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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Music in Tennessee

20 Ranked Colleges
551 Degrees Awarded
$18,900 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor's in Tennessee

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. 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 for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee” ranking is part of that endeavor.

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 Tennessee, there were 745 music graduates with average earnings and debt of $26,471 and $26,504 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 551 music graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee” ranking, we looked at 20 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. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

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 Tennessee” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. 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 Tennessee

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee.

Top 20 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Music in Tennessee

#1

Middle Tennessee State University

Murfreesboro, Tennessee

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Middle Tennessee State University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee list. Middle Tennessee State University is located in Murfreesboro, Tennessee and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 98 bachelors’s music degrees to qualified students.

Middle Tennessee State University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” list. The estimated yearly cost for Middle Tennessee State University is $12,464 for Tennessee Bachelor’s Degree Music students.

Read full report on Music at Middle Tennessee State University

#2

Tennessee Technological University

Cookeville, Tennessee

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Tennessee Technological University. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee. Tennessee Tech University is a fairly large school located in Cookeville, Tennessee that handed out 26 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

Tennessee Tech University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” list. The yearly cost to attend Tennessee Tech University is $15,929 for tennessee bachelor’s degree music students.

The low 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%.

Read more about Music at Tennessee Technological University

Out of the 20 schools in the Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee that were part of this year’s ranking, The University of Tennessee - Martin landed the #3 spot on the list. This medium-sized school is located in Martin, Tennessee, and it awarded 13 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

UT Martin not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” list. The estimated yearly cost for UT Martin is $10,955 for tennessee bachelor’s degree music students.

Read more about Music at The University of Tennessee - Martin

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee list. The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga is a public institution located in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 10 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UT Chattanooga not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” list. The yearly cost to attend UT Chattanooga is $12,952 for tennessee bachelor’s degree music students.

Read full report on Music at UT Chattanooga

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend The University of Tennessee - Knoxville. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee. UT Knoxville is a large school located in Knoxville, Tennessee that handed out 34 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

UT Knoxville not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” list. It costs about $18,825 for Tennessee Bachelor’s Degree Music students per year to attend UT Knoxville.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%.

Full The University of Tennessee - Knoxville Music Report

#6

Austin Peay State University

Clarksville, Tennessee

Austin Peay State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee ranking, coming in at #6. Austin Peay State University is a fairly large public school situated in Clarksville, Tennessee. It awarded 19 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

Austin Peay State University also took the #14 spot in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Austin Peay State University is $13,692 for tennessee bachelor’s degree music students.

Full Austin Peay State University Music Report

#7

University of Memphis

Memphis, Tennessee

With a ranking of #7, University of Memphis did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee list. UofM is located in Memphis, Tennessee and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 38 bachelors’s music degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UofM, the school also landed the #15 spot in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking. It costs about $13,248 for tennessee bachelor’s degree music students per year to attend UofM.

Full UofM Music Report

#8

East Tennessee State University

Johnson City, Tennessee

With a ranking of #8, East Tennessee State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee list. Located in Johnson City, Tennessee, this fairly large public school awarded 27 degrees to qualified bachelors’s music students in 2019-2020.

ETSU also made our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” list, coming in at #16. The estimated yearly cost for East Tennessee State University is $14,332 for tennessee bachelor’s degree music students.

Full East Tennessee State University Music Report

#9

Lee University

Cleveland, Tennessee

Lee University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee list. Cleveland, Tennessee is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s music degrees to 18 students in 2019-2020.

Lee University also made our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” list, coming in at #7. It costs about $17,696 for Tennessee Bachelor’s Degree Music students per year to attend Lee University.

Read full report on Music at Lee University

#10

Tennessee State University

Nashville, Tennessee

Tennessee State University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee ranking. Tennessee State University is a public institution located in Nashville, Tennessee. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 10 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Tennessee State University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #17 on our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” list. The yearly cost to attend Tennessee State University is $12,443 for tennessee bachelor’s degree music students.

Read more about Music at Tennessee State University

#11

Union University

Jackson, Tennessee

Union University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee ranking, coming in at #11. Located in Jackson, Tennessee, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 8 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s music students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Union, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking. It costs about $28,249 for tennessee bachelor’s degree music students per year to attend Union.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Music at Union

#12

Freed-Hardeman University

Henderson, Tennessee
#13 in overall quality

Freed-Hardeman University landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee ranking. This small school is located in Henderson, Tennessee, and it awarded 4 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our tennessee bachelor’s degree music students list, FHU has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Freed-Hardeman University is $16,703 for Tennessee Bachelor’s Degree Music students.

Full Freed-Hardeman University Music Report

#13

Trevecca Nazarene University

Nashville, Tennessee
#8 in overall quality

Trevecca Nazarene University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee list. TNU is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Nashville, Tennessee. It awarded 7 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

TNU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” list. The yearly cost to attend TNU is $17,499 for tennessee bachelor’s degree music students.

Read more about Music at TNU

#14

Southern Adventist University

Collegedale, Tennessee
#19 in overall quality

With a ranking of #14, Southern Adventist University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee list. Southern Adventist University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Collegedale, Tennessee. It awarded 4 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

Southern Adventist not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #19 on our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” list. It costs about $22,661 for Tennessee Bachelor’s Degree Music students per year to attend Southern Adventist.

Read more about Music at Southern Adventist University

#15

Belmont University

Nashville, Tennessee

With a ranking of #15, Belmont University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee list. Belmont is a medium-sized school located in Nashville, Tennessee that handed out 107 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

Belmont also took the #3 spot in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking. It costs about $35,548 for tennessee bachelor’s degree music students per year to attend Belmont.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Belmont Music Report

#16

Milligan University

Milligan College, Tennessee
#18 in overall quality

Milligan University ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee list. Milligan University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Milligan College, Tennessee. It awarded 1 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

Milligan also took the #18 spot in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Milligan is $19,806 for Tennessee Bachelor’s Degree Music students.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The 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.

Full Milligan Music Report

#17

Lipscomb University

Nashville, Tennessee
#10 in overall quality

Lipscomb University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee ranking. Lipscomb University is located in Nashville, Tennessee and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 14 bachelors’s music degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our tennessee bachelor’s degree music students list, Lipscomb has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Lipscomb is $24,749 for tennessee bachelor’s degree music students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Music at Lipscomb University

#18

Visible Music College

Memphis, Tennessee

With a ranking of #18, Visible Music College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee list. This small school is located in Memphis, Tennessee, and it awarded 4 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Visible Music College, the school also landed the #20 spot in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking. It costs about $22,807 for Tennessee Bachelor’s Degree Music students per year to attend Visible Music College.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Visible Music College Music Report

#19

Rhodes College

Memphis, Tennessee
#2 in overall quality

Rhodes College landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee ranking. Rhodes College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Memphis, Tennessee. It awarded 11 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

Rhodes College also took the #2 spot in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Rhodes College is $27,540 for tennessee bachelor’s degree music students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Rhodes College Music Report

#20

Vanderbilt University

Nashville, Tennessee

Vanderbilt University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Tennessee ranking, coming in at #20. Located in Nashville, Tennessee, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 50 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s music students in 2019-2020.

Vanderbilt not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Tennessee” list. It costs about $19,432 for Tennessee Bachelor’s Degree Music students per year to attend Vanderbilt University.

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 low 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 student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Music at Vanderbilt University

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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