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2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k

48 Ranked Colleges
1,541 Degrees Awarded
$9,700 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor's in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. 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 the New England Region 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 the New England region, there were 2,411 music graduates with average earnings and debt of $25,388 and $28,236 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,541 music graduates with average earnings and debt of $41,041 and $24,492 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking looked at 48 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in music. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality music programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the music program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

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 the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k

The colleges and universities below are the best for new england region bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Music (Income $0-$30k) in the New England Region

#1

Yale University

New Haven, Connecticut
#5 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Yale University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Yale is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in New Haven, Connecticut. It awarded 10 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

Yale also made our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” list, coming in at #5. The estimated yearly cost for Yale is $2,125 for New England Region Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The low student loan default rate of 0.9% 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 full report on Music at Yale University

#2

Williams College

Williamstown, Massachusetts
#4 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Williams College. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Williamstown, Massachusetts is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s music degrees to 9 students in 2019-2020.

Williams also took the #4 spot in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Williams College is $2,498 for new england region bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. The impressive 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. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Music at Williams

#3

Dartmouth College

Hanover, New Hampshire
#1 in overall quality

Out of the 48 schools in the Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Dartmouth College landed the #3 spot on the list. Dartmouth College is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Hanover, New Hampshire. It awarded 10 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

Dartmouth also made our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” list, coming in at #1. The estimated yearly cost for Dartmouth is $12,052 for New England Region Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.0% 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 impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Music at Dartmouth College

#4

Brown University

Providence, Rhode Island
#13 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Brown University. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Brown University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Providence, Rhode Island. It awarded 29 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

Brown did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” list. It costs about $201 for new england region bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Brown University.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The 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 92%.

Read full report on Music at Brown University

#5

Harvard University

Cambridge, Massachusetts
#19 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Harvard University. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and it awarded 6 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

Harvard did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #19 on our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” list. It costs about $2,973 for New England Region Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Harvard University.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Harvard University Music Report

#6

Tufts University

Medford, Massachusetts
#6 in overall quality

Tufts University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Tufts is located in Medford, Massachusetts and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 12 bachelors’s music degrees to qualified students.

Tufts did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Tufts University is $5,267 for new england region bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. 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.

Full Tufts Music Report

#7

Middlebury College

Middlebury, Vermont
#15 in overall quality

With a ranking of #7, Middlebury College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Middlebury College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Middlebury, Vermont. It awarded 7 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

Middlebury also took the #15 spot in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Middlebury is $6,161 for new england region bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.0% 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 8 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 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Middlebury College Music Report

#8

Boston College

Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
#3 in overall quality

Boston College landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, and it awarded 6 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

Boston College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” list. It costs about $6,353 for new england region bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Boston College.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Music at Boston College

#9

Wellesley College

Wellesley, Massachusetts
#7 in overall quality

Wellesley College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #9. Wellesley College is located in Wellesley, Massachusetts and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 9 bachelors’s music degrees to qualified students.

Wellesley not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” list. It costs about $8,785 for new england region bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Wellesley College.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 7 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 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Wellesley Music Report

#10

Northeastern University

Boston, Massachusetts

Northeastern University ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Northeastern University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Boston, Massachusetts. The school has a large population, and it awarded 33 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Northeastern not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Northeastern University is $10,239 for new england region bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.2% 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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Music at Northeastern

#11

University of Massachusetts Amherst

Amherst, Massachusetts

University of Massachusetts Amherst came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Massachusetts Amherst is a large public school situated in Amherst, Massachusetts. It awarded 48 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

UMass Amherst also took the #8 spot in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” ranking. It costs about $13,137 for New England Region Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Massachusetts Amherst.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Music at UMass Amherst

#12

College of the Holy Cross

Worcester, Massachusetts
#2 in overall quality

With a ranking of #12, College of the Holy Cross did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Holy Cross is a small school located in Worcester, Massachusetts that handed out 4 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

Holy Cross also took the #2 spot in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for College of the Holy Cross is $15,036 for new england region bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 0.5%, 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 89%. 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.

Full College of the Holy Cross Music Report

#13

Smith College

Northampton, Massachusetts
#22 in overall quality

Smith College came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This small school is located in Northampton, Massachusetts, and it awarded 4 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

Smith not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #22 on our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Smith is $6,075 for new england region bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 7 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 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Music at Smith

#14

Boston University

Boston, Massachusetts

Boston University ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Boston, Massachusetts, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 31 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s music students in 2019-2020.

Boston U also took the #10 spot in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” ranking. It costs about $12,903 for New England Region Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Boston U.

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. 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Music at Boston U

#15

University of Rhode Island

Kingston, Rhode Island

University of Rhode Island landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Kingston, Rhode Island is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s music degrees to 11 students in 2019-2020.

URI did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Rhode Island is $14,309 for new england region bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.2% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read more about Music at University of Rhode Island

#16

Brandeis University

Waltham, Massachusetts
#12 in overall quality

Brandeis University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Brandeis is a medium-sized school located in Waltham, Massachusetts that handed out 7 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

Brandeis not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” list. It costs about $13,567 for new england region bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Brandeis University.

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. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Music at Brandeis University

#17

Rhode Island College

Providence, Rhode Island

Rhode Island College ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Providence, Rhode Island is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s music degrees to 11 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Rhode Island College is $7,691 for New England Region Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Rhode Island College Music Report

#18

University of Vermont

Burlington, Vermont
#24 in overall quality

University of Vermont landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Vermont is located in Burlington, Vermont and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 14 bachelors’s music degrees to qualified students.

UVM also made our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” list, coming in at #24. The estimated yearly cost for UVM is $12,015 for new england region bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 2.4% 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%.

Read more about Music at University of Vermont

#19

University of Southern Maine

Portland, Maine

University of Southern Maine did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #19. University of Southern Maine is a medium-sized school located in Portland, Maine that handed out 12 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of Southern Maine is $8,753 for New England Region Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Music at University of Southern Maine

#20

University of Massachusetts - Lowell

Lowell, Massachusetts

University of Massachusetts - Lowell ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Lowell, Massachusetts is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s music degrees to 54 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UMass Lowell, the school also landed the #20 spot in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UMass Lowell is $11,560 for New England Region Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Music at University of Massachusetts - Lowell

#21

University of Connecticut

Storrs, Connecticut

University of Connecticut ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Storrs, Connecticut, this large public school awarded 42 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s music students in 2019-2020.

UCONN also took the #14 spot in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” ranking. It costs about $12,381 for New England Region Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Connecticut.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Connecticut Music Report

#22

Mount Holyoke College

South Hadley, Massachusetts
#18 in overall quality

With a ranking of #22, Mount Holyoke College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Mt. Holyoke is a small school located in South Hadley, Massachusetts that handed out 6 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Mt. Holyoke, the school also landed the #18 spot in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Mt. Holyoke is $12,063 for New England Region Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 9 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 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Music at Mt. Holyoke

#23

Westfield State University

Westfield, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #23, Westfield State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Westfield State University is located in Westfield, Massachusetts and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 13 bachelors’s music degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $12,672 for new england region bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Westfield State University.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Westfield Music Report

#24

Connecticut College

New London, Connecticut
#23 in overall quality

Connecticut College came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. New London, Connecticut is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s music degrees to 4 students in 2019-2020.

Conn College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #23 on our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Conn College is $18,732 for new england region bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Conn College Music Report

#25

University of Maine

Orono, Maine

University of Maine landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Maine is a fairly large public school situated in Orono, Maine. It awarded 5 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $13,989 for new england region bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UMaine.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Maine Music Report

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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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