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2022 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Music in Illinois (With Aid)

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

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. 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 Illinois For Those Getting Aid” 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 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.

This year’s “Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid” ranking looked at 14 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in music. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality music programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the music program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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 for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

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. 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 Getting Aid

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid.

Top 14 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Music in Illinois (With Aid)

Out of the 14 schools in the Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign landed the #1 spot on the list. This large school is located in Champaign, Illinois, and it awarded 47 masters’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

UIUC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at UIUC are $30,083, but some majors have different tuition rates.

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

#2

Eastern Illinois University

Charleston, Illinois
#6 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Eastern Illinois University. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid. Charleston, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s music degrees to 7 students in 2019-2020.

EIU also took the #6 spot in our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at EIU are $20,761, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Music at Eastern Illinois University

#10 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid. SIUE is a fairly large school located in Edwardsville, Illinois that handed out 14 masters’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

SIUE did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #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 you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Music at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

#4

Western Illinois University

Macomb, Illinois
#7 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Western Illinois University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid. This medium-sized school is located in Macomb, Illinois, and it awarded 13 masters’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

WIU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at WIU are $11,996, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full Western Illinois University Music Report

#12 in overall quality

Out of the 14 schools in the Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Northeastern Illinois University landed the #5 spot on the list. Northeastern Illinois University is a medium-sized public school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 6 masters’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

Northeastern Illinois University also made our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #12. Average graduate tuition and fees at Northeastern Illinois University are $17,032, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Music at Northeastern Illinois University

#6

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois

Northern 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 Getting Aid ranking. Northern Illinois University 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 with aid 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 Northern Illinois University are $11,086.

Read more about Music at NIU

Southern Illinois University Carbondale landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking. Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a public institution located in Carbondale, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 9 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

SIUC also made our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #11. 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.

Full Southern Illinois University Carbondale Music Report

#8

North Park University

Chicago, Illinois

North Park University landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking. North Park is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 4 masters’s music degrees to qualified students.

North Park not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #0 on our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at North Park are $14,076, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Music at North Park

#9

Illinois State University

Normal, Illinois

With a ranking of #9, Illinois State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid list. Illinois State is located in Normal, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 25 masters’s music degrees to qualified students.

Illinois State also made our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #3. Average graduate tuition and fees at Illinois State University are $11,069, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Music at Illinois State

#10

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois

With a ranking of #10, Northwestern University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Evanston, Illinois, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 53 diplomas to qualified masters’s music students in 2019-2020.

Northwestern did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Northwestern University are $56,567, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Music at Northwestern University

#11

Roosevelt University

Chicago, Illinois

With a ranking of #11, Roosevelt University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid list. 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.

Read full report on Music at Roosevelt

#12

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

University of Chicago ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid 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 also made our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #0. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of Chicago are $61,548.

Full University of Chicago Music Report

#13

Columbia College Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

With a ranking of #13, Columbia College Chicago did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 11 diplomas to qualified masters’s music students in 2019-2020.

Columbia not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. 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 College Chicago

#14

DePaul University

Chicago, Illinois

DePaul University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking. This large school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 40 masters’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at DePaul, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at DePaul are $19,760, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

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.

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