Find Schools

Study Area & Zipcode

Find Schools Near

2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k

14 Ranked Colleges
284 Degrees Awarded
$22,800 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees*
Best Value Music Schools for a Master's in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

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 Illinois, there were 1,073 music graduates with average earnings and debt of $23,747 and $27,432 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 284 music graduates with average earnings and debt of $57,267 and $46,814 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, we looked at 14 colleges that offer a degree in music. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent music programs, but they also 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.

One Size Does Not Fit All

When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k” list to help you make the college decision.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k.

Top 14 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Music (Income $30-$48k) in Illinois

#1

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois

Out of the 14 schools in the Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Northwestern University landed the #1 spot on the list. Northwestern University is a large school located in Evanston, Illinois that handed out 53 masters’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

Northwestern also made our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” 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 are $56,567.

Read full report on Music at Northwestern University

#2

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Chicago. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k list. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s music degrees to 3 students in 2019-2020.

UChicago did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #0 on our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Chicago are $61,548, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Music at UChicago

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 #3 for the Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k. UIUC is located in Champaign, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 47 masters’s music degrees to qualified students.

UIUC also took the #2 spot in our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign are $30,083, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Music at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

#4

Eastern Illinois University

Charleston, Illinois
#6 in overall quality

Out of the 14 schools in the Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Eastern Illinois University landed the #4 spot on the list. EIU is located in Charleston, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 7 masters’s music degrees to qualified students.

EIU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at EIU are $20,761, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full Eastern Illinois University Music Report

#10 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k list. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is a fairly large school located in Edwardsville, Illinois that handed out 14 masters’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

SIUE not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville are $9,300, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Music at SIUE

#6

Western Illinois University

Macomb, Illinois
#7 in overall quality

Western Illinois University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Macomb, Illinois, and it awarded 13 masters’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

WIU also took the #7 spot in our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Western Illinois University are $11,996, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Music at Western Illinois University

#7

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois

With a ranking of #7, Northern Illinois University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k list. NIU is a fairly large public school situated in Dekalb, Illinois. It awarded 29 masters’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois master’s degree music students whose families make $30-$48k list, NIU has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at NIU are $11,086.

Full Northern Illinois University Music Report

#8

Illinois State University

Normal, Illinois

Illinois State University landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Illinois State University 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 Illinois” list, coming in at #3. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Illinois State University are $11,069.

Read more about Music at Illinois State University

With a ranking of #9, Southern Illinois University Carbondale did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k list. This fairly large school is located in Carbondale, Illinois, and it awarded 9 masters’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

SIUC also took the #11 spot in our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at SIUC are $32,928, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Music at Southern Illinois University Carbondale

#12 in overall quality

With a ranking of #10, Northeastern Illinois University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k list. Northeastern Illinois University is a public institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 6 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Northeastern Illinois University also made our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #12. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Northeastern Illinois University are $17,032.

Read full report on Music at Northeastern Illinois University

#11

North Park University

Chicago, Illinois

North Park University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 4 degrees to qualified masters’s music students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois master’s degree music students whose families make $30-$48k list, North Park has also earned the #0 rank in our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at North Park are $14,076.

Full North Park University Music Report

#12

Roosevelt University

Chicago, Illinois

Roosevelt University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Roosevelt University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 23 masters’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

Roosevelt also took the #5 spot in our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Roosevelt are $21,605, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full Roosevelt Music Report

#13

Columbia College Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

Columbia College Chicago landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 11 diplomas to qualified masters’s music students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois master’s degree music students whose families make $30-$48k list, Columbia has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Columbia are $2,350, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Music at Columbia

#14

DePaul University

Chicago, Illinois

DePaul University landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 40 diplomas to qualified masters’s music students in 2019-2020.

DePaul also took the #4 spot in our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at DePaul University are $19,760.

Full DePaul Music Report

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.

Featured Performing Arts Schools

Find Schools Near You