4% 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%.
University of Illinois at Chicago landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. UIC is a public institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 9 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
UIC also took the #21 spot in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UIC is $10,648 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $0-$30k.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Wheaton College Illinois landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Wheaton College Illinois is a private not-for-profit institution located in Wheaton, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 26 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Wheaton College Illinois did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Wheaton College Illinois is $18,440 for illinois bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $0-$30k.
The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Southern Illinois University Carbondale ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a public institution located in Carbondale, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 10 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
SIUC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #24 on our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $13,658 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Southern Illinois University Carbondale.
Read full report on Music at Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Millikin University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #12. This small school is located in Decatur, Illinois, and it awarded 30 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
Millikin not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Millikin University is $17,656 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $0-$30k.
With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Northeastern Illinois University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. Northeastern Illinois University is a public institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 10 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Northeastern Illinois University also made our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #22. It costs about $14,816 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Northeastern Illinois University.
Read full report on Music at Northeastern Illinois University
North Park University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. North Park University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 14 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
North Park also took the #9 spot in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for North Park is $17,808 for illinois bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $0-$30k.
Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Lake Forest College ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. Lake Forest is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Lake Forest, Illinois. It awarded 7 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $0-$30k list, Lake Forest has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $18,192 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Lake Forest.
The low student loan default rate of 2.5% 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%.
Elmhurst University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #16. Elmhurst, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s music degrees to 16 students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Elmhurst, the school also landed the #18 spot in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Elmhurst is $16,903 for illinois bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $0-$30k.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Bradley University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #17. Bradley University is located in Peoria, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 8 bachelors’s music degrees to qualified students.
Bradley also made our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #10. It costs about $17,205 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Bradley.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
With a ranking of #18, University of St Francis did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. Joliet, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s music degrees to 6 students in 2019-2020.
University of Saint Francis also made our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #25. The yearly cost to attend University of Saint Francis is $15,847 for illinois bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Olivet Nazarene University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Bourbonnais, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s music degrees to 10 students in 2019-2020.
Olivet Nazarene also took the #15 spot in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Olivet Nazarene is $15,806 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Augustana College ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. This small school is located in Rock Island, Illinois, and it awarded 3 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
Augustana did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Augustana College is $20,355 for illinois bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $0-$30k.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
With a ranking of #21, Illinois Wesleyan University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. Bloomington, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s music degrees to 15 students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $0-$30k list, Illinois Wesleyan has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Illinois Wesleyan University is $18,570 for illinois bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.
Knox College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #22. Located in Galesburg, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 10 degrees to qualified bachelors’s music students in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for Knox College is $16,828 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $0-$30k.
The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The low 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%.
North Central College ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. This small school is located in Naperville, Illinois, and it awarded 8 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
North Central also made our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #17. It costs about $18,889 for illinois bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend North Central.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Dominican University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #24. Located in River Forest, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 1 degrees to qualified bachelors’s music students in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend Dominican University is $17,060 for illinois bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $0-$30k.
The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Trinity International University - Illinois ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. Deerfield, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s music degrees to 5 students in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for Trinity International University - Illinois is $17,405 for illinois bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $0-$30k.
The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
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Notes and References
References
- 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).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
Footnotes
- *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
- Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.
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