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2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k

23 Ranked Colleges
1,118 Degrees Awarded
$24,220 Avg Salary
Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor's in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k

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 Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

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 Massachusetts, there were 1,743 music graduates with average earnings and debt of $25,450 and $31,150 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,118 music graduates with average earnings and debt of $42,887 and $24,387 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking analyzed 23 colleges that offered a degree in music. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality music programs that also have a lower cost than 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.

More Ways to Rank Music Schools

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

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. 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 Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k.

Top 23 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Music (Income $48-$75k) in Massachusetts

#1

Williams College

Williamstown, Massachusetts
#3 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Williams College. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k. Williams is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Williamstown, Massachusetts. It awarded 9 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our massachusetts bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $48-$75k list, Williams has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Williams College is $7,134 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. 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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%.

Read full report on Music at Williams

#2

Harvard University

Cambridge, Massachusetts
#12 in overall quality

Out of the 23 schools in the Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Harvard University landed the #2 spot on the list. Cambridge, Massachusetts is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s music degrees to 6 students in 2019-2020.

Harvard also took the #12 spot in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Harvard is $3,411 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.1% 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%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Music at Harvard

#3

Wellesley College

Wellesley, Massachusetts
#5 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Wellesley College. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k. 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 #5 on our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. The yearly cost to attend Wellesley College is $14,229 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $48-$75k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. 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 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Wellesley College Music Report

#4

Boston College

Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
#2 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Boston College. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k. Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s music degrees to 6 students in 2019-2020.

Boston College also made our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #2. The yearly cost to attend Boston College is $17,113 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The low student loan default rate of 1.2% 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%.

Full Boston College Music Report

#5

University of Massachusetts Amherst

Amherst, Massachusetts

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Massachusetts Amherst. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k list. UMass Amherst is a public institution located in Amherst, Massachusetts. The school has a large population, and it awarded 48 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our massachusetts bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $48-$75k list, UMass Amherst has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Massachusetts Amherst is $18,104 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full UMass Amherst Music Report

#6

College of the Holy Cross

Worcester, Massachusetts
#1 in overall quality

College of the Holy Cross ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k list. Worcester, Massachusetts 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.

Holy Cross also made our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #1. The yearly cost to attend Holy Cross is $22,581 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $48-$75k.

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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. 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%.

Read more about Music at College of the Holy Cross

#7

Northeastern University

Boston, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #7, Northeastern University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k list. Northeastern is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Boston, Massachusetts. It awarded 33 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

Northeastern also made our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #7. It costs about $17,692 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Northeastern University.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%.

Full Northeastern Music Report

#8

Boston University

Boston, Massachusetts

Boston University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Boston U is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Boston, Massachusetts. It awarded 31 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

Boston U also took the #8 spot in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Boston University is $20,231 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. 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%.

Read full report on Music at Boston University

#9

Mount Holyoke College

South Hadley, Massachusetts
#11 in overall quality

Mount Holyoke College ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k list. Mt. Holyoke is a small school located in South Hadley, Massachusetts that handed out 6 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

Mt. Holyoke also made our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #11. The yearly cost to attend Mount Holyoke College is $17,860 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Music at Mount Holyoke College

#10

Tufts University

Medford, Massachusetts
#4 in overall quality

Tufts University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Medford, Massachusetts, and it awarded 12 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

Tufts did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. It costs about $13,525 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Tufts.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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.

Full Tufts University Music Report

#11

Smith College

Northampton, Massachusetts
#15 in overall quality

Smith College came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Smith is a private not-for-profit institution located in Northampton, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 4 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Smith not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. The estimated yearly cost for Smith College is $16,394 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 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

#12

University of Massachusetts - Lowell

Lowell, Massachusetts

University of Massachusetts - Lowell landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Lowell, Massachusetts, and it awarded 54 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our massachusetts bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $48-$75k list, UMass Lowell has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $16,672 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Massachusetts - Lowell.

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%.

Read more about Music at UMass Lowell

#13

Westfield State University

Westfield, Massachusetts

Westfield State University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k list. Westfield State University is a medium-sized school located in Westfield, Massachusetts that handed out 13 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

Westfield also made our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #17. The yearly cost to attend Westfield State University is $17,643 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Music at Westfield State University

#14

Bridgewater State University

Bridgewater, Massachusetts
#20 in overall quality

With a ranking of #14, Bridgewater State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Bridgewater, Massachusetts, this fairly large public school handed out 4 degrees to qualified bachelors’s music students in 2019-2020.

Bridgewater State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #20 on our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. It costs about $18,389 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Bridgewater State.

Full Bridgewater State Music Report

#15

Wheaton College Massachusetts

Norton, Massachusetts
#10 in overall quality

Wheaton College Massachusetts did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #15. Wheaton College Massachusetts is a small school located in Norton, Massachusetts that handed out 11 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

Wheaton College Massachusetts did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. It costs about $22,571 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Wheaton College Massachusetts.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Full Wheaton College Massachusetts Music Report

#16

Salem State University

Salem, Massachusetts

Salem State University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Salem State University is a medium-sized school located in Salem, Massachusetts that handed out 8 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

Salem State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #21 on our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. It costs about $18,547 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Salem State.

Read full report on Music at Salem State University

#17

Brandeis University

Waltham, Massachusetts
#9 in overall quality

Brandeis University ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k list. This medium-sized school is located in Waltham, Massachusetts, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

Brandeis also took the #9 spot in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Brandeis University is $20,122 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Music at Brandeis University

#18

Gordon College

Wenham, Massachusetts
#14 in overall quality

With a ranking of #18, Gordon College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k list. Gordon College is located in Wenham, Massachusetts and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 8 bachelors’s music degrees to qualified students.

Gordon College also took the #14 spot in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Gordon College is $22,933 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. 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.

Read full report on Music at Gordon College

#19

Clark University

Worcester, Massachusetts
#19 in overall quality

Clark University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This small school is located in Worcester, Massachusetts, and it awarded 9 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

Clark did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #19 on our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. The estimated yearly cost for Clark is $21,568 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $48-$75k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 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 1.8%, 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%.

Full Clark University Music Report

#20

University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth

North Dartmouth, Massachusetts
#22 in overall quality

With a ranking of #20, University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in North Dartmouth, Massachusetts, this medium-sized public school awarded 6 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s music students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our massachusetts bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $48-$75k list, UMass Dartmouth has also earned the #22 rank in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UMass Dartmouth is $18,658 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full UMass Dartmouth Music Report

#21

University of Massachusetts - Boston

Boston, Massachusetts
#23 in overall quality

University of Massachusetts - Boston did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #21. Located in Boston, Massachusetts, this fairly large public school handed out 13 degrees to qualified bachelors’s music students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UMass Boston, the school also landed the #23 spot in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UMass Boston is $18,521 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Music at University of Massachusetts - Boston

#22

Berklee College of Music

Boston, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #22, Berklee College of Music did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k list. This medium-sized school is located in Boston, Massachusetts, and it awarded 657 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

Berklee College of Music also made our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #16. The yearly cost to attend Berklee College of Music is $45,959 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $48-$75k.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read full report on Music at Berklee College of Music

#23

Emerson College

Boston, Massachusetts
#18 in overall quality

With a ranking of #23, Emerson College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k list. Boston, Massachusetts is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s music degrees to 1 students in 2019-2020.

Emerson also made our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #18. The estimated yearly cost for Emerson is $41,701 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Music at Emerson

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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