2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k
When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. 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 Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
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 Great Lakes region, there were 4,025 music graduates with average earnings and debt of $25,684 and $28,070 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 1,125 music graduates with average earnings and debt of $57,039 and $42,488 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking looked at 41 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.
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. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
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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 Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k”.
We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.
Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k.
Top 25 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Music (Income $0-$30k) in the Great Lakes Region
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northwestern University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Northwestern is located in Evanston, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 53 masters’s music degrees to qualified students.
Northwestern also made our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #1. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Northwestern University are $56,567.
Out of the 41 schools in the Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor landed the #2 spot on the list. U-M is a public institution located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 77 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
U-M also took the #2 spot in our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor are $49,548, but some majors have different tuition rates.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Chicago. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k. University of Chicago is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 3 masters’s music degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our great lakes region master’s degree music students whose families make $0-$30k list, UChicago has also earned the #0 rank in our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Chicago are $61,548, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Madison, Wisconsin, and it awarded 19 masters’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
UW - Madison did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of Wisconsin - Madison are $25,523.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k. UIUC is a public institution located in Champaign, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 47 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
UIUC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UIUC are $30,083.
With a ranking of #6, Indiana University - Bloomington did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. IU Bloomington is a large public school situated in Bloomington, Indiana. It awarded 193 masters’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at IU Bloomington, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at IU Bloomington are $33,338.
Read full report on Music at Indiana University - Bloomington
Michigan State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #7. Michigan State University is a public institution located in East Lansing, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 49 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Michigan State also took the #4 spot in our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Michigan State University are $37,056.
Ohio State University - Main Campus landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Ohio State is located in Columbus, Ohio and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 12 masters’s music degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Ohio State, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Ohio State University - Main Campus are $37,141, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis is a large public school situated in Indianapolis, Indiana. It awarded 8 masters’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at IUPUI are $26,013.
Read full report on Music at Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis
Oberlin College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Oberlin is a small school located in Oberlin, Ohio that handed out 1 masters’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
Oberlin also took the #0 spot in our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Oberlin are $29,105.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. SIUE is a public institution located in Edwardsville, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 14 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at SIUE are $9,300, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Eastern Illinois University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. EIU is a medium-sized public school situated in Charleston, Illinois. It awarded 7 masters’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
EIU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #19 on our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Eastern Illinois University are $20,761, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Indiana University - South Bend did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #13. Indiana University - South Bend is a small public school situated in South Bend, Indiana. It awarded 2 masters’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our great lakes region master’s degree music students whose families make $0-$30k list, Indiana University - South Bend has also earned the #0 rank in our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Indiana University - South Bend are $18,275.
Read full report on Music at Indiana University - South Bend
Ball State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #14. Ball State is a public institution located in Muncie, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 8 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Ball State, the school also landed the #21 spot in our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Ball State University are $26,204, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Oakland University ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Oakland is a fairly large public school situated in Rochester Hills, Michigan. It awarded 4 masters’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
Oakland not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #22 on our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Oakland University are $24,648, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Central Michigan University landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, this fairly large public school handed out 11 degrees to qualified masters’s music students in 2019-2020.
Central Michigan did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Central Michigan are $19,359.
Indiana State University landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Indiana State University is located in Terre Haute, Indiana and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 1 masters’s music degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Indiana State, the school also landed the #0 spot in our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Indiana State University are $15,346, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Northern Illinois University ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. NIU is a fairly large school located in Dekalb, Illinois that handed out 29 masters’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
NIU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #25 on our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Northern Illinois University are $11,086, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Youngstown State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #19. Youngstown, Ohio is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s music degrees to 10 students in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at Youngstown State University are $9,495, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. UWM is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 32 masters’s music degrees to qualified students.
UWM also took the #20 spot in our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UWM are $25,295.
Illinois State University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Illinois State is a large school located in Normal, Illinois that handed out 25 masters’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
Illinois State also made our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #13. Average graduate tuition and fees at Illinois State University are $11,069, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Western Illinois University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #22. This medium-sized school is located in Macomb, Illinois, and it awarded 13 masters’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
WIU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #24 on our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at WIU are $11,996.
With a ranking of #23, Miami University - Oxford did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Miami University - Oxford is a fairly large public school situated in Oxford, Ohio. It awarded 6 masters’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
Miami University - Oxford did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Miami University - Oxford are $31,697, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
With a ranking of #24, Wayne State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Detroit, Michigan is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s music degrees to 5 students in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at Wayne State are $37,215, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Southern Illinois University Carbondale landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Southern Illinois University Carbondale is located in Carbondale, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 9 masters’s music degrees to qualified students.
Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Southern Illinois University Carbondale are $32,928.
Read more about Music at Southern Illinois University Carbondale
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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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