2027 Best Value Music Schools in Indiana

[Music](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/music/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 6 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for music students.
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2027 Best Value Music Schools in Indiana
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in music, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Music Schools
Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis tops our 2027 list of the best value music schools in Indiana. Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis is a very large public school located in the city of Indianapolis. Students from in state pay about $10,762 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $34,891. Students borrow a median of $23,146 to complete the music program here. Early-career music graduates make about $56,930. Set against $23,146 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 76%.
A rank of #2 makes Indiana University Bloomington one of the best values for music. Located in the city of Bloomington, Indiana University Bloomington is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $12,144 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $41,891. Students borrow a median of $20,769 to complete the music program here. Soon after graduation, music degree recipients from Indiana University Bloomington generally make around $28,328. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Indiana University Bloomington admits about 78% of applicants.
Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne is a great value for students pursuing a degree in music, landing the #3 spot this year. Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Fort Wayne. Students from in state pay about $9,532 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $22,887. Typical student debt for music graduates is $24,119. Early-career music graduates make about $49,424. Set against $24,119 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne admits about 84% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in music will find it at Ball State University, which ranked #4. Set in the city of Muncie, Ball State University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $11,082, compared with $29,630 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for music graduates is $24,518. Music graduates of Ball State University earn a median of $47,863 early in their careers. Set against $24,518 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Ball State University admits about 86% of applicants.
A rank of #5 makes Depauw University one of the best values for music. Depauw University is a small private not-for-profit school located in the town of Greencastle. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $59,070. Typical student debt for music graduates is $27,000. Early-career music graduates make about $46,127. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Depauw University admits about 57% of applicants.
Butler University earned the #6 position for value in music this year. Butler University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Indianapolis. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $47,560. Students borrow a median of $24,170 to complete the music program here. Early-career music graduates make about $68,222. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Butler University admits about 85% of applicants.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.