2022 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Music in California
When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in California” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
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 California, there were 3,681 music graduates with average earnings and debt of $20,710 and $32,646 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 526 music graduates with average earnings and debt of $60,281 and $50,119 respectively.
For this year’s “Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in California” ranking, we looked at 23 colleges that offer 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.
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. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
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Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in California
The colleges and universities below are the best for california master’s degree music students.
Top 23 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Music in California
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Los Angeles. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in California. UCLA is a large public school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 26 masters’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
UCLA also made our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #3. Average graduate tuition and fees at UCLA are $28,131, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read more about Music at University of California - Los Angeles
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Northridge. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in California. Located in Northridge, California, this large public school handed out 56 degrees to qualified masters’s music students in 2019-2020.
CSUN also made our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #15. Average graduate tuition and fees at CSUN are $17,955, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Long Beach. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in California. Long Beach, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s music degrees to 32 students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our california master’s degree music students list, CSULB has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at CSULB are $17,784, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Azusa Pacific University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in California. Azusa Pacific is a medium-sized school located in Azusa, California that handed out 28 masters’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
Azusa Pacific also made our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #10. Average graduate tuition and fees at Azusa Pacific are $16,571, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Out of the 23 schools in the Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in California that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Irvine landed the #5 spot on the list. Located in Irvine, California, this large public school awarded 5 degrees to qualified masters’s music students in 2019-2020.
UC Irvine not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UC Irvine are $28,456.
With a ranking of #6, University of California - Santa Barbara did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in California list. Located in Santa Barbara, California, this large public school awarded 8 diplomas to qualified masters’s music students in 2019-2020.
UCSB did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at UCSB are $28,670, but some majors have different tuition rates.
San Diego State University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in California ranking. San Diego State University is located in San Diego, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 13 masters’s music degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our california master’s degree music students list, SDSU has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at SDSU are $18,658.
California State University - Fullerton came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in California ranking. Cal State Fullerton is located in Fullerton, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 21 masters’s music degrees to qualified students.
Cal State Fullerton did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Cal State Fullerton are $17,892.
Read more about Music at California State University - Fullerton
With a ranking of #9, San Jose State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in California list. San Jose State is a large school located in San Jose, California that handed out 9 masters’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at San Jose State, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at San Jose State University are $18,790, but some majors have different tuition rates.
University of California - San Diego ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in California list. University of California - San Diego is located in La Jolla, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 4 masters’s music degrees to qualified students.
UCSD did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UCSD are $28,631.
San Francisco State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in California ranking, coming in at #11. SFSU is a large school located in San Francisco, California that handed out 13 masters’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our california master’s degree music students list, SFSU has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at San Francisco State University are $17,944, but some majors have different tuition rates.
With a ranking of #12, California State University - Los Angeles did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in California list. This large school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 16 masters’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
Cal State LA also made our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #19. Average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Los Angeles are $17,723, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read full report on Music at California State University - Los Angeles
With a ranking of #13, University of California - Berkeley did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in California list. UC Berkeley is located in Berkeley, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 4 masters’s music degrees to qualified students.
UC Berkeley also made our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #6. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of California - Berkeley are $29,347, but some majors have different tuition rates.
California State University - Fresno landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in California ranking. California State University - Fresno is located in Fresno, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 7 masters’s music degrees to qualified students.
Fresno State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #23 on our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Fresno are $17,581.
California State University - Sacramento did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in California ranking, coming in at #15. Sac State is located in Sacramento, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 6 masters’s music degrees to qualified students.
Sac State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #21 on our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Sac State are $18,356, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read full report on Music at California State University - Sacramento
University of Redlands ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in California list. University of Redlands is located in Redlands, California and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 15 masters’s music degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our california master’s degree music students list, University of Redlands has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Redlands are $22,852, but some majors have different tuition rates.
University of California - Santa Cruz landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in California ranking. Santa Cruz, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s music degrees to 4 students in 2019-2020.
UC Santa Cruz did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #18 on our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UC Santa Cruz are $28,952.
Read full report on Music at University of California - Santa Cruz
Academy of Art University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in California ranking, coming in at #18. Academy of Art University is located in San Francisco, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 16 masters’s music degrees to qualified students.
Academy of Art University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #22 on our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Academy of Art University are $27,688, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Mills College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in California ranking, coming in at #19. Oakland, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s music degrees to 15 students in 2019-2020.
Mills not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #17 on our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Mills are $36,263.
University of Southern California ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in California list. USC is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 81 masters’s music degrees to qualified students.
USC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at USC are $48,715, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
California Institute of the Arts landed the #21 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in California ranking. California Institute of the Arts is a small school located in Valencia, California that handed out 35 masters’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
CalArts not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at California Institute of the Arts are $53,466, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
San Francisco Conservatory of Music ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in California list. Located in San Francisco, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 81 degrees to qualified masters’s music students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at SFCM, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at San Francisco Conservatory of Music are $49,050.
Stanford University landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in California ranking. Stanford is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Stanford, California. It awarded 14 masters’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
Stanford also took the #1 spot in our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Stanford University are $55,011.
- Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Music in the Far Western US Region
- Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Music
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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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