2023 Best Value Music Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k
73
Ranked Colleges
4,060
Degrees Awarded
$19,000
Avg Net Price*
Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Music Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking is part of that endeavor.
Music is the 43rd most popular major in the country with 25,910 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, music graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $27,160 and had an average of $24,560 in loans still to pay off.
Across the Great Lakes region, there were 4,060 music graduates with average earnings and debt of $27,923 and $25,259 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Music Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking analyzed 73 colleges that offered a degree 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. 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 in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.
To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most 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 in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Music Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k.
Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Music (Income $75-$110k) in the Great Lakes Region
Out of the 73 schools in the Best Value Music Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k that were part of this year’s ranking, Northwestern University landed the #1 spot on the list. This large school is located in Evanston, Illinois, and it awarded 156 ’s music degrees in 2020-2021.
Northwestern also took the #1 spot in our “Best Music Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $15,686 for great lakes region music students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Northwestern.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Northwestern Music Report
Out of the 73 schools in the Best Value Music Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, this large public school handed out 199 degrees to qualified ’s music students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region music students whose families make $75-$110k list, U-M has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Music Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $17,207 for great lakes region music students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Music at U-M
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Indiana University - Bloomington. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Music Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. Located in Bloomington, Indiana, this large public school awarded 374 degrees to qualified ’s music students in 2020-2021.
IU Bloomington did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Music Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend IU Bloomington is $20,234 for Great Lakes Region Music students whose families make $75-$110k.
With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Music at Indiana University - Bloomington
Out of the 73 schools in the Best Value Music Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Notre Dame landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in Notre Dame, Indiana, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 21 diplomas to qualified ’s music students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Notre Dame, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Music Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Notre Dame is $18,969 for great lakes region music students whose families make $75-$110k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The undergraduate 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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Music at Notre Dame
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Sinclair Community College. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Music Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k. This fairly large school is located in Dayton, Ohio, and it awarded 6 ’s music degrees in 2020-2021.
It costs about $7,355 for great lakes region music students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Sinclair Community College.
Read full report on Music at Sinclair Community College
University of Wisconsin - Madison landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Best Value Music Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. UW - Madison is located in Madison, Wisconsin and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 69 ’s music degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW - Madison, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Music Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Madison is $22,377 for great lakes region music students whose families make $75-$110k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about Music at University of Wisconsin - Madison
Oakland University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. Oakland University is a fairly large school located in Rochester Hills, Michigan that handed out 19 ’s music degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for Oakland is $16,142 for great lakes region music students whose families make $75-$110k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Music at Oakland University
With a ranking of #8, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Music Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. UIUC is a large school located in Champaign, Illinois that handed out 129 ’s music degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UIUC, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Music Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is $22,400 for great lakes region music students whose families make $75-$110k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, 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 94%.
Full University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Music Report
Michigan State University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Michigan State is a large public school situated in East Lansing, Michigan. It awarded 208 ’s music degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region music students whose families make $75-$110k list, Michigan State has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Music Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Michigan State University is $25,297 for Great Lakes Region Music students whose families make $75-$110k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, 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 91%.
Full Michigan State Music Report
University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Best Value Music Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. UW - Stevens Point is located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 12 ’s music degrees to qualified students.
The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point is $16,503 for great lakes region music students whose families make $75-$110k.
Read full report on Music at University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point
With a ranking of #11, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Music Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. UW - Eau Claire is located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 48 ’s music degrees to qualified students.
UW - Eau Claire not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #20 on our “Best Music Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire is $18,816 for Great Lakes Region Music students whose families make $75-$110k.
Read more about Music at UW - Eau Claire
University of Wisconsin - Whitewater did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Music Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #12. This fairly large school is located in Whitewater, Wisconsin, and it awarded 26 ’s music degrees in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend UW - Whitewater is $17,253 for great lakes region music students whose families make $75-$110k.
Read full report on Music at University of Wisconsin - Whitewater
Wheaton College Illinois landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Best Value Music Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Wheaton College Illinois is a small school located in Wheaton, Illinois that handed out 41 ’s music degrees in 2020-2021.
Wheaton College Illinois also made our “Best Music Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #7. The yearly cost to attend Wheaton College Illinois is $23,746 for Great Lakes Region Music students whose families make $75-$110k.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.5% 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 Wheaton College Illinois
Oberlin College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Music Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #14. Oberlin, Ohio is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s music degrees to 107 students in 2020-2021.
Oberlin also made our “Best Music Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #5. The yearly cost to attend Oberlin is $29,172 for great lakes region music students whose families make $75-$110k.
The impressive undergraduate 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. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Oberlin College Music Report
Ohio State University - Main Campus came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. This large school is located in Columbus, Ohio, and it awarded 67 ’s music degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region music students whose families make $75-$110k list, Ohio State has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Music Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $21,575 for Great Lakes Region Music students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Ohio State.
With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Ohio State Music Report
University of Wisconsin - La Crosse ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. Located in La Crosse, Wisconsin, this fairly large public school handed out 7 diplomas to qualified ’s music students in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - La Crosse is $16,472 for great lakes region music students whose families make $75-$110k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Music at University of Wisconsin - La Crosse
University of Wisconsin - River Falls came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. UW - River Falls is a medium-sized school located in River Falls, Wisconsin that handed out 6 ’s music degrees in 2020-2021.
It costs about $16,739 for Great Lakes Region Music students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend UW - River Falls.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Music at University of Wisconsin - River Falls
Bowling Green State University - Main Campus landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Best Value Music Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Bowling Green, Ohio, and it awarded 116 ’s music degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region music students whose families make $75-$110k list, BGSU has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best Music Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend BGSU is $20,603 for Great Lakes Region Music students whose families make $75-$110k.
Full BGSU Music Report
With a ranking of #19, Ball State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Music Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. Located in Muncie, Indiana, this large public school handed out 43 degrees to qualified ’s music students in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend Ball State is $19,563 for Great Lakes Region Music students whose families make $75-$110k.
The low undergrad 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%.
Full Ball State Music Report
Central Michigan University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Music Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #20. Located in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, this fairly large public school awarded 26 diplomas to qualified ’s music students in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend Central Michigan University is $18,135 for great lakes region music students whose families make $75-$110k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.8% 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 Central Michigan University Music Report
Kent State University at Stark ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. Kent State University at Stark is a public institution located in Canton, Ohio. The school has a small population, and it awarded 9 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for Kent State University at Stark is $12,580 for Great Lakes Region Music students whose families make $75-$110k.
Read full report on Music at Kent State University at Stark
University of Cincinnati - Main Campus ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. UC is a public institution located in Cincinnati, Ohio. The school has a large population, and it awarded 253 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UC, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Music Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Cincinnati - Main Campus is $24,534 for Great Lakes Region Music students whose families make $75-$110k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, 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%.
Read full report on Music at University of Cincinnati - Main Campus
Youngstown State University landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Best Value Music Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Youngstown State University is a fairly large school located in Youngstown, Ohio that handed out 21 ’s music degrees in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend Youngstown State University is $15,809 for great lakes region music students whose families make $75-$110k.
Read full report on Music at Youngstown State University
With a ranking of #24, Indiana University - South Bend did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Music Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. Indiana University - South Bend is a public institution located in South Bend, Indiana. The school has a small population, and it awarded 9 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for Indiana University - South Bend is $14,660 for great lakes region music students whose families make $75-$110k.
Read more about Music at Indiana University - South Bend
DePauw University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Music Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #25. This small school is located in Greencastle, Indiana, and it awarded 18 ’s music degrees in 2020-2021.
DePauw also took the #11 spot in our “Best Music Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for DePauw University is $23,092 for great lakes region music students whose families make $75-$110k.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The low undergrad 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about Music at DePauw
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