2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k
When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
In 2019-2020, 27,047 people earned their degree in music, making the major the 40th most popular in the United States. 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 Plains States region, there were 1,454 music graduates with average earnings and debt of $26,717 and $27,428 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 944 music graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,786 and $25,576 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking looked at 64 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in music. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great music programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.
To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the music program at the school. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
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One Size Does Not Fit All
The music school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k”.
In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. 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 the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k
The colleges and universities below are the best for plains states 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 Plains States Region
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Washington University in St Louis. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Located in Saint Louis, Missouri, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 8 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s music students in 2019-2020.
WUSTL also made our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #1. The yearly cost to attend WUSTL is $5,273 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $0-$30k.
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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Truman State University. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Located in Kirksville, Missouri, this small public school handed out 23 degrees to qualified bachelors’s music students in 2019-2020.
Truman State also took the #6 spot in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Truman State University is $7,564 for plains states region bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, 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 88%.
Out of the 64 schools in the Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Carleton College landed the #3 spot on the list. This small school is located in Northfield, Minnesota, and it awarded 9 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Carleton, the school also landed the #15 spot in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Carleton is $9,579 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $0-$30k.
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. The low 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Minnesota - Morris. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Minnesota - Morris is a small school located in Morris, Minnesota that handed out 8 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend UMN Morris is $4,230 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $0-$30k.
The low student loan default rate of 2.9% 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%.
Out of the 64 schools in the Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, St Olaf College landed the #5 spot on the list. Northfield, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s music degrees to 50 students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $0-$30k list, St. Olaf has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for St. Olaf is $12,459 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is a large public school situated in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It awarded 32 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
UMN Twin Cities not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is $7,266 for plains states 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 93%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
With a ranking of #7, University of Minnesota - Duluth did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. UMN Duluth is a fairly large school located in Duluth, Minnesota that handed out 13 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
UMN Duluth also made our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #25. The estimated yearly cost for UMN Duluth is $7,443 for plains states region bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Iowa State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #8. Iowa State University is located in Ames, Iowa and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 8 bachelors’s music degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $0-$30k list, Iowa State has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Iowa State is $10,054 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $0-$30k.
With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
University of Northern Iowa came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. UNI is a medium-sized public school situated in Cedar Falls, Iowa. It awarded 26 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
UNI did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $10,757 for plains states region bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Northern Iowa.
With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
With a ranking of #10, North Dakota State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Fargo, North Dakota, this fairly large public school awarded 11 degrees to qualified bachelors’s music students in 2019-2020.
North Dakota State University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for North Dakota State University is $11,524 for plains states region bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
With a ranking of #11, University of Missouri - Columbia did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Missouri - Columbia is located in Columbia, Missouri and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 23 bachelors’s music degrees to qualified students.
Mizzou also made our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #14. The yearly cost to attend University of Missouri - Columbia is $10,940 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $0-$30k.
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 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Winona State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #12. Located in Winona, Minnesota, this medium-sized public school handed out 2 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s music students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $0-$30k list, Winona State has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Winona State University is $12,381 for plains states region bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $0-$30k.
The low student loan default rate of 3.4% 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 Nebraska - Lincoln ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Lincoln, Nebraska, and it awarded 21 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
UNL not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend UNL is $12,216 for plains states 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 85%. 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%.
University of Missouri - St Louis came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Missouri - St Louis is located in Saint Louis, Missouri and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 20 bachelors’s music degrees to qualified students.
The yearly cost to attend UMSL is $7,401 for plains states region bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $0-$30k.
With a ranking of #15, Saint Cloud State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Saint Cloud State University is located in Saint Cloud, Minnesota and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 10 bachelors’s music degrees to qualified students.
It costs about $10,688 for plains states region bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Saint Cloud State University.
University of Nebraska at Omaha did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #16. University of Nebraska at Omaha is a fairly large school located in Omaha, Nebraska that handed out 16 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $10,490 for plains states region bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UNOMAHA.
Read full report on Music at University of Nebraska at Omaha
Minnesota State University - Mankato landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Minnesota State Mankato is a public institution located in Mankato, Minnesota. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 4 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Minnesota State Mankato not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #23 on our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Minnesota State Mankato is $11,057 for Plains States Region 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%.
With a ranking of #18, University of Iowa did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Iowa City, Iowa, and it awarded 46 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
Iowa not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $12,975 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Iowa.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Bemidji State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #19. Bemidji, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s music degrees to 6 students in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend Bemidji State University is $10,632 for plains states region bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $0-$30k.
University of North Dakota ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of North Dakota is a fairly large public school situated in Grand Forks, North Dakota. It awarded 9 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
UND not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #22 on our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of North Dakota is $11,092 for plains states region bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Fort Hays State University ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Fort Hays State University is a public institution located in Hays, Kansas. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $9,464 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend FHSU.
Grinnell College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #22. Grinnell College is a small school located in Grinnell, Iowa that handed out 10 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
Grinnell also made our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #21. The yearly cost to attend Grinnell is $11,945 for plains states region bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Southwest Minnesota State University landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Marshall, Minnesota, this medium-sized public school awarded 1 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s music students in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for Southwest Minnesota State University is $10,801 for plains states region bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $0-$30k.
Kansas State University ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. K -State is located in Manhattan, Kansas and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 14 bachelors’s music degrees to qualified students.
K -State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #20 on our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Kansas State University is $14,232 for Plains States 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 87%.
University of Nebraska at Kearney ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This medium-sized school is located in Kearney, Nebraska, and it awarded 8 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
UNK not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #17 on our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $13,078 for plains states region bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UNK.
The low student loan default rate of 4.3% 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%.
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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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